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Still waiting on wind farm
Posted: 05.10.2011 at 5:41 PM
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KIRKSVILLE, MO --
Adair and Sullivan counties have done pretty much everything they can to bring the Shuteye Creek Wind project to the area. Both counties have become Enhanced Enterprise Zones, which was necessary to begin the process of bringing a wind farm to the area.

So why are we still waiting for the wind turbines?

Sullivan County Commissioner Danny Busick says TradeWind Energy is still waiting to get a contract with Ameren Missouri.
    
Without a buyer for its energy, TradeWind won't get any further in building the wind farm. Trade wind has already lost two bids from Ameren, one to Iowa, and one to Illinois.
    
Busick says trade wind has let some of its leases with landowners expire, but there are still several active leases.
    
On the Adair County side, Commissioner Mark Thompson says the issue of the wind farm has taken the back burner because it's now in the hands of lawmakers in Jefferson City.
   
Thompson says they haven't heard anything from TradeWind or Sullivan County for awhile, and both counties are waiting impatiently for the wind turbines to become a reality in order to bring money into the area.

County officials are hoping lawmakers can help the process along through legislation.
   
State Representative Zachary Wyatt says the house has done a lot this year to promote renewable energy.
    
House Bill 613 promotes that all renewable energy come from the within the state of Missouri, which would help bring wind energy to the area.
    
But Wyatt says that bill is competing with the Nuclear Site Permit, which is a problem. That permit is attached to all legislation concerning renewable energy, and the Senate says it won't pass any bill that has language from the Nuclear Site Permit on it.
    
Wyatt says negotiations with the senate are ongoing, and he's hoping for the best---that our area can get wind turbines to help keep Missouri's energy costs as one of the lowest in the nation.

“These two bills will allow that to happen.  It upsets me and my colleagues in the house that one Senator believes that his opinion outweighs the 121 members who voted for the nuclear sight permit.  Hopefully this will change in the days to come,” Wyatt said.
    
According to TradeWind Energy's website, the wind farm project in Adair and Sullivan counties was supposed to have been in operation by 2009 or 2010.

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