To the residents of northern Mercer County:
I am reaching out to bring to your attention wind turbine activity that is occurring in your area. Apex Clean Energy, the owner of hundreds of land rights in southern Van Wert County, has been attempting to secure land rights from property owners in northern Mercer County — without any notification to the public or local governments. Apex Clean Energy’s current land rights were acquired by the initial efforts of the wind development company known as BP Wind Energy North America. The development they have been working on is called Long Prairie Wind — with the goal of putting up as many wind turbines in the area as possible.
I respectfully request that all landowners who are approached by Apex Clean Energy, or any other wind development company, educate themselves about the significant rights they are granting before signing any contracts.
• Educate yourself on the effects wind turbines will have on your area and the people living around them.
• Talk and network with neighbors about the impact a large industrial wind development will have on your community.
• Consult with legal counsel who is well-versed in this segment of the law before you consider signing the 30-plus page contract.
It is likely the wind companies approaching you will promote that the highly subsidized activity of large-scale wind development will be a financial benefit to the local economy. Please note, they are not able to quantify the potential multiple decades-long degradation and negative impacts these large industrial developments present to all the people in an area.
James A. Wiechart, P.E., P.S.
Mercer County Engineer
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