EDF representatives make pitch to supervisors

Most of Monday morning’s regular meeting of the Grundy County Board of Supervisors consisted of a presentation from EDF Renewable Energy, Inc. on the proposed Ivester Wind Farm as the board prepares to vote on whether to allow its construction in the near future.
 
Development Director P.J. Saliterman did the majority of the talking in front of a crowded room at the meeting, which lasted just under two hours, and took time to explain more details of the proposed 45 turbine, 90 megawatt project that would also include an 80 meter measurement tower near the Ivester Church of the Brethren on the western edge of Grundy County surrounding Highway 175. At a recent meeting, Supervisors Barb Smith and Mark Schildroth lamented that they had not yet received enough details and briefing from EDF to make an informed decision after the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0 to reject the project on Feb. 24.    
 
“Sometimes projects move sideways before they move forward,” Saliterman said. “We can put (the wind farm) on the front burner now and give it the attention it deserves.”
 
Saliterman and Associate Project Developer Leanne Russell Fate spent most of their presentation touting the benefits of the wind industry, noting how prevalent it has become in the state (Iowa has the second highest number of wind-related jobs in the country) and explaining the Federal Production Tax Credit (PTC), which provides incentives of up to 30 percent annually for new projects until 2020. 
 
Read more in this week's Grundy Register.