2/16/11 UPDATE 1:06 Big Wind's big upset in little Town of Forest AND Look what they've done to my ag field, Ma AND Turbines in the news: Watch "Europe's Ill Wind" Same turbines troubles told with different accents AND Turbines banned in Lake County IL AND AWEA says the Golden Eagle isn't the the kind of gold we're after
TOWN CHAIR AND TWO SUPERVISORS VOTED OUT IN RECALL ELECTION
St. Croix County (WQOW) - The results from the recall elections in the Town of Forest are officially in.
The town chair and two supervisors have been voted out.
In the town chair race, Jaime Junker (194) was voted in to replace Incumbent Roger Swanepoel (123).
In the town supervisor race, Rick Steinberger (207) and Patrick Scepurek (185) were voted in to replace both Incumbents Carlton Cress (123) and Douglas Karau (113).
The recall is in response to a wind turbine controversy in the town.
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Latest WQOW News 18 story on wind turbines:
A citizen group files a lawsuit against the Town of Forest. That's north of Glenwood City.
An energy company is looking to build more than three dozen wind turbines on various properties in the area. The board approved the measure last year, but residents say they were kept in the dark about the plans.
The group is concerned about diminished land values and noise pollution from the turbines, which could be up to 500 feet tall. The group is asking for a permanent injunction to stop the building of the turbines.
[DOWNLOAD TOWN OF FOREST LAWSUIT DOCUMENT]
SECOND FEATURE:
THIS JUST IN: SCROLL DOWN TO READ NEW LEGISLATIVE ALERT FROM JOHN DROZ JR.
Click on the image above to watch ag land being torn up for a wind turbine
EUROPE'S ILL WIND: FILM REVEALS SAME TURBINE TROUBLE AS IN THE U.S.
Europe’s Ill Wind is a film about the views of people living near existing or planned wind farm developments. Their objections have been dismissed by the wind industry, government and pro-wind campaigners as selfish NIMBYism, leaving unanswered many questions about the reliability and environmental credentials of wind energy.
COUNTY BOARD RESTRICTS WIND FARM PROJECTS
There will be no large wind farms or towering energy turbines on the horizon for unincorporated Lake County, after the County Board voted Tuesday to bar such facilities from its development ordinance.
The 17-5 vote came after almost two years of county study on the issue and left some northern Lake County residents who had fought against allowing commercial wind farms overjoyed.
“It’s great,” Carol Sebesta of Old Mill Creek said after the board’s vote. “So many things have not been settled as far as their effects on children and the elderly.” READ ENTIRE STORY: Chicago Sun Times
WIND INDUSTRY GROUP OPPOSES FEDERAL GUIDELINES TO PROTECT BIRDS
The American Wind Energy Association Industry said it will oppose plans by a federal agency to adopt voluntary regulations on wind developers to protect birds and other wildlife.
AWEA said in a release that more than 34,000 MW of potential wind power development, $68 billion in investment and 27,000 jobs are at risk due to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service policies on golden eagles.
Read entire article: www.pennenergy.com
EXCERPTS: NEW LEGISLATIVE ALERT FROM JOHN DROZ JR
As you know, probably never before has the US Congress been so focused on making budget cuts. There will be an important vote today in the House, but this process will go on for awhile, as there is no real resolution in sight.
[THANK YOU to all those who contacted their congressional representative yesterday.]
In my view, we MUST take advantage of this window of opportunity and do EVERYTHING possible to get wasteful renewable energy spending added to these cuts.
As has been discussed before, a superior energy target is "1603 Grants" — which amount to some $5 Billion. If these federal subsidies are removed, the whole wind industry in the US could collapse in one fell swoop!
There is NOTHING we can do that is simpler, faster, or less expensive, that will get this beneficial result.
If you want some information about 1603 Grants, see <<http://www.masterresource.org/2011/01/section-1603-windfall/ <http://www.masterresource.org/2011/01/section-1603-windfall/> >>.
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A good site that was sent to me seems to be the best place to go: <<http://majorityleader.gov/YouCut/ <http://majorityleader.gov/YouCut/> >>. This gives a complete list of the "Continuing Resolution" programs that Republicans are currently targeting to cut. So far the 1603 Grants are not on the list!
Note that their savings total is only $100 Billion (for 150 programs), so adding this one item for $5 Billion will get their attention.
At the bottom of that page, please click on the part that says Submit Your Idea.
The main argument that AWEA and the lobbyists are using to "justify" 1603 grants, is that it will produce jobs. Like almost everything they say, this is a ruse — and should be exposed as such. Here is what you might write (using your own words) at <<http://majorityleader.gov/YouCut/YourIdea.htm <http://majorityleader.gov/YouCut/YourIdea.htm> >:
"Please eliminate the 1603 Grant program as it is very wasteful spending. Independent studies have shown that this will result in a net jobs loss, that many of the jobs created will be outside the US, that the cost of jobs created is very high, that the benefits of these 'make work' jobs are very low, etc. And why are we borrowing money from China to subsidize an industry that makes 25%± per year in profits???"
If you want some additional information on these types of jobs, here are some reports that have recently come out:
1 - "Defining, Measuring & Predicting Green Jobs" <<http://tinyurl.com/626oa62 <http://tinyurl.com/626oa62> >>, and
[Note that this study was sponsored by a major environmental group!]
2 - "The Myth of Green Energy jobs — The European Experience" <<http://www.aei.org/outlook/101026 <http://www.aei.org/outlook/101026> >>.
PLEASE pass this on to all open-minded US citizens you know who are concerned about us sensibly reducing our debt.
THANK YOU!
john droz, jr.
physicist & environmental advocate
The BPRC Research Nerd
in Bill Rakocy, Bill Rakocy, Emerging Energies, Emerging Energies, St. Croix County, Town of Forest Wisconsin, Wind developers behaving badly, Wind farm, Wisconsin wind farm, wildlife impact, wind farm birds, wind farm ethics, wind farm lawsuit, wind farm noise, wind farm property values, wind farm wildlife, wind siting rules legislation and policy, wisconsin wind energy
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