More questions than answers prompt delay in Almer wind turbine decision

Questions from residents and Almer Township’s engineering firm ruled the day Thursday, prompting the community’s planning commission to delay a key decision regarding the future of a $200 million wind turbine project in Tuscola County.
The Almer Township planning commission held a public hearing regarding a special land use permit application filed by Tuscola III L.L.C, a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy Resources L.L.C. Such permits must be in place for wind turbines to be constructed.
The meeting was specific to 19 turbines that would be in Almer Township as part of the Tuscola III Wind Energy Park. Plans for the $200 million project call for another 19 turbines in Ellington Township and 17 in Fairgrove Township. The Almer planning commission had three options: recommend the township board approve or deny the application request, or table it.
Thursday’s meeting was held at Caro High School and attended by roughly 100 people.
It began at 7 p.m. and continued beyond 10 p.m., when planning commission chairman Robert Braehm moved to table any further action due to time limitations – but not before Alan Bean, an engineer with Spicer Group pointed out many deficiencies with the application for Tuscola III. (Read full story)

(This story originally appeared in the Nov. 12, 2016 print edition of The Tuscola County Advertiser and can be read online here.)