Indian tribe wants Ohio burial mound protected from wind farm

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — An Indian tribe tells state regulators that plans to build a commercial wind farm in western Ohio pose a threat to an ancient burial mound and steps must be taken to protect it.

The tribe has filed a motion with the Ohio Power Siting Board to intervene in a case involving EverPower Wind Holdings Inc., which has proposed the 70-turbine farm near the city of Urbana.

Gene Park, an elder of the Alabama-based Piqua Shawnee Tribe and an agent for the tribe in Ohio, says the mound was built by ancestors of the Shawnee. He says the state should erect a barrier to protect it from construction of the wind farm.

Michael Speerschneider, director of development for EverPower, says the company is aware of a mound in the area and has no plans to disturb it.