MIAMI COUNTY, Ind. – Miami County commissioners recently took the first steps to prepare for a proposed wind farm project that could bring up to 100 turbines to the northern part of the county. Commissioners Larry West and Alan Hunt voted to approve funding to pay for two consulting companies that will help officials assess the potential impact of the project, which could also eventually spread into Cass and Fulton counties. Jim Tidd, Executive Director of the Miami County Economic Development Authority, told commissioners the total cost to pay for the consulting companies would ring up to around $75,000, with all three counties potentially impacted by the wind farm paying a third of that cost. Cass County officials have approved their portion of the funding and Fulton County officials will consider funding in a meeting scheduled for July 17. Tidd said Miami County has been under evaluation for a wind farm for years, and the company is now moving forward with the project, including negotiating with landowners where the turbines would be constructed. He also added if the project moves forward, construction of turbines would begin in Miami County, which already has the necessary transmission lines in place, and then potentially spread to the other two counties. The proposed parameters for the project run from 900 North to the Fulton County line, which encompasses about 36,000 acres. Here is Tidd explaining the economic development standpoint of the project: