(By Chris Dunker, Lincoln Journal Star) AMinnesota company developing a 600-megawatt wind farm in northeast Nebraska is suing Knox County in federal court after the county board changed its zoning requirements to make the project economically unfeasible.
North Fork Wind, which has been planning a wind farm in Knox County since 2017, was joined by 12 landowners who had signed agreements to build turbines on their property in the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S.
District Court in Lincoln last Friday.
The lawsuit names the Knox County Board of Supervisors, the county planning commission and zoning adminis- trator, as well as individuals affiliated with “Wind Watchers,” which pushed the county to adopt longer setback rules and require North Fork Wind to obtain a security bond.
Knox County Attorney John Thomas said Tuesday the county has not yet seen the lawsuit and had no comment.
According to the complaint, North Fork Wind had lease agreements and easements with landowners in Knox County covering more than 45,000 acres to build the wind farm, sinking nearly $12.2 million into the project, as well as $16.8 million to join the Southwest Power Pool, $1.5 million in lease and easement payments to landowners, and $1 million to comply
