Oakwood Hills power plant proposal dies
The would-be developer has quietly shelved plans for a massive power plant that ripped apart the tiny community of Oakwood Hills.
The village announced Wednesday it received written notice from the developer, Enventure Partners and Northland Power, a Canadian company, that it was withdrawing its petition to build the controversial 430-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant at 5110 Valley View Road.
“It's just a really good day for the village of Oakwood Hills,” said Chris Reining, one of several residents who led the opposition and lives about a half mile from where the plant was proposed. “I think now the healing process begins.”
The developer's move comes after the resignations of Village President Melanie Funk, Village Attorney John Cowlin and Trustee Beth Gorr. Village hall also was closed for nearly a month after police said village leaders feared for their safety after people were outraged by the possibility of the plant coming to town.
Several hundred people packed earlier zoning board hearings that became heated.
Trustee Paul Smith, the acting village president since Funk resigned, could not immediately be reached for comment.
“On behalf of the village board, we express our appreciation to all of the people who participated in the public hearing processes, disseminated valuable information related to the petition and otherwise created an awareness of the community of Oakwood Hills and all it has to offer its residents and neighbors,” a statement on the village website read.
The $500 million Oakwood Hills Energy Center was targeted for roughly 13 acres behind village hall, 3020 North Park Drive, near a ComEd substation and high-tension power lines, and less than a half mile from Prairie Grove Elementary School and residential areas. It was pegged to supply electricity to 160,000 households, according to the developer.
A spokesman for the power plant project could not be immediately reached Wednesday.
An engineering consultant hired by the residents said the plant would degrade property values, and its impacts would reach a six-mile radius, including the towns of Cary, Crystal Lake, McHenry and Wauconda.
“Many people forgot how much they love this area until this power plant threatened our way of life,” said Joe Ricciardi, who lives in Crystal Lake. “We all have a newfound appreciation and respect for our valuable water, clean air, open spaces and health. It has been an incredible experience seeing people from many communities unite to preserve them.”
Reining said the proposal's sudden demise was a surprise, but residents were confident their efforts would prevail.
A public hearing before the village zoning board scheduled to continue Oct. 9 is now canceled.
“We felt that we had a lot of things in our favor,” he said. “We were prepared to go in on Oct. 9 and battle it out, but we are happy we don't have to do that. It really took a village. It really took everybody to step up and say that we are against it.”
The opposition group conducted a door-to-door campaign surveying the village's roughly 2,000 residents, and nearly “900 people were against it,” Reining said.
“We're very excited,” he said, “and we are looking forward to continuing the momentum of the village coming together.”