By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

After more than a year of discussion, the moratorium concerning the ordinance for wind energy conversion has been lifted.

Livingston County Board Chairman Bob Young explained that, while the moratorium has been lifted, there are still a few things left to do.

“For the first time in about a year and a half, we’ve lifted the moratorium on wind energy conversion systems. I don’t know if it really changes too much by lifting the moratorium, because right now, the ordinance states we’re at a 3200 feet setback from residences for any wind farms, which basically wouldn’t allow any wind farms to come into the county. However, there still is a text amendment to give the seven townships in the northeastern part of the county – they voted in an advisory referendum that they preferred wind farms, so we’re working to make those setbacks 1640 feet, which would encourage wind farms, but that’s not done yet. So, right now, across the county, wind farms are 3240 feet,” Young said.