DARIEN, Wis. — Some residents in Darien are voicing concerns about a proposed 300+ MW natural gas plant that would transform part of their rural community.
The project, called the Foundry Ridge Energy Center, has sparked opposition from locals worried about potential impacts. The energy center was proposed by Invenergy, a Chicago-based company.
Previous Coverage: Darien farmers, residents sound alarm over proposed natural gas plant
Karen Logterman, who lives near the proposed site by the Darien Solar Energy Center, was caught off guard by the plans.
"I had no idea this was coming," Logterman said.
She told TMJ4 she learned about the project about a month ago and has been rallying with neighbors against it.
"We don't want this in our community," Logterman said.
TMJ4 attended an informational meeting Wednesday where representatives from Invenergy, the company behind the project, addressed community concerns. Residents like Logterman are worried about preserving Darien's farming heritage and potential environmental consequences.
Other concerns heard during the meeting included decreasing land value, noise and visual pollution, and lack of notification about the project.
"We don't want our wells polluted. We don't want our creeks polluted. We don't want our cattle, you know, damaged by this, or our children, or our health wise," Logterman said.
Watch: Darien residents question project leaders over proposed energy center
Johnny Shelton, lead project developer for the Foundry Ridge Energy Center, responded to pollution concerns by emphasizing their commitment to regulatory compliance.
"All the rigorous standards are set with human health, welfare in mind, and I think most importantly that, you know, the project's only going to run about 20% of the time, so it's a very minimal impact," Shelton said.
According to Shelton, the project would generate $940,000 annually, with the town receiving one-third and county two-thirds of that amount through the state shared utility aid program.
He explained that the plant is being developed to address growing energy demands in the region.
"Foundry Ridge is being developed as response to the increasing demand throughout, you know, southern Wisconsin and Wisconsin as a whole, and projects like these, you know, only running about 20% of the time. That 20% is critical to maintain reliability resiliency in the grid," Shelton said.
Other benefits he told TMJ4 included the creation of 150 jobs during construction in addition to full-time operations and maintenance roles.
Darien was selected for the project due to its existing infrastructure. The proposed site would be located right next the Darien Solar Energy Center. An alternative site was also listed on the plans nearby.
"They have infrastructure, and they have demand, and the infrastructure is largely tied to existing natural gas high voltage electrical transmission and a point of interconnection to get that electricity onto the high voltage transmission system distribute throughout Wisconsin," Shelton said.
Despite these explanations, Logterman and other residents remain opposed and plan to continue their resistance. They are contacting lawmakers to try and end the process.
"We're trying everything that we can to have the state decide that this isn't the place for this plant," Logterman said.
They've launched a petition via change.org.
If the project proceeds as planned, construction could begin as early as next year with operations launching as soon as 2028. The final decision rests with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.
Learn more about the project: https://foundryridge.invenergy.com/
This story was reported by Mike Beiermeister and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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