Cuyahoga County could lose $1 million in federal stimulus money because Middleburg Heights last month rejected plans for a 280-foot wind turbine at the county fairgrounds.
Officials now propose moving the $2 million project, including a green energy education center and refurbished turbine from Germany. to the Berea side of the fair property.
“We hope it’s a go,” said Jay Ross, the county’s director of central services. “If Berea says no, we lose $1 million. It’s dead.”
County officials say the turbine would generate enough energy to cut $50,000 from the fair’s $90,000 annual energy bill. And so far, officials have won $1 million in stimulus money, $400,000 out of a larger Department of Energy efficiency grant. They also have applied for a $200,000 state grant.
“We really believe in this project because it’s all about jobs,” said county project manager Nick Willis. “It’s one step in attracting wind turbine manufacturing.”
Middleburg Heights last year approved a 250-foot wind turbine near the fairgrounds main parking lot, but that permission expired in September, before the county had finalized the funding. So the county applied again, this time for a turbine with 30-foot-taller blades.
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Article courtesy cleveland.com
