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Huron
Daily Tribune
11/11/2011
BY
KATE HESSLING
Tribune
Staff Writer
HURON COUNTY — Thought you’d never be approached by wind
developers to participate in a wind farm? Well, never say never, because
you and every other resident have been invited to participate in DTE
Energy’s Sigel Wind Farm.
The utility sent the Huron County Board of Commissioners the invite in
an Oct. 27 letter. It includes an outline of $12,750 in payments the
county would receive over the next two decades if it were to participate
in the project.
Commissioner David Peruski, who chairs the Finance Committee, said the
county-owned property that’s located in the wind district is a 23-acre
parcel on M-142, halfway between Johnston and MacDonald roads. It
includes the old county landfill.
Peruski said, in his opinion, the county shouldn’t participate. He
felt the county should keep out of the project so as to avoid a conflict
of interest.
The Oct. 27 letter states DTE Energy currently is preparing to executive
a participation agreement with landowners who have decided to
participate in the project in Sigel and Bloomfield townships.
The agreement, which is for a term of 20 years, is a non-development
agreement for landowners located in the wind district who wish to
participate in the wind project.
According to a schedule of payments the county would receive if it
approved the agreement, the county would receive $250 upon signing, then
$500 a year for the next five years. Through years six through 10 of the
project, the county would receive $600 each year, then $750 a year for
years 11 through 15 of the project. During years 16 through 20 of the
project, the county would receive $1,250 each year.
But staying neutral proved to be more valuable than the money in the
eyes of the commissioners, who voted unanimously on Tuesday to not
participate in the project.
Kate Hessling • (989) 269-6461 • khessling@hearstnp.com
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