Long planned wind turbine project clears legal hurdle and is one step closer to reality

In the 1880s, Charles Brush built a mansion on Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland.

It's notable as the first home in Cleveland to have electricity and how was it powered? By a wind turbine.

140 years later, Northeast Ohio has a chance to make another mark with wind-generated energy, and that's through the Icebreaker project.

Icebreaker has been in the pipeline for several years, chances are you've heard of it, and if constructed - it would be the first freshwater wind farm in North America.

Icebreaker is, however, just a pilot project - 6 turbines about 10 miles off the coast - in Lake Erie.

The project recently cleared a major hurdle - after a 6-1 decision from the state Supreme Court ruling that the project could move forward after it had been hung up in a legal battle since 2021.

Icebreaker ended up in court after two Bratenahl residents opposed the project. But just because it made it's way through the court, doesn't mean construction is imminent.

Today on the program, we'll take a deep dive into the latest with the proposed off-shore wind turbine project, and what it could mean for the area, as well as the rest of the state.

We’ll hear from proponents involved with Icebreaker for years, as well as legal experts involved in the case, and environmental advocates discussing the impact.

Stick around, as later in the hour my conversation with local author Dan Chaon. We'll discuss his new book 'Sleepwalk'.

- Ronn Richard, President and CEO, The Cleveland Foundation & Chairman of LEEDCo

- Chris Tavenor, Staff Attorney, The Ohio Environmental Council

- Neil Waggoner, Beyond Coal Campaign Manager, Sierra Club Ohio

- Dan Chaon, Author, "Sleepwalk"

- Drew Maziasz, Producer, Ideastream Public Media