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A year after residents filed a petition to halt construction of the Hope Ridge Wind Farm, a Fifth District judge has upheld the Dickinson County Commission’s 2–1 decision allowing the project to move forward.

Ten plaintiffs sued the County Commission in December, claiming the Conditional Use Permit approved for the wind farm was “unreasonable and unlawful.” Their suit alleged the application did not meet zoning requirements, lacked agreements from all affected landowners, and that the County mishandled an Oct. 31 protest petition by miscalculating the percentage of property needed to validate it.

In his ruling, Judge Lee Fowler found no errors that warranted reversing or remanding the decision. He wrote that the process was transparent, opponents had the opportunity to speak, and the Commission’s decision was reasonable and supported by the record.