Two solar farms approved by Tazewell County Board

Posted on August 1, 2024

*^{Tazewell County Board Chairman David Zimmerman said “philosophical” differences that some board members have will make them vote no on most solar farm projects. (WMBD-TV)}*

By WMBD-TV

PEKIN – In a relatively light agenda at Wednesday’s Tazewell County Board meeting, two solar farms were approved with minor pushback from some board members.

One will be placed in Malone Township, while the other will be in a rural area in Mackinaw. Some expressed concerns about solar farms taking away from good farmland, but the farm in Malone Township was said to be in land not suitable for farming.

Tazewell County Board Chairman David Zimmerman said “philosophical” differences that some board members have will make them vote no on most solar farm projects.

When asked any updates about East Peoria taking any legal action for last month’s approval of the Catmint solar farm, he didn’t have much to say besides the municipality submitting a FOIA request. He added that something similar happened recently in Kane County, with Aurora’s government also taking issue with a nearby solar farm project.

He guesses that the state government may get involved with one or both of those cases.

Eric Stahl was sworn in as the newest county board member at the meeting. He will represent District two.

WMBD-TV can be reached at [email protected].

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