Will County committee asks Springfield to restore local control over commercial solar siting, adds battery and township language

The Will County Legislative Committee on [date not specified] approved a resolution asking the Illinois General Assembly to restore county authority over commercial solar energy siting and related battery storage decisions.

Speaker Vanine moved the measure, saying the board wants the power to decide where large solar facilities are sited and to work with municipalities and townships on local impacts. After debate about scope and language, the committee voted to amend the resolution to add townships to the list of affected local governments and to explicitly reference commercial solar and battery energy facilities; the amended resolution was then approved and will be forwarded to the full county board for consideration.

The committee’s discussion centered on the limits imposed by recent state law (public act referenced in committee materials) and how to craft a message to Springfield that demonstrates concrete local harms. Committee members pressed for clarity over terms such as "commercial," "community," and "utility-scale" solar, and whether battery storage and wind should be included. Supporters argued the resolution is a targeted request to "claw back" authority taken by state statute; others warned that adding many stipulations could make the county’s request less likely to obtain traction in Springfield.

The committee also debated whether the resolution should include specific examples of prior local problems resulting from the loss of siting authority; staff suggested a follow-up addendum or letter with documented local impacts to accompany the resolution once the language is finalized.

The committee approved the amended resolution by voice vote and will place the item on the full board agenda. The motion, amendments and votes were recorded as voice votes in committee and a numerical tally was not specified on the record.