The permit to construct what would be North America's first freshwater offshore wind-powered electric-generation facility has been approved by the Ohio Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-1 that the Ohio Power Siting Board properly granted the company Icebreaker Windpower a certificate of environmental compatibility. Opponents of the project challenged the Power Siting Board's decision, claiming that the state had not received sufficient data on whether the facility would cause significant harm to birds and bats. The company intends to construct a six-turbine wind farm approximately 10 miles off the coast of Lake Erie near Cleveland. The board allows Icebreaker to begin construction, but also requires more data before the company can operate the turbines.