With a high-stakes vote days away, a group of Will County neighbors is asking a judge to slam the brakes on Earthrise Energy's massive "Pride of the Prairie" solar project, arguing they never got a fair shot to grill the company at public hearings.
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, attorney Steven Becker, who says he represents 16 residents, asked a court for injunctive relief to invalidate the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission hearing and to stop subsequent county proceedings, according to the Chicago Tribune. Becker told the Tribune, "I want the record to reflect that I have been denied the opportunity to conduct cross-examination and to introduce evidence on behalf of my clients."
The commission voted 4–2 on March 31 to recommend denial of Earthrise's proposal after two nights of public testimony, per Farmers Weekly Review. On April 2, the Will County Land Use & Development Committee deadlocked 3–3 and sent the project to the full county board without a recommendation, according to WJOL. County officials shifted that April 2 committee hearing to the Renaissance Center to handle overflow crowds, the county said in a Will County Board press release.
Becker's filing specifically asks a judge to halt the Will County Board's April 16 vote on the project. Earthrise attorney Ben Jacobi told the Tribune that Becker had the same chance as other residents to ask questions and that he did participate in a question-and-answer session with company officials, according to Chicago Tribune. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief that would wipe out the Planning and Zoning Commission hearing and any county actions tied to the permit that followed.
What The Lawsuit Argues
If a judge grants the requested injunction, the county board could be blocked from taking up the matter at all and earlier proceedings could be vacated, Farmers Weekly Review notes. County staff have said the public will be able to comment at the April 16 meeting but that there will be no formal hearing, and legal observers point out that state approvals can under certain statutes supersede local decisions.
Project By The Numbers
The Pride of the Prairie plan would knit together roughly 96 noncontiguous parcels into about 6,099 acres across Manhattan, Green Garden and Wilton townships and could produce up to 600 megawatts of capacity, according to Peotone Local. Earthrise has said about 300 megawatts are already contracted and has estimated roughly $3.5 million in first-year property tax revenue and about $81 million over a 35-year lifespan, per that reporting.
What Happens Next
The full Will County Board is scheduled to vote on April 16 at 9:30 a.m. at the Clarion Hotel & Convention Center in Joliet (411 S. Larkin Ave; see MapQuest), according to WJOL. A judge's ruling on the residents' complaint could pause or overturn that board vote, though the company can also pursue state-level approvals that complicate the local review process.
Opponents cast the case as a fight over due process and the pace of county review, while supporters emphasize potential jobs and tax revenue tied to the development. For now, the battle over Pride of the Prairie is split between the courtroom and the county boardroom, with next week shaping up as a pivotal moment for both sides.
