AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR OF HARD WORK, RESIDENTS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE THE MOST SOLID WIND ORDINANCE IN WISCONSIN. And unlike the one provided to us by the state the Union Wind Ordinance is actually based on scientific and medical data and puts residents health and safety over the profit-driven wishes of wind developers and lobbyists.

(CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE BELOW AT ITS SOURCE)

From Milwaukee's Daily Reporter

 November 3, 2008 by Paul Snyder in Daily Reporter

Filling what it argues is a void in the state's vetting of wind-power projects, the town of Union is marking its turf with a proposed ordinance essentially outlawing such projects.

"I think the state of Wisconsin has shown it's going to do what (wind-farm development) companies want," said Tom Alisankus, Union municipal judge and resident. "I think they look at these big wind-farm projects and just hope there won't be enough resistance at the local level to slow them down.

"But I think they'll find there's fight in some of these places, and Union is one of them."

Elgin, Ill.-based EcoEnergy Engineering LLC wants to build three turbines generating 4.5 megawatts, far below the 100 megawatt limit required for state approval. The three towers in Union would provide new power to Evansville Water & Light Department customers.

The Plan Commission last week recommended an ordinance requiring half-mile setbacks from property lines for wind-farm developments, effectively leaving little to no developable space in the town without consent from property owners.

The Town Board still must approve it, although that doesn't look to be a tall order.

Both Town Chairman Kendall Schneider and Town Supervisor Donald Krajeck said the three towers would be out of place in Union.

"You need a 6 mph wind to fly a box kite," Schneider said. "You only get that on a few days here. These turbines need a 9.5 mph wind to get going."

Curt Bjurlin, EcoEnergy's wind project developer, was unavailable to comment on the company's plans if the town passes the ordinance. But EcoEnergy has maintained an active interest in the area.

In addition to recently building a wind-measurement tower in Union, EcoEnergy also is chasing a larger wind development in nearby Magnolia. That farm would generate more than 100 megawatts and already is facing strong local opposition.

With a goal to generate 25 percent of the state's energy from renewable resources by 2025, lawmakers have taken an avid interest in wind power in recent years. While legislation to create a statewide standard for siting wind farms failed in the last session, several lawmakers said it will again be on the table in the upcoming session.

But Krajeck said the state should stay away.

"I would like to see more control at the local level," he said. "Every local situation is different and has to be looked at on its own."

And that's exactly what Union is trying to accomplish, Alisankus said. Preventing the construction of three turbines in Union, he said, could empower other small municipalities around the state.

"I honestly believe the ordinance is sound and very defendable in court," he said. "The state had its chance (to create wind-power standards), but it couldn't cut it."

Web link: http://www.dailyreporter.com/item.cfm?recid=200499... 

Democrat? Republican?

When it comes to siting industrial wind turbines in Wisconsin communites, these representatives boldly cross party lines to defend the rights of our local governments.

They are:

Brett Davis (R)

Kim Hixon, (D)

Frank Lasee (R)

Bob Ziegelbauer (D)

During the last legislative push to take away local power over this issue and hand it to the PSC, they stood up to defend local control, and were quick to respond to all our questions and concerns about the issue.

We know there will be another push to take away power from local government in the upcoming legislative session. Wind developers and lobbyists and a few legislators have been doing all they can to make this happen. We need legislators who will fight for the rights of our local governments. We hope to see Davis, Hixon, Lasee and Zigelbauer back in Madison!

Here's what Frank Lasee had to say when asked the following question:

Should statewide standards be developed for wind power generation projects, and if so, what should be guiding principles?

Frank Lasee:

Federal and state laws are already favorable for windmills.

Windmills would not exist without very large tax subsidies.

People do not understand that windmills are a very expensive form of electricity that taxpayers and electric users pay for. They only make electricity when the wind blows, and, for some reason, not even all the time when it blows.

Wind is free, but the construction and maintenance of these structures is not. Because of this favorable "encouragement" with our laws and tax dollars, I have deep concerns with a statewide siting standard.I believe that they will favor windmills over the local people that have to live near them.

This is wrong. There needs to be a fair balance.

It is better for each county to go through the struggle to find their local balance between windmills and the people that it directly affects. Manitowoc County has been in the midst of this. This route allows for the maximum citizen input and also allows for the introduction of ideas and standards that have been tried and tested elsewhere.

Just because a decision is made in Madison, or Washington D.C., doesn't make it better or more fair for those that must live with it day to day. In fact, I believe that these decisions from a distance are often less sensitive to local citizens.

Witness what is happening with our economy now because of the regulations and requirements of our federal government. At this sensitive economic time, our government should not keep adding costs to people and to businesses that produce goods or services and employ people.

Right now, our government should be looking to lower the cost of doing business in our state and country so that we can continue to lead the world in worker productivity. Producing real goods and real services at a competitive cost is what will provide a healthy job market and get us out of our economic uncertainty.

NOTE FROM THE BPRC RESEARCH NERD: Thank you to these representatives for being so involved in this issue, and for giving us a fighting chance against the big money power of wind developers and wind lobbyists in Madison who would be all too happy to run rough shod over the concerns of local residents and force industrial wind farms into communities where they don't belong.

Union commission recommends turbine regulation

The Town of Union Plan Commission unanimously approved a recommendation for an ordinance regulating wind turbines Thursday.

The recommendation will go the town board, which will host a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, at the Eager Free Public Library, 39 W. Main St., Evansville.

Plan commission member Doug Zweizig expects the board to take action on the ordinance after the hearing.

The ordinance prohibits construction of turbines within a half mile of occupied structures, Zweizig said. The setback may be reduced to 1,000 feet with permission from property owners or neighbors, he said.

The ordinance also includes strict sound-control regulations and requires testing for sound after construction of a turbine, Zweizig said.

The town and its residents put a lot of work into reworking the state’s model ordinance, Zweizig said.

“This small township has worked for over a year because the model provided by the state was hopelessly inadequate,” Zweizig said. “It was a huge expenditure of time and money for a small township because the state failed to do it.”

By Gina Duwe

Janesville Gazette

NOTE FROM THE BPRC RESEARCH NERD: As soon as the final version of the ordinance is available we will post it for download. In the mean time, if you can't wait and would like to see a draft copy of the ordinance, contact us by clicking here and we'll email you a PDF copy.

HATS OFF TO THE UNION TOWNSHIP P&Z COMMISSION AND THE LARGE WIND TURBINE STUDY COMMITTEE.

Now for something that really does scare those of us who believe in the importance of local govenment and maintaining local control over what goes on in our communities. This story comes to us from Brown County, Town of Morrison.

Energy company bypasses town ordinance

TOWN OF MORRISON — Invenergy, one of the large wind energy firms proposing to erect large windmills in the area, is bypassing the town and the ordinance it enacted to regulate wind farms.

Morrison town zoning administrator Joy Koomen said Invenergy is seeking permits from the state rather than going through the town.

She said state law allows that for larger wind energy facilities.

“I am not happy,” town chairman Todd Christensen said.

He said the town ordinance requires wind energy firms to get a conditional use permit from the town. It protects the town in several ways, including requiring financial assurances that the firms would remove wind towers if their projects were abandoned in the future.

Christensen said he understands that the state’s permitting process requires a public hearing and suggested that the towns need to participate in that process.

“We as a community have to express our opinions,” he said.

Christensen noted that the energy firms are large corporations with significant legal resources — something the town governments don’t have.

Christensen also is upset with the formula in state law for utility aid payments to local governments when a power facility, such as a wind farm, is located.

Under the current formula, if a wind energy farm is built in a village or city, the municipality gets two-thirds of the utility aid payments and the county gets one-third.

But if the facility is built in an unincorporated town, the county gets two-thirds and the town one-third. Christensen wants towns to get two-thirds, just like cities and villages.

The Wisconsin Towns Association is trying to get that change enacted into state law. That initiative faces strong opposition from county governments.

The Post-Gazette

wisinfo.com

24 October 2008

THE FOLLOWING VERY SCARY STORY

GOES OUT TO ALL THE WIND DEVELOPERS

OUT THERE---

Wind energy development to face tougher scrutiny (click here to read at source)

After allegations of corruption in the development of wind energy across New York, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced today an agreement with two major wind farm companies for more transparency over the industry.

The agreement will require Noble Environmental Power, LLC and First Wind, who have wind farms in upstate New York, to no longer hire municipal workers or their relatives, ban gifts to public officials and maintain a Web site that lists their employees.

The attorney general’s office developed a Wind Industry Ethics Code that the firms will adhere to and created a task force made up of district attorneys and watchdog groups to monitor whether the wind companies are following the code of conduct.

The companies face up to $50,000 in fines for a first offense of the code, and up to $100,000 for subsequent offenses.

A Gannett News Service investigation in July revealed dozens of allegations from residents in small towns in which wind-farm companies were accused of running roughshod over ill-prepared town boards and specifically entering agreements with town officials to grease the process.

“Wind power is an exciting industry for the state that will be a cornerstone of our energy future,” Cuomo said. “But it is important to make sure that this alternative energy sector develops in a way that maintains the public’s confidence.”

New York is seeking to produce 25 percent of its energy through renewable sources by 2013, but the effort has led wind companies to push for development with little government oversight or statewide regulations.

As a result, some companies – including Noble and First Wind — have been accused of entering lease agreements with public officials for the construction of wind turbines on their properties. Then the public officials vote to approve the projects, some local residents have alleged.

Even with Cuomo’s ethics code, the state still lacks a comprehensive strategy to determine where and how wind farms should be developed, officials said.

But Franklin County District Attorney Derek Champagne, who was first to investigate corruption charges in his North Country county, said the agreement will hopefully “ensure clean energy isn’t tainted by backroom dealings and improper relationships between elected officials and the companies involved.”

Monroe County District Attorney Mike Green, who attended the news conference in Albany, said his office has received numerous complaints about wind-farm developments.

He said wind energy is a great asset, but “it has to be handled in a way that does not erode the confidence in either the system or the energy industry.”

Cuomo said that investigations underway by district attorneys into some cases may still continue. But he said his office has no plans to prosecute complaints that had been brought to his attention.

Noble, based in Essex, Conn., has three active wind farms in Clinton and Wyoming counties. First Wind, based in Newton, Mass., has a farm in Erie County. Both have other ones in development.

“Noble has always been fully committed to the ethical and transparent development of renewable resources,” said Walter Howard, the company’s CEO, said during the news conference.

He declined to answer further questions after the event.

Other parts of the ethics code include:

# Preventing wind companies from soliciting or using confidential information acquired by a municipal officer.

# Requires wind companies to submit in writing to the municipal clerk for public inspection and to publish in the local newspaper the nature and scope of the municipal officer’s financial interest.

# Mandates that all wind easements and leases be in writing and filed with the county clerk.

# Dictates that within 30 days of signing the Wind Industry Ethics Code, companies must conduct a seminar for employees about identifying and preventing conflicts of interest when working with municipal employees.

By Joseph Spector

Gannett News Service

stargazette.com

We received an email the other day from someone wanting to know if we had any samples of what industrial wind turbines sound like when they are loud.

We were happy to direct the writer to two recent national news segments which provide samples of what turbines sound like. The first is from Charles Gibson of ABC news. He used a boom mike to capture the sound. His vocal mike is set to capture his voice and little back ground sound. When he lifts the boom mike, you can hear what people living with wind turbine noise are talking about. Notice there are no homes near by the turbines featured in this segment.

Go to the ABC website to watch it by CLICKING HERE

Below is a video which recently ran on CNBC which features stories about people who have had to move out of their homes because of wind turbine noise and other related problems.

Below is a video taken by the fire chief of the town of Byron in Fond du Lac county about wind turbine noise and shadow flicker from a turbine sited 1100 feet from a home.

And here is a video about the common statement made by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) which compares the sound of an industrial wind turbine to the sound of a refrigerator.  This also shows what wind turbines look and sound like at night

If your internet connection isn't fast enough to be able to watch these videos, click here to contact us and we will mail you a DVD copy free of charge.

Today we feature an update of the noise log kept by the Meyer family whose home is in the 86 turbine wind farm in Fond du Lac county. The turbines went on line in March of 2008. Gerry Meyer, who keeps the noise log, carried mail in his community for 30 years. He and his family have lived in their home for 37 years.

CLICK HERE to download the entire diary

Oct 1 –

2:30 AM Our son is up watching TV and eating, dressed for school. He said he has not slept this night.

At 5:00 AM he is still awake watching TV.

5:10 AM Wind W, dba 49.6, dbc 69.1.
Turbine 4 and 6 are loud.

3:40 PM Wind W, 15.3 rpms, dba 47.3, dbc 66.7. Turbines 4 and 6 are very loud with 6 the loudest. Turbine 6 is ¾ from the house. This is ridiculous.

9:40 PM wind W, 6 knots, 16.3 rpms, dba 47.9, dbc 64.1. We got home at 8:30 PM and the first thing
my wife said was “My goodness. It sounds like a war”, referring to the turbine sound of #4 & 6 fighting with each other for the loudest sound. During the Boston/LA playoff game we heard turbines. Yes, in the house is where our TV is located.

October 2 –

6:30 AM Wind NNW, 8 knots, dba 46.2, dbc 63.9, 15 rpms. Turbines 4 & 6 are still very loud with 6 loudest. The energy company and PSC says 50 db is acceptable. Often the sound dba is near 50 dbs sometimes over 50 db. More important is the dbc that almost always is more than 15 db higher. What ever is said to be acceptable is way, way too loud. Why should we put up hearing these large, industrial wind turbines affecting our lives on a daily basis both outside as well as inside our houses?

9:50 PM Wind N, 5 knots, 13 rpms. Fairly quiet tonight.

October 3 –

5:15 AM Wind N calm, 12.3 rpms, dba 44.1, dbc, 60.2. Loud motor running sound easily heard from outside our house. When my wife woke at 5 AM she said she had a headache at  base of her neck.. During the afternoon turbines were pointed in various directions and many not turning.

5:30 PM 0 rpms. Translation, no turbines turning. My wife said her ears were not ringing or buzzing. I commented to my wife and neighbor lady that we could near the birds chirping and making other noises as they moved around the tree and branches. It was so beautify peaceful. We are leaving for camping.

9:30 PM it is peaceful sitting by the campfire. My left ear is not crackling or buzzing. The sound of other campers talking and the smell of smoke is a great relief of being home and hearing the jet sound of industrial wind turbines.

October 4 –

7:35 AM Frying bacon over a campfire and no turbine sounds is great. I can hear the occasional sound of dumping stone into the crusher at the neighboring (one mile+) stone quarry. That sound last for seconds compared to the all day sound of the industrial wind turbines I am surrounded by.

10:30AM-1:00PM We drove home to meet a couple from another area about proposed turbines in their area. Most turbines are not turning. Some neighbors came by us for a discussion and then we went to see 4 other families and a drive to show our guests others with serious complaints of the turbines.

5:30 PM. Back at the campground it is wonderfully peaceful☺

October 5 –

7:30 AM At campground. No crackling in my left ear and it is so peaceful.

12:00 PM We just got home from camping. Of course we immediately hear the sound of the industrial
wind turbines as we get out of the truck. It is so sad to come home to this unnecessary sound
every time we go away. This should not be permitted. I feel a form of torture would be better
than this every day. In Guantanomo Bay prison camp underwear put on the head was
considered torture. That is nothing to constant industrial wind turbine sounds plus add in the
health effects that just seem to get overlooked by our legislators, PSC and DNR.

October 6 –

5:15 AM Wind E, 10 knots. I can hear turbines 4 and 6.

1:00 PM Wind NE, 11 knots, 18.3 rpms, All day windy.

9:15 PM Wind NE. Not wind as earlier so turbine 4 louder than earlier.

10:15 PM I can hear turbine sounds between words while watching TV.

October 7 –

7:15 AM Wind SW, 9 knots, gust to 16 knots, 17.3 rpms, dba 51.6, dbc 66.3. Jet sound.

10:30 AM Wind SW, 18.3 rpms, 11 knots. Reporter here today-

9:30 PM Wind SW, 13 knots,Low jet sound over the sound of the wind and rain. In the house at the computer I can hear thethump of turbines.

October 8 –

5:15 AM Wind W, 8 knots, drizzle, low clouds. Easy to hear turbine 4 with # 6 a louder
thumping sound.

7:30 AM Wind W, 0 knots, 14 rpms. Loud hum.

6:30 PM Wind SW. Loud ripping sound. All day as I worked outside on our porch the sound from various turbines was loud enough to be nauseating. My wife told me as she picked raspberries she could hear 3 of
the turbines. On is ¾ of a mile way.

10:35 PM Wind SW, 9 knots, dba 52.3, dbc 65.4 Turbines 4 and 6 are especially loud either like a jet flying over or a Chinook helicopter. I can also hear turbine 73 which is 2480’ away. Before I went outside to measure sound and video record I could hear either turbine 4 or 6 or both from our family room☹

11:55 PM I can hear the thump of turbines at the computer and dining room. dba 49.4, dbc 63.4 – 12 inches outside the houseat the patio door (dining room)

October 9 –

6:20 AM Wind W, 9 knots, 18.3 rpms, dba 47.0, dbc 63.4. The sky is filled with turbine  sounds. I hear turbines 4, 6, 3a and 73 plus maybe more. To the south the air is filled with sound. At time this morning turbine 6 is louder than turbine 4 with loud ripping sound. Turbine 6 is ¾ mile away from the house. 6:55 AM In my family room by the TV (TV off) the room is quiet other than turbine sounds. dba 39.6, dbc 65.4 in the family room. Thumping sound.

Last night when I told my wife I could hear the turbines in the family room and bed room she said
she could not hear the sound because of the buzzing and ringing in her ears.

5:00 PM Wind SW. All day the turbines to the north (4 & 6) were loud and annoying as I worked outside.

10:10 PM Wind W, 4 knots, dba 43.3, dbc 60.6. I can hear turbines 4, 3a and 6 quite loud for a quiet night.

12:50 AM Our son is down, dressed and can’t sleep due to turbine sound. In the dining room door I hear jet sound of # 4. My ears are buzzing or crackling.

October 10 –

6:50 AM Wind NNE, calm, 11 rpms. Fairly quiet this morning, just a loud hum. As I mentioned yesterday our son was up at 12:50 AM. I convinced him to go back to bed and try and sleep. He said, “I’ve tried that”. He did go back, but soon was back.

At 5:00 Am he was still awake watching TV.

At 6:20 AM he was ready to sleep and now the turbines were quiet. Mywife woke up with a headache.

10:00 PM Wind SE, 5 knots, dba 50.2, dbc 66.3. Loud. I can hear turbine sounds at the computer.

October 11 –

6:40 AM Wind NE, 11 rpms. Whoosh, whoosh sound.

5:00 PM Wind SE. All day the turbine sound has been loud an annoying as I worked on the porch. I did find relief for a while when I had a portable radio on close to where I was working.

9:35 PM Wind Se, 3 knots, dba 46.9, dbc 63.6. Loud whooshing sound.

11:15 PM Wind SE from 12 inches outside the dining room patio door. Dba 46.2, dbc 61.3. I can hear from the family room turbine 4 and/ or 6 from the computer room either them or turbine 73.

October 12 –

5:40 AM Wind S, 3 knots, 14.3 rpms. Low rumble.

5:10 PM Wind SE, 3 knots, 17 rpms. It has been loud all afternoon as we worked in the yard from turbines 4, 6, and 73. This morning at our cabin it was quiet and peaceful. (no turbines there).

9:45 PM Wind SE, 3 knots, 8rpms, dba 51.5, dbc 63.3. Loud jet sound with 73 competing for the loudest.

October 13 –

6:10 AM Wind SW, 10 knots, feels calm, 18 rpms, dba 47.4, dbc 63.6. I have found that the sound level seems to be just an indicator. There can be identical reading, yet the sound to the ears is louder than another time at the same reading. Today is loud jet sound which is strongest from turbine 4, but also loud from 6 and 73. 6:10 PM Wind SW, 10 knots, 15 knot gusts, 16.6 rpms, dba 48.3, dbc 66.7. It has been loud ALL day as I worked on our porch. Loud jet sound between turbines 4 and 73 and I also hear # 6. 9:50 PM Wind SW, 13 knots, gust to
18 knots, 18 rpms, dba 49.7, dbc 64.3, cloudy, mist. It has been loud all day. I hear turbines 4 & 6 from our family room. I hear turbine 73 or 74a from the front room and I hear turbine sounds from our bed room. It makes me so angry that Renew Wisconsin’s Michael Vickerman can say “At 1000’ wind turbines are barely audible”. That is a horrendous lie.

11:35 PM Wind SW, dba 50.5, dbc 62.4. It souinds like a squadron of jet fighters in the sky. I can hear turbines
4 and 6 in all rooms of our house downstairs. This morning when my wife went upstairs to wake up our son she was not sure of the strange sound in the stair area. It was like a vibration.Yes, it was the turbine sound.

11:40 PM One foot outside the patio door dba 50.1, dbc 60.2.

October 14 –

Wind SW, 5 knots, 16.3 rpms, dba 41.7, dbc 58.5. Turbine 4 low hum which is louder than our refrigerator and I can also hear turbine 6. 4:30 PM Coming home from Madison approximately ½ of the turbines are not turning. 10:35 PM Wind SW, calm, 11.3 rpms, low him from turbine 4.

October 15 –

6:30 AM Wind SW, calm, drizzle. Low hum.

10:10 AM Wind SW, calm, 11 rpms. The turbines have not been turning much. Turbine 4 just started a while ago.

7:35 PM I just got home and before I got out of the car I could hear turbines 6 and 4 ripping the sky apart. Very loud. Turbine 6 is ¾ mile away.

7:55 PM Wind NW, dba 58.9, dbc 88.7. The sound is terribly loud between turbines 4 and 6. turbine 6 is louder much of the time. Michael Vickerman of Renew Wisconsin says, “At 1000’ wind turbines are barely audible”. His lies are criminal unless he is referring to the little toy I made with paper and pinned to a pencil eraser as a
child.

10:15 PM Wind NW, 18 rpms. Loud, loud sound from turbines 4 and 6.

October 16 –

6:15 AM Wind NW, 17 rpms. When I first went outside I thought I heard the train coming up the “Byron hill”, but it was turbine 4. 7:30 AM Wind NW, calm. Fairly quiet, but audible at 1560’.

6:20 PM Many turbines not turning.

10:35 PM Wind SE, 11 rpms, calm and QUIET☺

October 17 –

4:30 AM Area turbines are not turning.

7:30 AM I am now at our cabin north of home 90 miles. It is so peaceful here.

4:00PM In the hunting stand the woods is so quiet. I hear the leaves floating to the ground and making their soft landing. I hear the birds chirping and the squirrels running around in the leaves and up the trees. We don’t have that at home anymore.

10:30 PM There barely a sound outside. It is so wonderfully calm and peaceful.

October 18 –

5:45 AM. In the hunting stand it is quiet. Leaves are falling.

At 6:25 the woods comes tolife with birds chirping, squirrels running around and turkeys communicating to each other. There are NO turbine sounds here. I noticed my ears have not been crackling or ringing.
During the day we shingled the roof on our cabin.

4:00-6:30 PM I hunted. It was quiet with the sound of the breeze in the tree tops. There were lots of squirrels scampering around and right at quitting time the careful, slow sounds of foot steps in the leaves. It was a deer, but too late and dark to shoot.

11:30 PM It is so quiet other than a few dogs barking in the distance.

October 19 –

5:45 AM On the hunting stand it is very quiet. I can hear the talk of turkey and squirrels that are nearby.

2:30 PM Wind S. We just got home from the cabin. Before I was out of the truck I could hear turbines 4 and 73 ripping the sky apart. It’s disgusting and depressing.

10:10 PM – I hear turbine 4 and 6. It’s ridiculously loud. I hear turbine sound at the computer.

11:25 PM I hear turbine 4 in the family room over the TV.

October 20 –

5:35 AM Wind NW, 11.6 rpms. Loud whooshing sound. I have crackling or ringing in my
left ear.