Lincoln County, South Dakota Commissioners gave approval to Dakota Power Community Wind to put up weather towers to test the feasibility of the project. Nick Shersen, who’s company, Val-Ad Service Corporation is backing the project, says the test towers will give them the information they need to decide whether to move forward.

Sershen says the weather towers provide the first step in a fairly long process.

He says comments opponents made at the Commission meeting about property values dropping due to the wind project, don’t hold water.

Sershen says Dakota Power is looking at a 500 megawatt facility with between 300 to 500 towers which constitutes a $1 to $2 billion cost.