Posted by Hal Dardick at 5:42 p.m.
Mayor Richard Daley said today he’s open to looking at allowing energy-generating wind turbines off Lake Michigan.
“I think you have to look at it,” Daley said. “If you want to talk about the environment or about the clean environment, alternative energy, everyone has to look at that.”
The mayor was asked about the idea today after the Evanston City Council last night voted unanimously to ask developers to submit
their ideas about building turbines of their shores, just North of
Chicago.
Daley said there is consideration being given to putting smaller turbines on three water-intake cribs that are two miles out on the lake.
“It wouldn’t be the big windmills, it would be a smaller one,” he said, adding that they could provide the city Water Management Department with power and defray costs.
“You have to look at it. You don’t just dismiss it," he said.
“If you want to go with alternative energy, we have to figure
this out. We have to do alternative energy. You know that," the mayor added.