87-turbine wind farm approved in NE Indiana

BLUFFTON, Ind. (AP) -- A developer has gained approval to build a wind farm with 87 turbines that some living in the rural area of northeastern Indiana had fought.

The plans from Virginia-based Apex Wind Energy call for the 479-foot-tall turbine towers to be built in the southern part of Wells County by the end of next year.

The Journal Gazette reports the Wells County Plan Commission endorsed the project Thursday after the company made numerous changes to the plans it first submitted last year.

Plan commission director Mike Lautzenheiser says residents who had opposed the project dropped their court challenge after Apex agreed to modify the plan. Those changes include increasing the minimum distance between a turbine and a non-participating home from 1,000 feet to 1,200 feet and tighter noise rules.

Information from: The Journal Gazette