Winnebago County Board Approves New Ethanol Plant
By: Import User
Updated: March 1, 2007
Rockford, Illinois- "It feels like a stab in the back," says Melissa Navarro, who lives near the site chosen to build an ethanol plant.
Neighbors near the 60 acres of land at 1951 Meridian Rd. stormed out of the Winnebago County boardroom and into the elevators immediately after the 24-3 vote approving the ethanol plant.
"This place is perfect for them," says Navarro. "Not for the community. Its perfect for the people that want the tax dollars, great for them! Obviously the person that bought into this area, has lived in this area, and sends their kids to the schools in the area, doesn`t matter what we want."
"I`m on the southeast corner of Meridian and Cunningham," says Sandy Harkonen. "I`m going to get stuck with all that traffic."
Neighbors worry about traffic and pollution from the plant invading their residential community, and said so in the more than 11 hours of public hearings before the issue reached the full board.
"If I wanted this crap, I would`ve stayed in Aurora," says Navarro.
County Board Members who voted in favor of the re-zoning of the land from agricultural to heavy industrial say the $144 million facility is a great economic tool for the community, creating jobs and more tax dollars for the school district.
Board members are also relieved the issue is out of their hands.
"They`ve got the zoning map amendment," says Randy Olson, Winnebago County Board member (R-1). "It`s up to the Wight Group now if they want to build."
"We`ve finally gotten a decision," says John Goebel, vice president of Wight Partners, the ethanol plants developer. "We`re very gratified by the decision and we`re ready to move forward with the permitting process."
After waiting five months for the land to be re-zoned, another permitting process begins.
"There`s a lot of approvals and permits that we have to get before we can break ground," says Goebel.
Goebel hopes the state and federal E.P.A. permits and Winnebago County Health Department permits are in place to break ground within the next six months.
