Better Plan, Wisconsin

Watch or listen to the entire hearing by clicking on the links below:

(Video and audio courtesy of Wisconsin Eye -- click here for source)

What happened at the Capitol yesterday during the hearing on the Turbine Siting Reform Bill?

People from all over the state came to Madison yesterday to testify at a hearing about a bill that would give the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin the authority to override local government and set uniform siting standards for industrial-scale wind turbines throughout the state.

The hearing room was filled beyond capacity and two additional rooms were opened to handle the overflow crowd.

The hearing lasted from 11:00 am until nearly 8:00 PM, with people testifying for and against the bill in even numbers for the first four hours. By three o'clock, the number of those testifying in support of the bill had noticeably thinned, and the last five hours of testimony came almost exclusively from those opposed to the bill.

Many of those giving testimony in the final hours of the hearing were current residents of wind farms sited by the PSC, most of whom live within 2000 feet of wind turbines.

Complaints of excessive turbine noise, associated sleep disruption, intolerable shadow flicker, the inability to sell their homes and other problems associated with living in a PSC-approved wind farm were met with little apparent interest from the legislators on the committee who who came and left throughout the day, some having to attend simultanious hearings.

Those committee members that remained had few questions for the wind farm residents who gave testimony about life in a PSC-approved wind farm.

NOTE FROM THE BPWI RESEARCH NERDS: We are interested in the fact that WPR's short news segment on the hearing yesterday made no mention of the crowd of wind farm residents who testified about the serious problems they are having living with PSC setbacks.

To date this story has been largely ignored by the media and we can't help wondering why.

We visited WPR's home page and noted this MGE ad featuring wind turbines.[Click here to view ad at source]

No homes are visiable in this ad, but there are plenty of people in Fond du Lac and Dodge Counties who are living close to wind turbines like these.

Home near the Town of Byron, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin 200We hope Wisconsin Public Radio will consider giving airtime to those in our state who are having trouble living among those turbines. Their testimony yesterday was compelling, important, and their voices should be heard. It's a story just waiting to be told.

If you agree, why not click here to contact WPR and tell them so?

We'll be updating this post throughout the day with text of some of yesterday's testimony as it comes in.

This testimony is from Larry Wunsch who lives in the Forward Energy project near the Town of Byron in Fond du Lac County Wisconsin. The turbines in his area went on line a little over 14 months ago.

Good Afternoon Mr. Chairman and Committee Members:

My name is Larry Wunsch and I live in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin.I want to thank you for this opportunity to speak today.

Today I stand before you as a minority. Yet as a minority, I truly believe I carry a strong voice because I live in a wind farm.

I have a wind turbine located 1100’ from my home and I can almost see all 86 turbines in the project from my back yard. There will be a lot of testimony today stating that there are no ill effects coming from wind turbines. I am here today to tell you that those statements are nothing but lies.

When the PSC-permitted project first came to our Town, we had a lot of questions and concerns.

We asked about noise and were told that they make very little noise. Nothing could be further from the truth.

There are many days where the turbine next to me sounds like a jet engine idling on a taxi-way.

There have been many nights where I laid awake from noise generated from these wind turbines. Think about it. This is a huge, high torque generating device fastened to a 300 foot hollow steel tube mounted to an immense concrete foundation, and you are telling me that this device will not make noise.

I am not a sound engineer so I can’t ague sound decibel levels. All I can say is that there are times that these turbines are so noisy that they almost drive me out of my home.

We asked about Shadow Flicker. This is the shadow effect you get when the blades pass between the sun and receiving object.

The developers stated that this effect is minimal and with proper placement it can be eliminated.

I ask then why there is a turbine located 1100’ from the west side of my home. This shadow flicker has the same effect as if someone was switching the light switch on and off in the room.

I ask you, would you be bothered by this if you were sitting in your home and someone was switching the light on and off? Would it be intrusive if someone was to switch the light on and off in this room. You can’t imagine the invasion of this effect unless you live in my house.

We asked about property value. The developers stated that they did a study which shows that wind farms don’t have any effect on property values. The study submitted is called the REPP Study.

The study is based on a 5 mile view shed.

I wouldn’t have a problem with a wind turbine at 5 miles my home. I wouldn't have a problem with a wind turbine one mile from my home. But 1100 feet is a problem.

Like most people in Wisconsin my wife and I have everything we have invested in our home. When it comes time to sell, will we get our value out of our investment?

There are many homes where I live, located in the wind farm that have went up for sale since the project went on line and are still sitting because of some of these negative effects.

When we initially asked for a Property Value Protection Plan to protect our investment, we were told that they could not give us such a plan because it would affect the financing of the wind farm.

That’s not my problem. If you say it does not affect property values, then give it to me in writing.

It’s so easy to point the finger at me and call me a NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) I would ask these same people like the people from Renew Wisconsin, Clean Wisconsin, American Wind Association, Wind Farm Developers and more if they live in a wind farm.

If you should find such a person that does live in a wind farm and does not receive any monetary stipend, ask him or her if they have one 1100 feet from their home. Then measure that one person against the many that currently live in wind farms and suffer from the irresponsible placement of wind turbines.

My complaints have gone unheard. I have addressed concerns with the developers early on and received nothing. I have complained to my Town Board and have gotten the response that there is nothing they can do because it is a State matter. I have sent my complaints to the PSC and have either heard nothing back or had a response of “We will put your concern on the docket”

I don’t know what I can say to convince this committee how important it is for responsible placement of wind turbines, which was not done in PSC approved project where I live.

I can only share those experiences in a nine minute video that I have made. This video will show what my wife and I go through because of the poor placement of wind turbines. Thank you again for this time.

(click below to watch the video distributed to the committee members at the hearing)

Download Larry Wunch Testimony by clicking here

This testimony is from Sharon Wunsch, who lives in the Forward Energy project near the Town of Byron in Fond du Lac County Wisconsin. The turbines in her area went on line a little over 14 months ago.

Dear Chairman and Committee Members:

Thank you for the opportunity to speak before you today.

My husband and I live in a wind farm not by choice; it has been thrust upon us. From our home, we can see at least 80 turbines in our project alone.
Standing in our driveway we see three wind farms with over 150 wind turbines visible.

A turbine has been placed 1100 feet from our home.

The joy and peacefulness of living in our home has been significantly altered since the placement of these wind turbines. No longer can we sit outside in the evening and enjoy the normal sounds of a peaceful evening, work out of doors, or simply have our windows open in the evening to have fresh air. Noise from the turbines has changed these simple pleasures that we have all taken for granted.

The noise can range from a sound like a jet idling on a runway to a thumping or whooshing sound. A peaceful night’s sleep is easily interrupted by the noise. The beautiful view of the countryside we once had is now littered with turbines.

The majority view wind turbines from afar or experience them up close with a drive to the countryside, but they can drive away.

They think they are majestic and awesome. They make them feel good because they think they are contributing to the making of renewable energy. But, unless you live in a wind farm, you cannot possibly understand what we experience day after day or feel the sense of invasion that we feel.

I am guessing none of you on this committee live in a wind farm. We are a minority.

The sad fact is that they are heavily subsidized by taxpayer money and contribute minimally towards creating energy. If these projects were truly making a difference in energy contribution, we could accept the negative aspect of the wind farms.

In the meantime, wind farms will continue to be built in Wisconsin. I am here today to speak to you from experience.

I respectfully request that you consider safe and responsible placement of turbines and setbacks of at least 1/2 mile from residences to reduce subjection to noise and shadow flicker. Given the dramatic change to landscape, property value protection must be considered.

We will always be a minority; however our numbers are growing as the mandate for renewable energy drives the construction of more wind farms.

Each week we receive calls from other concerned citizens who are in the midst of having a wind farm constructed in their community or near their home.

Please listen and consider carefully everything that you are hearing today. It is critical that decisions made in the possible construction of a wind farm in any setting be left at the local level, to the people who know their community and where local government can be held accountable.

Sincerely
Sharon Wunsch
May 12, 2009

Click on the image below to see and hear the closest turbine to the Wunsch home.

Download Sharon Wunsch Testimony by clicking here

Testimony from Cathy Bembinster, member of the Town of Union's Large Wind Turbine Study Committee:

Testimony: SB 185 /AB 256

May 12, 2009

To: All Committee Members

I would like to read the last line of the PSC Mission statement:

"In all of the above, we consider and balance diverse perspectives and we endeavor to protect the environment, and the public interest and the public health and welfare."

I feel the PSC has not lived up to their own mission statement in regard to siting wind turbines.

I was a member of a citizens committee appointed by the Town Board to research the health and safety impacts of living too close to wind turbines.

This research started with the State Model Wind Ordinance Draft.

Upon review of the documents provided by the PSC as a result of our public records request, it became clear that the model ordinance was woefully inadequate in protecting public health and safety.

Our citizens committee was obligated to develop a new draft ordinance to present to our Town Board and Plan Commission that was based on science.

Following 5 months of research we produced a 318 page final report that was the backup for our ordinance recommendations.

After many open meetings with the Plan Commission, our Town Attorney and input from acoustical engineers, the final draft was presented to the town followed by public hearings.

15 months of hard work and 10’s of thousands of dollars in attorney fees produced a large wind ordinance that was adopted unanimously by the Plan Commission and the Town Board.

The input for the state model wind ordinance came from the stakeholders and their attorneys.

It was written to allow quantity siting of wind turbines with little regard for Wisconsin citizens health, safety or property rights.

The state model wind ordinance has disappeared from the state website for good reason. Unfortunately siting continues with the same status quo:

1. Nonparticipating landowners are forced to live with a wind turbine at a 1000 foot setback from their home and a 440 foot setback from their property lines. Again, there are no scientific documents to support these setbacks.

2. The sound study is furnished by the wind developer who essentially is the potential violator.

3. The shadow flicker study is also furnished by the wind developer who is the potential violator.

4. Complaint resolution is up to the wind developer under their terms.

If the PSC is given total control to write new standards for wind turbine siting, do you seriously believe they will abandon their rubber stamping techniques they have applied in previous wind farm permitting? I think not.

Your decision on this very controversial issue will be your legacy. You will determine the fate of the citizens of this fine state of Wisconsin.

The PSC is not an elected body and is not held accountable for their siting policies. There are problems in the wind farms permitted by the PSC that are being ignored. It appears that the wind developers regulate themselves.

Local government has an intrinsic responsibility to protect the health and safety of its constituents. Therefore I support local control and oppose the siting reform bills SB-185 and AB-256.

Cathy Bembinster
Evansville, WI

Download Cathy Bembinster Testimony by clicking here

Testimony from Jim Bembinster, member of the Town of Union's Large Wind Turbine Study Committee:

Testimony: SB 185 / AB256

May 12, 2009

To: All Committee Members:

In these exceptionally hard economic times we have an industry that is flourishing in Wisconsin.

The wind turbine industry has in 2008 enjoyed exceptional growth by a factor of 9.

Does this sound like an industry that is stalled out, restricted in any way, or one that needs help from Lawmakers in Madison?They want it all, but all has yet to be determined. A 9 fold increase is not enough. This industry is being driven by greed.

All Americans are suffering the consequences of the greed-driven business practices of the banking industry and Wall Street.

While governments, businesses, and families are experiencing major budget shortfalls, the wind industry wants more; more from the taxpayers, more from the ratepayers. These greed-driven business practices are sure to have a negative impact on the long term renewable energy goals in Wisconsin.

The unprecedented growth in installed wind capacity in 2008 indicates there is no need for and type of siting reform. Many communities are welcoming wind turbines with open arms. There is no need to force residents to live under turbines.

Wind developers must continue to work with local Governments for approval of wind turbine projects.

A one-size-fits-all rule developed by the PSC and wind developers will not adequately address the diverse land use in Wisconsin. Only local control of land use can protect the health and safety of residents, agricultural activity, and property rights.

The PSC and wind developers asked for siting control last year. One year later the PSC has not brought anything to the table for review, instead they continue to ask for a blank check.

Any siting rules must be written and approved by elected officials, with input from professionals in noise, health, safety, agriculture, property rights, and property values. This new set of rules would then be given to the PSC to implement and police.

Thank you for your time, consideration, and service to Wisconsin.

Jim Bembinster
Evansville, WI

Download Jim Bembinster Testimony by Clicking Here

Second story of the day:

Environmental and Wildlife Groups Call on Salazar to Immediately Suspend Work on High-Level Wind Turbine/Wildlife Advisory Committee

Department of the Interior urged to remove the corrosive influence of industry; restore science in its decision-making

WASHINGTON D.C. (May 11, 2009) - In a letter submitted today [source] , environmental and wildlife groups [1] called on Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar to immediately suspend work on the Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service[2] citing excessive industry influence in preparing the Committee's draft recommendations.

The letter follows up on a January 2008 correspondence [source] sent to the Secretary's predecessor, Dirk Kempthorne, where the groups raised concern with the unlawful imbalance in the Committee's membership in favor of wind power proponents and paid representatives.

The imbalance is in violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), governing the establishment of federal advisory committees.

In the letter, the groups assert that after more than one and one-half years since the Committee's formation, the draft recommendations [source] read more as an unabashed endorsement of wind power than a rigorous effort to address the harmful - and ever growing - effects on wildlife of poorly sited and constructed wind power projects.

Despite its charter to "provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior" regarding "effective measures to avoid or minimize impacts to wildlife and their habitats related to land-based wind energy facilities," the Committee's draft recommendations do little more than offer justifications for not developing rigorous, enforceable criteria to address the escalating wildlife impacts.

"The Committee's makeup continues to be dominated by wind power proponents, advocates, and industry representatives," said Eric R. Glitzenstein of Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal , the public interest law firm representing the groups.

"Unfortunately, our concerns of a year ago have now been validated with the Committee's draft recommendations, which do not even begin to acknowledge the parameters of the problem - let alone prescribe meaningful solutions."

For example, Glitzenstein added, "wind power projects in the Eastern U.S. have already killed thousands of bats, and yet the draft recommendations are silent regarding the effects on species that are also being decimated by a deadly disease, known as white-nose syndrome."

The groups urge Secretary Salazar to take immediate action and suspend the work of the Committee in order to reevaluate its composition and operation.

They also recommend the Secretary make all necessary changes to ensure the committee has the genuine scientific expertise and independence required to develop recommendations that are truly protective of migratory birds, bats, and other wildlife resources.

This essential action, if taken, will show that the Secretary is serious in his promise to restore sound science in the Interior Department's decision-making, rather than the usual rhetoric that places our wildlife resources at high risk and erodes public confidence in government.

The letter was also sent to the Inspector General for the Interior and members of Congress in order to encourage appropriate oversight measures.

CONTACT:
Kieran Suckling, Center for Biological Diversity, (520) 275-5960
Eric Glitzenstein, Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal, (202) 588-5206
Lisa Linowes, Industrial Wind Action Group, (603) 838-6588 llinowes@windaction.org

###

[1] Groups represented:

Industrial Wind Action Group
Center for Biological Diversity
The Humane Society of the United States
D. Daniel Boone
Maryland Conservation Council
Save Our Allegheny Ridges
Friends of Blackwater Canyon
Protect the Flint Hills
Chautauqua County Citizens for Responsible Wind Power
Green Berkshires, Inc.
Juniata Valley Audubon Society
Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound
Wildlife Advocacy Project
Union Neighbors United
Laurel Mountain Preservation Association

[2] The Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee was formed to provide advice and recommendations to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in developing effective measures to avoid or minimize impacts to wildlife and their habitats related to land-based wind energy facilities (see Fed. Reg. 72:11373 (March 13, 2007)). Former Interior Secretary Kempthorne announced the appointment of 22 people to the committee on October 24, 2007.

RED ALERT WISCONSIN! SAVE THE DATE:

TUESDAY MAY 12

11:00 AM

At the Capitol

Room 411 South

Joint hearing of Assembly and Senate Energy Committee on SB 185: regarding Turbine Siting Reform

What do PSC-approved setbacks look like?

Click on the image below for a look inside Wisconsin's newest wind farm, the Butler ridge project, near Iron Ridge, Wisconsin. Spring of 2009.

Please come to the Capitol on Tuesday May 12 at 11:00 am to take part in a hearing for a bill that would strip local government of its power to write protective local wind ordinances and allow the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to decide where 400 foot tall wind turbines can be sited in your community.

Please come to speak at the hearing and let our legislators know how you feel about this bill.

CLICK HERE to download the bill

WHY YOU NEED TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY!

Though the turbine siting reform bill mentions no specifics about setbacks, noise limits, and other siting concerns, it is very clear about stripping local government of its power and giving turbine siting approval to the PSC.

The PSC approved the siting of turbines 1000 feet from non-participating residents homes, and a noise limit of 50 decibels. Families in the PSC approved wind farms of Fond du Lac and Dodge Counties are now having a hard time living with the disastrous results.

Please contact your legislators (click here to find out who they are and how to contact them) and let them know if they want wind turbine siting reform, it should be based it on the Town of Union's Large Wind Ordinance. The guidelines used by the PSC were provided by an out-of-state utility with a keen interest in siting as many turbines as possible in any given area, and no interest in protecting public health, safety, welfare, property values or wildlife.

(Click here to download the Union Ordinance)

(Click here to download the Wisconsin draft Model ordinance, which has since been pulled from the PSC website.)

Click to watch video: Two Bruce County parents think a nearby wind farm is to blame for their daughter's chronic earaches. The wind company doesn't agree. But as Scott Miller reported tonight on A-News at Six, it is still paying to house the family in a local motel. ATV-News

RED ALERT WISCONSIN! SAVE THE DATE:

TUESDAY MAY 12

11:00 AM

At the Capitol

Room 411 South

Joint hearing of Assembly and Senate Energy Committee on SB 185: regarding Turbine Siting Reform

Here's a letter from Larry Wunsch who is a resident of the Forward Energy wind farm near the Town of Byron in Fond du Lac County. He lets us know why attending this hearing is so important.

Dear Friends,

Many of you know that I and others have spent the last 4 years fighting for responsible siting of wind turbines.

Some people have asked me why I continue the fight when I have a wind turbine 1100 feet from my home and that no matter what you do it’s not going to go away.

My response to this is, “My wife and I have had a quality of life taken from us and I don’t want this to happen to anyone else”.

I used to be the person that kept to himself and flew with the times. This wind turbine project has opened my eyes to the fact that if I don’t get off my ass and speak out, other fellow Wisconsinites will suffer the same thing that I am going through now.

That is an obligation that all of us have and should exercise.

Remember, that governments should be run by the people for the people.

As most of you know there is a hearing at the State Capital next week May 12th, at 1100 hours.

The hearing is about giving the Public Service Commission the rights on wind turbine sighting throughout the State of Wisconsin and take away local permitting power.

Giving the PSC this power would be a big mistake. The PSC set the rules in my project and now don’t even have the respect to answer my concerns.

The State of Wisconsin PSC needs to keep their ideas in Madison where there are no wind turbines.

I know it is a lot to ask, but you need to take the time and join me in Madison to testify against such control.

Please take time and prepare your statement in writing to read at the hearings. That is the best way to deliver you concerns.

I don’t need the help to change things where I live, that damage is done. Do it for yourself and others in Wisconsin. I hope to see you there.

Respectfully,

Larry Wunsch
Pinwheel Junkyard
Town of Byron
Fond du Lac County

Click on the image below to watch Larry Wunsh talk about life in the wind farm and then scroll down to read more about the turbine siting reform bill

Please come to the Capitol on Tuesday May 12 at 11:00 am to take part in a hearing for a bill that would strip local government of its power to write protective local wind ordinances and allow the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to decide where 400 foot tall wind turbines can be sited in your community.

Please come to speak at the hearing and let our legislators know how you feel about this bill.

CLICK HERE to download the bill

WHY YOU NEED TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY!

Though the turbine siting reform bill mentions no specifics about setbacks, noise limits, and other siting concerns, it is very clear about stripping local government of its power and giving turbine siting approval to the PSC.

The PSC approved the siting of turbines 1000 feet from non-participating residents homes, and a noise limit of 50 decibels. Families in the PSC approved wind farms of Fond du Lac and Dodge Counties are now having a hard time living with the disastrous results.

Please contact your legislators (click here to find out who they are and how to contact them) and let them know if they want wind turbine siting reform, it should be based it on the Town of Union's Large Wind Ordinance. The guidelines used by the PSC were provided by an out-of-state utility with a keen interest in siting as many turbines as possible in any given area, and no interest in protecting public health, safety, welfare, property values or wildlife.

(Click here to download the Union Ordinance)

(Click here to download the Wisconsin draft Model ordinance, which has since been pulled from the PSC website. This is what the PSC used to site the turbines in the wind farms which are bringing people such misery)

Butler Ridge Wind Farm near Iron Ridge, WI May 2, 2009

Wind farm issues arise;

residents question health issues

By Lyn Jerde

Beaver Dam Daily Citizen

May 4, 2009

(Click here to read at source)

About eight months ago, Melissa Smedema got wind of We Energy's plans to set up a 90-turbine wind farm in the Columbia County towns of Scott and Randolph.

She said she went door to door in Wisconsin communities where wind farms already exist, and heard stories of noise, vibrations, headaches, dizziness and sleepless nights.

"I'm not against renewable energy by any means," said Smedema, who lives in the town of Randolph. "But I wouldn't want these wind turbines operating around here unless they're a safe distance from homes."

Smedema said she and other wind farm opponents plan to attend Monday's Randolph town board meeting, scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at the town hall, 109 S. Madison St., Friesland.

She said she'll be coming to the meeting with two petitions she's helped circulate - one signed by outright opponents of wind farms near their homes (which she said had about 60 signatures as of Friday), the other calling for stringent conditions for the wind farm if it is located in Columbia County. The number of signatures gathered for the latter petition is not known, Smedema said, because it was still circulating as of Friday afternoon.

Among the conditions called for on the petition:

• Wind turbines should be at least 2,600 feet (about a half mile) from the property line of any resident who did not sign an agreement to allow a turbine to be placed on his or her property.
• Property owners whose property value goes down after the windmills are built should be reimbursed for the difference by the energy company.
• A public meeting should be held before either the Randolph or Scott town boards sign a joint development agreement with the utility that would set the parameters of how the wind farm would be constructed and operated.
• If a turbine is placed closer to a home or lot line than is specified in a joint development agreement, the turbine should be taken down at the utility's expense.

We Energies applied in late October to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin for a permit to build a 90-turbine wind generating facility on about 7,500 acres (or 250 parcels) in the towns of Scott and Randolph. The facility, called Glacier Hills Wind Park, would generate about 207 megawatts of electricity, enough to provide electricity for about 45,000 homes.

Of the 90 turbines, 55 would be in the town of Randolph and 35 in the town of Scott.

We Energies spokesman Brian Manthey said the company has made lease deals with about 45 landowners for Glacier Hills.

Smedema is not one of these landowners, but she said at least one turbine is likely to go up on a neighbor's property, within 2,000 feet of her home.

Smedema is part of a new organization, called Neighbors Caring About Neighbors, that formed to discourage locating the wind farm in the area, or to at least to set conditions to minimize its effects.

But Manthey said at least one of those conditions - the minimum 2,600-foot setback - likely would be a deal-breaker.

At the existing Wisconsin wind farm for We Energies, Blue Sky Green Fields in Fond du Lac County, the joint development agreement calls for a minimum 1,000-foot setback for property whose owners are not leasing their land for the operation and 450 feet for participating property owners.

A setback requirement of 2,600 feet, he said, "would likely make this project a non-starter. You would not be able to build a wind farm with that kind of distance."

Setback is one of many issues that We Energies would have to work out between the governments of the towns of Randolph and Scott before construction starts.

Each town could sign on to the same joint development agreement, or they could adopt separate but similar agreements, covering issues such as restoration of the town's roads after construction, ways to address TV interference that might result from the turbines, noise levels, and other operating issues.

According to Smedema, it's the sound emitted by the turbines - including the sound that can't be picked up by the human ear - that causes her the greatest concern.

Typical development agreements set a maximum average decibel level at which the turbines may operate, she said, but that would not prevent them from sometimes operating at much louder levels for some days, provided that the sound levels are low enough on other days to meet the average.

Also, she said, wind turbines create vibrations that may not be heard, but which can cause dizziness, headaches and other physical distress, especially in very young children.

"Some of these homes that would be near the turbines have kids," she said. "If it's a matter of my children's well-being, I'll do what's best for them."

Timothy Le Monds, director of governmental and public affairs for the PSC, said a public hearing on the proposed We Energies wind project is tentatively scheduled for July 13, at a location in or near the towns of Randolph or Scott.

The public hearing is held before an administrative law judge, and anyone who speaks for or against the project testifies under oath.

A similar procedure was held in Portage in late September regarding an Alliant Energy proposal to build a coal-fired power plant at either Cassville or Portage. In November, the PSC rejected the plant at either location.

Le Monds said a joint development agreement between the towns and We Energies is not required to be in place before the public hearing, but it should be in place before the commission to a decision on whether the grant a permit for the wind facility.

Asked whether the towns of Randolph and Scott were chosen because they are the only Columbia County towns that have not adopted the county's zoning ordinances, Manthey said that's unlikely.

The location, he said, was chosen by another power company, Florida Power and Light, and We Energies bought the rights to pursue the project from that company. Because few municipalities or counties have zoning rules that specifically address wind farms - Columbia County does not - it's more likely that Scott and Randolph were chosen because of the quality and quantity of wind available in the area, he said.

A strong joint development agreement, Manthey added, provides stronger and more specific protection for the interests of residents in the area of a proposed wind farm than would be offered by any zoning rules, by themselves.

Smedema said she knows now that the wind farm has been in the works for several years.

"It might be too late for us anyway," she said, "but a lot of us feel like our rights were taken away."

RED ALERT WISCONSIN! SAVE THE DATE: MAY 12-14 Turbine Siting Reform Hearing at the Capitol

A bill that would allow the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to decide where wind turbines can be sited in your community has been introduced by Senator Jeff Plale, (D- South Milwaukee) CLICK HERE to download the bill

Butler Ridge Project near Iron Ridge, Wisconsin May 2, 2009

Note from the BPWI Research Nerd: Although the hearing dates aren't firm yet, several sources have given us the tentative dates of May 12-14 for the hearings on turbine siting reform at the capitol in Madison.

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

Senator Plale's Turbine Siting Reform bill will strip your local government of its power to have any say about where wind farms are sited in your community and hand that power over to the PSC. The PSC is responsible for approving the turbine siting disasters in the wind farms of Fond du Lac and Dodge Counties. After you read the following stories, please scroll to the bottom of this post to find out more and to find out what you can do about it.

Wisconsin Wind turbine photo of the day. Gerry Meyer, April 2009

STORY OF THE DAY:

Modern wind turbines generate dangerously "Dirty" electricity April 28, 2009 by Catherine Kleiber Summary: Wind turbines are causing serious health problems. These health problems are often associated, by the people having them, with the flicker and the noise from the wind turbines. This often leads to reports being discounted. Residents of the area around the Ripley Wind Farm in Ontario where Enercon E82 wind turbines are installed feel that the turbines are making them ill.

Wind turbines are causing serious health problems. These health problems are often associated, by the people having them, with the flicker and the noise from the wind turbines. This often leads to reports being discounted.

Residents of the area around the Ripley Wind Farm in Ontario where Enercon E82 wind turbines are installed feel that the turbines are making them ill. Residents suffer from ringing in the ears, headaches, sleeplessness, dangerously elevated blood pressure (requiring medication), heart palpitations, itching in the ears, eye watering, earaches, and pressure on the chest causing them to fight to breathe. The symptoms disappear when the residents leave the area. Four residents were forced to move out of their homes, the symptoms were so bad. Residents also complain of poor radio, TV and satellite dish reception. There is no radio reception under or near the power lines from the wind turbines because there is too much interference. Local farmers have found that they get headaches driving along near those power lines.

The waveforms below were taken at one of the residences in the area. The first waveform was taken before the wind farm started operation. (As you can see, a ground current problem existed even before the wind farm started.) The frequency profile of the neutral to earth voltage changed dramatically after the wind farm became operational (second waveform). There are far more high and very high frequencies present; indicated by the increased spikiness of the waveform.

As demonstrated by these waveforms, wind turbines are extremely electrically polluting. Studies and anecdotal reports associate electrical pollution with a similar set of symptoms to those experienced by the residents of the area (1, 2, 3). The symptoms associated with electrical pollution are caused by overexposure to high frequencies and are known as radio wave sickness (4). Technical papers discuss the fact that it requires only very small amounts of high frequency signals (either from transients or communications) on wiring to induce significant electrical currents in the human body. They support findings of human health problems caused by exposure to even small amounts of high frequencies (5, 6). The specific symptoms experienced depend on both the frequencies present and the body type and height of the person being exposed. Increased risk of cancer is associated with exposure to both "dirty" power on wires and electrical ground currents (7, 8). Animals also experience health problems related to electrical pollution exposures. Dairy cow's milk production and health suffers as exposure to high frequency transients increases (9, 10).

Suncor and Acciona have tried to some degree to correct the problem at the Ripley Wind Farm. They buried the collector line from the turbine near some of the most badly affected homes and gave the homes a separate distribution line. They also put an insulator between the neutral line and the grounding grid for the wind farm. As you can see, from the waveform below, it helped somewhat. It reduced the high frequencies being induced on the distribution system by the proximity of the collectors and the high frequencies put directly on the neutral by the tie to the wind farm grounding grid. However, it is still not as good as before the wind farm installation and neither is their health.

This is not the only wind farm that seems to be causing serious health problems for local residents. The Enercon E82 does not seem to be unique in its design or problems. Wind turbines generate a sine wave of variable frequency in order to be able to take advantage of the full range of wind speeds. However, the grid only operates at 60Hz, so the variable frequency is converted to DC and then an inverter is used to convert the DC signal to 60 Hz AC. This is the signal that is put on the power line. Most inverters generate an extremely "dirty" signal, which is a 60Hz waveform polluted with a lot of high frequency transients. The previous waveforms are examples of this. The people in this house were so sick at home with the wind turbines running that they had to abandon their home and move elsewhere while they waited for the problem to be fixed. The changes made by the wind farm combined with a neutral isolation device installed by the homeowners has made the home livable, but their health is still affected by the operation of the wind turbines.

In order to eliminate the electrical pollution problem wreaking havoc on the health of people living in proximity to wind farms, the inverters need to be properly filtered at each wind turbine and all collection lines from the wind turbines to the substation should be buried. At the substation the electricity must also be filtered before being allowed on the power grid. There also needs to be a proper neutral system installed to handle the high frequency return current.

More information about electrical pollution and health can be found at http://www.electricalpollution.com . The author can be contacted with questions about electrical pollution at webmaster@electricalpollution.com . If you would like to get periodic email updates relevant to electrical pollution, please email with "join email list" in the subject heading. If you need measurements done, please contact Dave Stetzer in Wisconsin (608-989-2571 or dave@stetzerelectric.com) or Dave Colling in Canada (519-395-5194 or kave@hurontel.on.ca).

References: 1. Havas M, Olstad A. 2008. Power quality affects teacher wellbeing and student behavior in three Minnesota Schools, Science of the Total Environment, July.

2. Havas M. 2006. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: biological effects of dirty electricity with emphasis on diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Electromagnetic Biology Medicine 25(4):259-68.

3. Havas M. 2008. Dirty Electricity Elevates Blood Sugar Among Electrically Sensitive Diabetics and May Explain Brittle Diabetes. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 27:135-146.

4. Milham S, Morgan L. 2008 A New Electromagnetic Exposure Metric: High Frequency Voltage Transients Associated With Increased Cancer Incidence in Teachers in a California School. American Journal of Industrial Medicine.

5. Wertheimer N, Leeper E. 1979. Electrical wiring configurations and childhood cancer. Am J Epidemiol 109(3):273-284.

6. Marha K, Musil J, and Tuha H. Electromagnetic Fields and the Life Environment. Institute of Industrial Hygience and Occupational Diseases, Prague. San Francisco Press 1971. SBN 911302-13-7

7. Ozen, S. 2007. Low-frequency Transient Electric and Magnetic Fields Coupling to Child Body, Radiation Protection Dosimetry (2007), pp. 1-6.

8. Vignati, M. and L. Giuliani, 1997. Radiofrequency exposure near high-voltage lines. Environ Health Perspect 105(Suppl 6):1569-1573 (1997)

9. Hillman D. Relationship of Electric Power Quality to Milk Production of Dairy Herds, 2003 American society of Agricultural Engineers Annual International Meeting, 27- 30 July 2003, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Paper Number: 033116

10. Rogers D.M. 2006. BC Hydro Deals with Farm Neutral to Earth Voltage. September.

The only known cure for Radio Wave Sickness is to stop being exposed to high frequencies.

Web link: http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/10634

WHY YOU NEED TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY!

Though the turbine siting reform bill mentions no specifics about setbacks, noise limits, and other siting concerns, it is very clear about stripping local government of its power and giving turbine siting approval to the PSC.

The PSC approved the siting of turbines 1000 feet from non-participating residents homes, and a noise limit of 50 decibels. Families in the PSC approved wind farms of Fond du Lac and Dodge Counties are now having a hard time living with the disastrous results.

Please contact your legislators (click here to find out who they are and how to contact them) and let them know if they want wind turbine siting reform, it should be based it on the Town of Union's Large Wind Ordinance. The guidelines used by the PSC were provided by an out-of-state utility with a keen interest in siting as many turbines as possible in any given area, and no interest in protecting public health, safety, welfare, property values or wildlife.

(Click here to download the Union Ordinance)

(Click here to download the Wisconsin draft Model ordinance, which has since been pulled from the PSC website. This is what the PSC used to site the turbines in the wind farms which are bringing people such misery)

Having trouble with turbine noise or shadow flicker? Want to get your story told? Contact us by clicking here. Better Plan, Wisconsin is ready to help!

Got Turbine Noise? Is it louder than the developers told you it would be? What happens when you call 'customer care' to complain?

This email interchange is between a resident of the Cedar Ridge Wind Farm near the towns of Eden and Empire in Fond du Lac County Wisconsin. We are grateful to Daniel Haas for sharing it with us and allowing us to post it here.

Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 7:49 AM
To: CustomerCare
Subject: Cedar Ridge Farm Complaint

I contacted you on March 11, 2009.

I explained my complaints and concerns regarding the wind turbines.

You e-mailed back and said the local administrator would be in contact with me shortly.

Well it's been over a month, you must really be busy or you just don't give a s--- about the people who have to live in this nightmare.

I will wait patiently for the local administrator to contact me. I was told the only way to get a response from you people was a lawsuit but I guess that is an option.

Again I will wait for some response!

Thank you

Daniel Haas

From: Morrell, Manny
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 9:27 AM
Subject: RE: Cedar Ridge Farm Complaint

Dear Mr. Haas,

I understand your frustrations.

I apologize if we have not been in better contact with you recently, however we do have it in our records that our engineer contacted your residence on March 19th to discuss.

He should have discussed that at that time we were waiting on results of a noise study.

He should have also discussed that you would need to document the shadow flicker and call us the next time it happened so that it could be verified.

The results of the noise study have been finalized and according to the study, we meet the requirements that the average level of noise from the turbine remain under 50dBA.

To give you some perspective, the noise level of a typical television is 50 dBA, a car traveling at 30 mph 30 feet away from you is 60dBA, and a food processor on high or idling gas powered lawn mower is about 85dBA.

In regards to shadow flicker, we are aware that some residences are experiencing short periods of shadow flicker during certain times of the year.

We will be addressing this issue to eligible residences with shades that block out the shadow flicker during these times.

We will be finalizing the actual requirements next week on eligibility.

For now, we ask that you document dates and times that you are experiencing shadow flicker and please call us during that time so that we may come verify what the impacts are and discuss possible resolution.

The number to call to schedule verification of shadow flicker is 920-477-5048.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to call me directly at the number below.


Sincerely

Manny Morrell
Site Manager
Alliant Energy

Cedar Ridge Wind Farm
W3473 Hwy 45
Eden, WI 53019
T: 920.477.5017

From: dan
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 10:57 AM
To: 'Morrell, Manny'
Subject: RE: Cedar Ridge Farm Complaint

First of all, Your engineer never contacted me at all.

If he was at my residence I would know about it.

Also there was never a noise study done at my residence.

I really do not know much about noise levels but what is the noise level of a commercial jet coming through the middle of your house at 2:00 am in the morning.

I really am getting tired of the misinformation given to anyone with a complaint. There are different noise levels and you only talk about one.

The low level noise that I am concerned about is extremely loud and actually shakes the whole house.

It wakes the whole family up at night. It also spooks our horses so bad that we can't even ride them on our trails anymore. Our dogs won't even come out of there kennel because there afraid of the noise.

As for the shadow flicker it is terrible. It effects all of my 100 acres. Yes all 100 acres. That is my home.

You do not understand my frustrations and I am sick and tired of being lied to by you.

I am currently working on a diary to keep track of all the problems we are having and also a log of all the lies from the Town, Developer, and you.

If you would like to do a noise study at my residence I would be up to that.

I have a list of Engineers, Doctors and professors who could help you with your study to determine what noise levels should be studied as well as the health and wellness effects of each.

I would appreciate a response to the e-mail.

Thank you, Daniel J Haas