Click on the post to see Better Plan blog and the video of the latest wind farm in Wisconsin and an indication of how close these wind turbines might be...and are..
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
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The long and short of SB185 is that the Public Service Commission will be the ultimate authority on all aspects of large wind turbines. They can say what, when, why, how, and where when it comes to large wind turbines.
ReplyDeleteThe PSC is an APPOINTED group of people who are selected by the Governor of WI. They are not elected officials, so they have no worries as to their decisions and reasoning. They have a track history of failed oversight on projects in which they were responsible for regulating large wind turbine projects.
If you are o.k. with having non-elected puppets control what will happen in your localities, by all means jump on board.
If you love the democratic system and feel your vote counts, you need to contact your state Representative and Senator immediately. Handing local control to the state is not what healthy democracies are built upon.
This is not a pro or anti wind debate. This is a cross roads for local authority. When the threat of local governments becoming no more powerful than my grandma's weekly euchre tournament, I have to take a stand.
We are all too busy or in too much of a rush, and someone else will take care of it, but people always seem to care the most when it's too late.
I drove by where Eco has their wind tower up. I have only recently started paying attention to this whole thing. There is a beautiful farmhouse/buildings on the north side of the road. The wind tower is on the south side. I assume that the owners of the land where the tower is would some day want one of the 400 ft. turbines. What struck me was what if the people on the north side--with the beautiful home--didn't want one? It's bad enough our elected leaders don't seem to care. But why would a neighbor do that to another neighbor? I hope that doesn't happen. But if it does, then shame on the one who would do that to someone else. I see now, that if this bill goes through, the State decides--like eminent domain--despite what the people to the north want. It struck me how wrong that is.
ReplyDeleteIn 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.
ReplyDeleteAll 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.
Are we really missing out on 3.5million in revenue for each turbine not built? That’s 3.5 million over 30 years not each year. Where would all this money come from? Do turbines print $100 bills as they rotate? No, all the money comes from the taxpayers and rate payers. Wind developers will take our tax and rate dollars tack on a health profit margin for themselves and the return a few dollars to landowners and local governments. Remember, the greed driven wind developers are here in Wisconsin to make money, not produce renewable energy.
Wisconsin is an agricultural state. Process vegetable business is a $750,000,000.00 industry that employs thousands of people. This industry will be put in serious jeopardy if growers are unable to apply pesticides in a timely manner with aerial application. Wisconsin’s grain crop does not rely as heavily on aerial application, but it can increase crop yields by as much as 30%. It was made clear at the hearing that not one pilot in Wisconsin will fly inside or within ½ mile downwind of a turbine facility.
This wind industry needs to slow down. A state wind moratorium should be put in place until all the negative impacts of wind turbines can be addressed and properly regulated.
This hysterical approach to wind development by advocate’s, and developers is going to harm Wisconsin’s citizens and our economy.