The county zoning board is pursuing a plan for two new meteorological towers, which could lead to new wind turbines.
The proposed sites lie midway between Marion and Peabody, with one between 140th Rd. and Old Mill Rd., and the other between 100th and Mustang.
Even if the towers are constructed, it does not mean wind turbines will follow.
“A met tower itself is just a data collection tower,” zoning board assistant Sharon Omstead said. “It doesn’t collect wind, it doesn’t do any of that. It just takes readings.”
If approved, National Renewable Solutions will build the structures and collect data under the Expedition Wind project. After data analysis, NRS will decide whether the amount of warrants building turbines.
The company has towers across the country and many are not on wind farms, Jesse Hopkins-Hoel, director of development said.
“There are met towers scattered across the U.S. that don’t have turbines set up,” he said. Before they can put up towers, NRS must acquire conditional use permits for each of the sites.
County commission approval would be needed and sites must be deemed suitable for the proposed use, Omstead said.
(Read more: Marion County RECORD)