CLINTON — The county board last week had the opportunity to stop a lawsuit brought against it by developers of the Alta Farms II wind energy project.  They passed on the opportunity.

Board members voted on a resolution to resume issuing building permits for the project, which they suspended in July.  Members voting in July to suspend further building permits for Alta Farms II said the action was to force the developer, Enel Green Energy, to prove it could shut down wind turbines during periods of severe weather, a process known as “curtailment.”

The vote taken on August 19 to resume issuance of permits ended in a tie with one abstention.  Two board members were absent from that meeting.

Enel is suing the county, asking the court to order a resumption of building permits.  The county issued about 30 building permits for the project before the board suspended the issuance of any more.  About 26 permits still remain to be issued, including about a half-dozen that require drainage district approval.

Anti-wind project activists claim Enel has not provided evidence it could shut down wind turbines quickly during tornado warnings to prevent interference with weather radar or that the company has permission to do so from authorities.

• See the complete story in the Friday, August 27, print edition of the Clinton Journal or now in the Journal E-Edition for subscribers.