Wind Mills On The Lake?

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Apr 12, 2010 4:00PM

A new proposal in Evanston is gaining steam as city officials are looking for partners to help put up wind mills on Lake Michigan, a few miles east of the shore at Northwestern. The proposal was first made by Citizens for a Greener Evanston and city officials have since warmed to the idea and the Evanston City Council will consider the proposal tomorrow night.

But it's no smooth road to getting the turbines out in the middle of the lake. Despite plans for several across the country, no water-based wind farms have yet to be constructed. Environmental regulations from the political trinity - local, state, and federal government - make it difficult to move the proposals to reality. Other concerns include aesthetics (lighting for safety precautions at night) though supporters of the plan point out that the windmills will be so far offshore it won't affect people on land. Safety to birds flying over the lake is also a concern, but supporters say the danger to them is minimal. Is it a good idea, focused on harvesting those brisk Lake Michigan breezes for power, or is it a quest worthy of Quixote himself? We'll find out what Evanston thinks when they take up the issue tomorrow night.