The DeWitt County Board Thursday night agreed to assess a fine of $5,000 to Enel Green Power for not curtailing its Alta Farms II wind turbines during the storms of June 29.

Buck Carter chairs the DeWitt County Board's Land Use Committee - he says Enel has agreed to curtail the turbines when thunderstorm or tornado warnings are issued, both of which were issued on June 29 during a derecho storm that rolled through DeWitt County.

Terry Ferguson, the author of the condition in the special use permit, felt initially they could give Enel a pass on the mistake but changed his mind after reading the entirety of the ordinance and its wording.

Joe Witte points the Board to some of the specific language in the special use permit and believes Enel should have curtailed the turbines based on several examples.

Witte believes there is enough to fine Enel but offered the question - do they fine Enel for two events or one? On June 29, both a tornado warning and thunderstorm warning were issued within the footprint of the wind farm.

Megan Myers and Kristina Deerwester both agree that Enel needs to be put on notice they are being monitored to hold up its end of their agreement. They agree - not taking action in this circumstance would be a mistake.

State's Attorney Dan Markwell believes the notice, because it is not litigation, should come from the County Board and Carter offered the suggestion Administrator DeeDee Rentmeister - who is also serving as the zoning officer - be the one to send the notice.

As it pertains to how much to fine Enel for the multiple warnings they did not curtail, Witte believes fining them for the events of that day was sufficient. Board Chair Dan Matthews agreed. 

Witte also insisted on getting a written reason from Enel why they did not curtail the turbines and get written reassurance it would not happen again.

The Board unanimously approved fining Enel Green Energy for $5,000.