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Residents press McHenry County board to reject Water Locust solar site near Johnsburg
Summary
Dozens of residents urged the McHenry County Board to deny a conditional-use permit for the Water Locust solar proposal, citing groundwater vulnerability, soil leachability, proximity to homes and potential property-value losses; the developer and its legal team said the project met local and state standards.
Dozens of residents told the McHenry County Board Committee of the Whole on Dec. 11 that the Water Locust solar project proposed near Ringwood and Spring Grove roads is the wrong location for a commercial array and urged board members to oppose the permit.
The mostly local commenters — homeowners, farmers and a young resident who said he ‘‘drinks the water here’’ — raised health and environmental concerns anchored on a county Natural Resource Information (NRI) report and local well dependence. ‘‘I’m not against renewable energy. I’m against the location — 150 feet from family homes,’’ resident Renee Weigert told the board, asking members to ‘‘vote no’’ until independent, long-term studies prove safety.
Why it matters: Residents said the parcel contains highly leachable soils and fast-draining layers that could transmit contaminants to shallow wells and the Fox River. Angela Romanski, a local resident, cited county ordinance language and the NRI findings that the site contains ‘‘high…
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