The Will County Board approved several solar projects it previously rejected on Thursday and delayed a vote on another while facing two court orders.

Will County judges in the last two weeks have issued two court orders forcing the county board’s hands on the solar project.

Will County Board Republican Leader Jim Richmond at one point described the county board as being “handcuffed, shackled and maybe muzzled, too” on solar issues because of state law aimed at accelerating the development of alternative energy.

The board approved several solar projects with the advice of the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office that members could be put in jail or fined if they contradicted a court order mandating approval.

The board, however, did send a proposed 6,100-acre Pride of the Prairie project back to its Planning and Zoning Commission after Judge Victoria Breslan ruled Tuesday that the commission should have allowed opponents of the plan to make their case with evidence and cross-examination at a public hearing.

Pride of the Prairie is proposed by Earthrise Energy, which did get a narrow-vote approval from the county board for a separate 2,400-acre Plum Valley Solar project. That development will place solar panels in farm fields in areas running through Crete, Monee, Washington and Will townships.

The board voted 10-9 with one member abstaining in favor of the Plum Valley plan with opposition coming largely from Republican members who represent rural districts where solar-farm development has become a major issue.

“These things are contentious issues, but we as county board members have to protect the people,” Richmond, R-Mokena, said at one point in the county board meeting during lengthy debates over solar issues.

Thirty-eight people spoke to the board on solar developments during a public comment period.

Solar supporters outnumbered opponents by a 3-1 margin.

Supporters included eight employees or associates of Earthrise Energy and many construction union members speaking out on the project because of the jobs it has to offer.

The court-ordered projects that the board approved included solar plans for Channahon, Green Garden, New Lenox, Florence and Troy townships.

Will County Judge Ben Braun issued a court order last week that the board, which previously rejected the projects, approve them by April 17 to comply with state law.