Will County officials are considering developing a solar facility on its Prairie View Landfill in Wilmington.
At its Thursday’s board meeting, members are expected to consider authorizing County Executive Larry Walsh to negotiate a contract with Ameresco, of Chicago, for the proposed project.
The county’s Resource, Recovery and Energy Division sent out requests for qualifications last month, and recommended Ameresco following interviews with several firms.
The county board has previously approved special use permits for several solar farms on agricultural land, and is expected to table three more, pending new state laws.
“I am not sure we should be rushing to put these in agricultural areas,” board Speaker Jim Moustis said during a recent Executive Committee meeting.
He suggested they not only consider landfills but old industrial sites for possible solar developments.
“Maybe we should have fewer, but larger sites,” he said.
Most of those approved by the board have been for two megawatt facilities on 20 acre sites that are leased from local farmers. Those projects, and hundreds of others, are competing for state incentives offered through its Future Energy Jobs Act.
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Board member Judy Ogalla, R-Monee, said there are now 450 projects lined up to bid for these incentives, but only 65 will be granted.
Even though the state passed FEJA, new legislation is awaiting the governor’s signature that would regulate agricultural mitigation and property taxes on these sites.
Ogalla said she wants the board to further discuss suitable sites and density issues. Local townships should decide how many solar farms they want in their areas, she said.
In other matters, the committee also agreed to renew a contract with Ann Schneider and Associates, LLC at $5,000 per month, for transportation consulting services.
During her previous contract with the county, for $7,500 per month, she oversaw the creation of the county’s Community Friendly Freight Mobility Study. She will now help implement that plan, pursue funding for its projects and work on regional transportation issues, officials said.
Schneider said she has been reaching out to Will County municipalities and townships to develop an truck routing system.
She also urged board members to re-evaluate the road projects listed in that study, to determine if more should be added.
Moustis said he wants to focus on improvements to the 191st Street Corridor, from Wolf Road to Harlem Avenue, through Mokena and Tinley Park.