Better Plan, Wisconsin

PANEL ASKS FOR WIND TURBINE HEALTH STUDY

Source: Green Bay Press-Gazette, www.greenbaypressgazette.com

April 1, 2010

By Tony Walter,

The Brown County Health Department will look into the impact of wind turbines on human health.

Supervisor Patrick Evans, chairman of the Human Services committee, said he thinks the turbines proposed for southern Brown County pose a potential health danger and wants a study conducted.

“I feel there’s a health risk right now,” said Evans, who said he has done wind turbine consulting in Brazil and has health data compiled in European countries where the turbines have been built. “The only way that wind farms in southern Brown County can be stopped is through the health department.”

Chicago-based Invenergy LLC has proposed building 100 wind turbines in the area, with 54 of them in the town of Morrison. Opponents argue that the turbines would deflate land values and create health problems through noise and interference with the groundwater.

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission has authority to approve the turbines but hasn’t yet acted on the company’s request.

Evans said the health department study would be presented to the Board of Health, the Human Services committee and the County Board.

Health Department Director Judy Friederichs said she was planning to investigate the health danger anyway.

“We decided to be proactive after reading many of the comments,” Friederichs said. “But we really haven’t had a speaker on this at any of the state meetings. So we’re just starting to look into it.”

Carlton Wind moratorium approved: Residents seek to protect property rights

SOURCE Kewaunee County News, www.greenbaypressgazette.com

By Kurt Rentmeester,

March 31 2010

The Carlton Town Board approved a one-year moratorium on commercial wind turbines Monday, after more than 50 residents came to a public hearing to oppose the idea.

The board unanimously approved the measure on a 3-0 vote after Town Chairman Dave Hardtke said he received six or seven phone calls from residents who were contacted by the Ohio-based Element Energy to lease their property for wind generation.

Element Energy seeks to lease more than 18,000 acres for 111 commercial turbines as part of a wind farm between Kewaunee and Two Rivers. Wind turbines would be built on properties in the towns of West Kewaunee, Two Creeks, Mishicot and Two Rivers.

Property owners elsewhere have lost rights after signing lease agreements to site wind turbines on their land, according to Jeff Roberts, a town of Mishicot resident. Turbines have had an impact on cell phone and TV reception.

Carlton residents could have concerns if people in neighboring towns agree to the Element Energy proposal, Carlton Town Supervisor Steve Tadisch said. A state wind energy ordinance proposal may supersede state and county setback ordinances, he said.

Residents who sign leases may not realize they could lose their rights as property owners, said Jeff Roberts, a town of Mishicot resident. They also could lose their cell phone and TV reception, as well as have to live with the noise of turbines.

Gary Holly, a town of Carlton resident, learned Fond du Lac County residents lost some of their rights after talking to them last week.

He described one property owner who signed a waiver agreement to permit a wind turbine near his home as someone who “looked down. He was a beaten man.”

Lynn Holly, a business operator from the Tisch Mills area, said she learned about the issue two weeks ago. Property owners who sign contracts cannot discuss the issue with anyone, she said.

Until now, the state has had to go through local town zoning ordinances to site wind turbines. But the Wisconsin Legislature could give power companies the right to set those standards, according to Jerome Hlinak, a town of Mishicot resident. He is a member of Wisconsin Independent Citizens Opposed to Wind Turbine Sites (WIND COWS).

Town of Carlton residents need time to understand all the concerns associated with wind turbines, said Rick Phillips, a town resident.

While the Wisconsin Legislature has mandated exploration of renewable energy, he referred to the state’s efforts as a “knee-jerk reaction” that needs to be thought out.

Green energy grants that power companies are eligible for can be pulled, Hardtke said. Property owners then can lose money, too.

When people sign lease agreements for wind power, Becky Paplham said they should consider the long-term impact on residents with young families.

A state initiative on wind energy could be established to override any town or county ordinances. While Manitowoc County has a 1,000-foot zoning setback, the state could eliminate that.

Hlinak wants people to be concerned about changes in state law that could eliminate county, town and individual property rights.

“I feel we’re losing local control in our township with the state Public Service Commission and the Legislature stepping in,” Hardtke said. “They don’t care how it affects us here.”

SECOND FEATURE:

Sad because you can't make it to Public Service Commssion in Madison to attend the Wind Siting Council meetings as they to put together guidelines to site industrial scale wind turbines in our state?

Be Happy! The PSC is webcasting the AUDIO proceedings live from the Flambeau River Room. The meeting begins at 1:30 PM and is open to the public. We'd much prefer video but we'll take the audio.

Topic of the day:-Developing guiding principles- Developer/owner responsibility

Public Service Commission Building

610 North Whitney Way, Madison, Wisconsin

Flambeau River Room

[Click here for map]

CLICK HERE to download a copy of the agenda

 DO YOUR HOMEWORK! CLICK HERE to find out who is on the siting council

 Wind Siting Council Meeting Live Broadcast

April 1, 2010 Beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Click Here to receive the LIVE AUDIO broadcast of the Wind Siting Council Meeting

The meeting begins at 1:30 but you may want to set up your connection earlier to make sure it's ready.

If the link doesn't work, go directly to the PSC homepage by CLICKING HERE and then clicking on the "PSC Live Broadcasts button" on the left.