Article Shared With Permission. Written By Jacque Harms

VALENTINE, Neb. (KNOP) – A group called “Preserve the Sandhills” and Charlene Reiser-McCormick is suing Cherry County and Cherry County Commissioners. It was filed in Cherry County District Court on July 5th.

The lawsuit focuses on the votes Conditional Use Permits for wind turbine construction by BSH Kilgore, with Cherry County Wind, LLC, in the Sandhills. The specific Commissioners named in the suit are James Ward, Martin DeNaeyer, and Tanya Storer.

Preserve the Sandhills represents ranchers, taxpayers and people in the Sandhills and Cherry County. The group says construction of wind turbines will hurt the Sandhills.

The group says two specific Commissioners, Martin DeNaeyer and Tanya Storer, have conflicts of interest in the turbine project and should not be allowed to vote on permit approval. Denaeyer’s wife is on the board of Cherry County Wind. Storer has family with financial stakes in Cherry County Wind.

The Cherry County Commissioners will consider a Conditional Use Permit for the turbine project on July 16, 2:30 pm at Valentine High School.