Wind and Solar Permit Info

The County Board is considering amendments to it’s wind farm permit ordinance and the decommissioning plan for the Lotus Wind Farm approved in June. Before it makes a final decision, they are seeking public comment. You can read the drafts of documents as well as supporting documentation below.

The County Board decided not to pursue a solar permit ordinance. As such, for unincorporated Macoupin County, state law are the only regulations. Please contact City and Village Clerks for information regarding permits inside city or village limits. For questions on property taxes, please contact the Supervisor of Assessments office. 

Proposed Amendments to Wind Permit Ordinance

1. Draft Macoupin County Ordinance No. O-2023.__: Amendments to Macoupin County Ordinance No. O-2023.02: Wind Energy Conversion Systems Siting Ordinance For A Wind Energy Conversion System (“WECS Ordinance”) with proposed redlined edits shown.

2. Public Act 102-1123 (imposing mandatory wind farm and solar farm compliance requirements on the County as set forth in 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 – Commercial wind
energy facilities and commercial solar energy facilities).

3. Agricultural Impact Mitigation Agreement dated February 23, 2023 (“AIMA”) entered into by Lotus Wind, LLC and the Illinois Department of Agriculture pursuant to the Wind Energy Facilities Agricultural Impact Mitigation Act (505 ILCS 147).

Proposed Decommissioning and Site Reclamation for Lotus Wind Farm

1. Decommissioning and Site Reclamation Plan dated March 23, 2023 prepared by Westwood Engineering with proposed redlined amendments shown.
2. Template Decommissioning Bond (Payment and Performance Bond) to be issued by Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company with proposed redlined amendments shown.
3. Public Act 102-1123 (imposing mandatory wind farm and solar farm compliance requirements on the County as set forth in 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 – Commercial wind energy facilities and commercial solar energy facilities).
4. Agricultural Impact Mitigation Agreement dated February 23, 2023 (“AIMA”) entered into by Lotus Wind, LLC and the Illinois Department of Agriculture pursuant to the Wind Energy Facilities Agricultural Impact Mitigation Act (505 ILCS 147).
5. RESOLUTION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF THE DECOMMISSIONING AND SITE RECLAMATION PLAN AND DECOMMISSIONING BOND (PAYMENT AND PERFORMANCE BOND) FOR THE WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM (“WECS”) TO BE CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED AS THE LOTUS WIND PROJECT BY LOTUS WIND, LLC.