Will County Court Grants Temporary Reprieve to Opponents of Earthrise Solar Farm
A Will County judge has issued a temporary restraining order halting the scheduled vote on Earthrise Energy’s proposed 6,100-acre solar farm near Manhattan, Illinois. The ruling grants a legal victory to sixteen local homeowners who argued they were denied due process during previous public hearings. Judge Victoria Breslan determined that attorney Steven Becker, representing the residents, was not given a meaningful opportunity to present evidence or cross-examine developer representatives, despite earlier assurances from county officials that such actions would not be permitted. Consequently, the Will County Board is barred from voting on the project until these procedural deficiencies are addressed. While the county and Earthrise attorneys contended that sufficient time for public comment had been provided, the court found that limiting Becker to five minutes while representing multiple parties was inadequate. Earthrise Energy stated it does not plan to appeal the decision and expressed confidence in the project's ultimate approval. The case will return to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a continued hearing, allowing the homeowners to fully exercise their legal rights before any final determination is made by the County Board.
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Will County Court Grants Temporary Reprieve to Opponents of Earthrise Solar Farm
A Will County judge has issued a temporary restraining order halting the scheduled vote on Earthrise Energy’s proposed 6,100-acre solar farm near Manhattan, Illinois. The ruling grants a legal victory to sixteen local homeowners who argued they were denied due process during previous public hearings. Judge Victoria Breslan determined that attorney Steven Becker, representing the residents, was not given a meaningful opportunity to present evidence or cross-examine developer representatives, despite earlier assurances from county officials that such actions would not be permitted. Consequently, the Will County Board is barred from voting on the project until these procedural deficiencies are addressed. While the county and Earthrise attorneys contended that sufficient time for public comment had been provided, the court found that limiting Becker to five minutes while representing multiple parties was inadequate. Earthrise Energy stated it does not plan to appeal the decision and expressed confidence in the project's ultimate approval. The case will return to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a continued hearing, allowing the homeowners to fully exercise their legal rights before any final determination is made by the County Board.
chicagotribune