District 301 tables wind turbine proposal

Burlington-area school officials again have tabled a wind turbine proposal until economic winds blow more favorably.

Since at least 2006, Central Community Unit District 301 has considered erecting a wind turbine that would generate electricity for its seven schools.

Every year since, the District 301 school board has reviewed the proposal and decided to table it until economic conditions improve or incentives exist to offset the upfront cost, estimated in 2008 at $4 million.

This year, conditions are worse than ever, with the state reducing funding and missing payments to schools, prompting District 301 to cut $1 million from its 2010-11 budget.

"Unless it's cost-neutral, we don't have any money to make changes," District 301 board President Rose Diaz said this week. "All we've done is cut costs for the past year."

Nearby Community Unit District 300 is exploring building a 19.5-megawatt wind farm downstate with two other school districts. The districts would fund the wind farm with a combination of federal grants, tax credits and private investment.

But District 300's proposal is costly and complex, and the small-scale operation contemplated by District 301 likely wouldn't be able to take advantage of the same incentives.

Still, District 301 board members say they will revisit the proposal if circumstances change.

"We didn't slam the door on it," board member Mike Roberts said. "It's still out there on the horizon."