News
Local reporting on Illinois communities’ fights over utility-scale solar and the lawsuits under the 2023 siting law. Each post is our short summary plus a link to the full story. Please read and support the reporters.
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Grundy County Board Narrowly Approves Whitetie Road Solar Farm
WCSJ News · Oct. 19, 2026 · Justin Ritz The full Grundy County Board has approved a special use petition for a new solar farm in the 5700 block of
Will County Rejects One Solar Farm, Approves Another on a Tie-Breaker and Delays a Third
Chicago Tribune · Oct. 15, 2026 · Michelle Mullins The Will County Board took up three solar projects that its Planning and Zoning Commission and Land Use and Development Committee
Madison County Voters Will Weigh In on Restoring Local Control Over Solar Farms
Troy Times Tribune · Oct. 15, 2026 · Randy Pierce Madison County’s Nov. 3 ballot includes an advisory question asking whether the Illinois General Assembly should restore zoning control of
Illinois Supreme Court Will Decide How Much Say Counties Have Over Solar
On September 30, the Illinois Supreme Court agreed to review Tate Road Solar v. County of Winnebago, the Fourth District case that said counties keep some discretion over solar permits.
Grundy County Committee Advances Whitetie Road Solar Farm on Land That Has Flooded Before
WCSJ News · Oct. 5, 2026 · Justin Ritz Grundy County’s Land Use Committee voted 4-2 to approve a special use petition for a new solar farm near Whitetie Road.
La Salle County Rejects, Then Approves, Oglesby Solar Array
In July the La Salle County Board rejected a 4.95-megawatt solar array in Oglesby 20–7, after neighbors objected and questions arose about a wetland on the site.
What Solar Developers Are Offering Illinois Landowners: Farm Manager Survey
A mid-year survey by the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers found that 48% of respondents had a managed farm enter a new wind or solar agreement in the first half of 2026.
Three Counties, Conflicting Rulings: Courts Will Decide Who Controls Solar Siting
This overview walks through the legal fights that grew out of the 2023 siting law.
Neighbors File First Constitutional Challenge to Illinois’ Solar Siting Law
Eighteen property owners near the 6,100-acre Pride of the Prairie project sued to overturn Will County’s May 21 approval.
McHenry County Board Approves Five Solar Farms Under Court Order
The McHenry County Board voted 11–7 to approve five solar projects it had previously denied, one day before a court-ordered deadline.
Will County Tests the State Solar Law Again, Rejecting Project Next to an Airpark Runway
The Will County Board voted 15–6 against a solar facility proposed next to the Meadow Creek Airpark in Monee Township, a residential community built around runways used by amateur pilots.
Judges Order McHenry County to Approve Solar Farms It Rejected
After the McHenry County Board turned down four solar farms in December and another in January, every affected developer sued.
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