Some Illinois Counties Oppose Wind-Power Bill

Some counties in Illinois are raising objections to legislation that would give the state Department of Agriculture the authority to regulate the locations of power-generating wind turbines.

State Sen. John Sullivan's legislation would move that authority from counties to the state. He tells The News-Gazette in Champaign his bill is an attempt to address what he says are inconsistencies in wind-farm regulation from county to county.

The Illinois Farm Bureau is pushing the wind-farm proposal.

Rick Bowen is chairman of the Ford County board and Rod Copas holds that title in neighboring Iroquois County.

The eastern Illinois counties both have wind farms. And both men oppose giving up local control of where wind towers can be erected.