by jboullion | Apr 8, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Wind farms in Wisconsin can lessen the state’s reliance on coal-fired power plants at the same time that they add jobs to the economy. But instead of moving forward on this economic development tool, Gov. Scott Walker’s administration is taking a step back. That’s a mistake and something Walker should rethink.
What the governor and the Legislature have done is change the rules under which wind farms are sited, seeking to put greater distance between homes and wind farms. As a result, at least two firms have announced they are canceling or suspending plans to build wind farms in Wisconsin – and that means a loss of potential jobs.
Here’s what happened: Two years ago, the Legislature called on the state Public Service Commission to establish a uniform standard for wind projects across the state. The idea was that a statewide standard was better than the patchwork of local rules and moratoriums that were in place. It was a good idea, and the PSC came up with a rule.
One of its elements was a 1,250-foot setback from a neighbor’s property line; it also would have provided decibel and shadow flicker requirements for wind farm turbines.
The setback wasn’t enough for Walker and wind farm opponents; in January, the governor introduced a bill with a 1,800-foot setback, although he said this week that his administration remains open to wind energy. Last week, a legislative committee sent the PSC’s new rule back to the PSC for more work. The concern is that wind farms will hurt property values of neighboring residents.
That’s resulted in enough uncertainty over the future of wind farms in Wisconsin that Invenergy of Chicago canceled plans to develop a wind farm near Green Bay and Midwest Wind Energy suspended development of two wind farms.
A statewide standard still needs to be set by the PSC. And the legitimate concerns of neighbors of wind farms need to be taken into account without giving too much credence to fears that are unfounded and overstated. But the standard should not be so restrictive that wind farms become impractical in Wisconsin. That takes Wisconsin out of the clean energy economy – a bad bet.
by jboullion | Apr 7, 2011 | Uncategorized
A Fox Valley person provided a copy of the following letter to RENEW Wisconsin:
People of Glenmore Township:
PLEASE VOTE RESPONSIBLY!
Dear Fellow Townspeople,
Two months ago, I was a supporter of the BCCRWE [Brown County Citizens for Responsible Wind Energy]. I was actively opposing the wind turbines coming into any of the townships in our area, including Glenmore.
But then something happened.
As the March 7th meeting drew closer, I heard disturbing things from members of the BCCRWE. Things that scared me. Even before the meeting took place, there were threats being made towards our town board members if the vote did not go in the favor of the BCCRWE. There were “agendas” being planned, and conspiracies being formed, not only against the project, but against individual people.
On March 7th, I sat quietly through the meeting listening to barbaric accusations, foul language, curses and threats hurled at our town board. Members of the BCCRWE shouted inappropriate and belittling comments and became unruly and disruptive to the point that law enforcement needed to be called. Later, I read accounts of that same meeting, written by the BCCRWE, that were horribly distorted and inaccurate. Actually, they were straight out lies!
On March 16th, I sat through another meeting and watched the same unruly group, once again, disrespect our town leaders. As the members of the BCCRWE were chanting “Shame on you” to the town board, I was the one that was ashamed to have ever been a part of that group.
On April 5th, you have an opportunity to elect new town board members. Many of the candidates are the same people who threatened and disrespected our current board members for following the law. One candidate admitted, her only goal was to terminate wind turbines in the town and then she wants out. Is that the chairperson you want running the entire township? Even for one term?
The recent events of oil spills in the gulf and nuclear plant failures in Japan should make all of us take a second look at wind energy. I realized after the two meetings in March, that the only reason I didn’t want turbines, was because I couldn’t have on of my own. So, I’m a NIMBY.
It’s important, that we have “responsible” leaders in our township. The mob I witnessed at the last two meetings, did not fit that definition. It would be a disaster to have those people who demonstrated irrational, biased and disorderly behavior, become our new leaders. I was embarrassed to have ever been a part of that group.
Since I have seen how threatening and dangerous this group can be, I prefer to sign only as,
A Concerned Townsperson
by jboullion | Apr 5, 2011 | Uncategorized
A Fox Valley person provided a copy of the following letter to RENEW Wisconsin:
People of Glenmore Township:
PLEASE VOTE RESPONSIBLY!
Dear Fellow Townspeople,
Two months ago, I was a supporter of the BCCRWE [Brown County Citizens for Responsible Wind Energy]. I was actively opposing the wind turbines coming into any of the townships in our area, including Glenmore.
But then something happened.
As the March 7th meeting drew closer, I heard disturbing things from members of the BCCRWE. Things that scared me. Even before the meeting took place, there were threats being made towards our town board members if the vote did not go in the favor of the BCCRWE. There were “agendas” being planned, and conspiracies being formed, not only against the project, but against individual people.
On March 7th, I sat quietly through the meeting listening to barbaric accusations, foul language, curses and threats hurled at our town board. Members of the BCCRWE shouted inappropriate and belittling comments and became unruly and disruptive to the point that law enforcement needed to be called. Later, I read accounts of that same meeting, written by the BCCRWE, that were horribly distorted and inaccurate. Actually, they were straight out lies!
On March 16th, I sat through another meeting and watched the same unruly group, once again, disrespect our town leaders. As the members of the BCCRWE were chanting “Shame on you” to the town board, I was the one that was ashamed to have ever been a part of that group.
On April 5th, you have an opportunity to elect new town board members. Many of the candidates are the same people who threatened and disrespected our current board members for following the law. One candidate admitted, her only goal was to terminate wind turbines in the town and then she wants out. Is that the chairperson you want running the entire township? Even for one term?
The recent events of oil spills in the gulf and nuclear plant failures in Japan should make all of us take a second look at wind energy. I realized after the two meetings in March, that the only reason I didn’t want turbines, was because I couldn’t have on of my own. So, I’m a NIMBY.
It’s important, that we have “responsible” leaders in our township. The mob I witnessed at the last two meetings, did not fit that definition. It would be a disaster to have those people who demonstrated irrational, biased and disorderly behavior, become our new leaders. I was embarrassed to have ever been a part of that group.
Since I have seen how threatening and dangerous this group can be, I prefer to sign only as,
A Concerned Townsperson
by jboullion | Apr 5, 2011 | Uncategorized
A Fox Valley person provided a copy of the following letter to RENEW Wisconsin:
People of Glenmore Township:
PLEASE VOTE RESPONSIBLY!
Dear Fellow Townspeople,
Two months ago, I was a supporter of the BCCRWE [Brown County Citizens for Responsible Wind Energy]. I was actively opposing the wind turbines coming into any of the townships in our area, including Glenmore.
But then something happened.
As the March 7th meeting drew closer, I heard disturbing things from members of the BCCRWE. Things that scared me. Even before the meeting took place, there were threats being made towards our town board members if the vote did not go in the favor of the BCCRWE. There were “agendas” being planned, and conspiracies being formed, not only against the project, but against individual people.
On March 7th, I sat quietly through the meeting listening to barbaric accusations, foul language, curses and threats hurled at our town board. Members of the BCCRWE shouted inappropriate and belittling comments and became unruly and disruptive to the point that law enforcement needed to be called. Later, I read accounts of that same meeting, written by the BCCRWE, that were horribly distorted and inaccurate. Actually, they were straight out lies!
On March 16th, I sat through another meeting and watched the same unruly group, once again, disrespect our town leaders. As the members of the BCCRWE were chanting “Shame on you” to the town board, I was the one that was ashamed to have ever been a part of that group.
On April 5th, you have an opportunity to elect new town board members. Many of the candidates are the same people who threatened and disrespected our current board members for following the law. One candidate admitted, her only goal was to terminate wind turbines in the town and then she wants out. Is that the chairperson you want running the entire township? Even for one term?
The recent events of oil spills in the gulf and nuclear plant failures in Japan should make all of us take a second look at wind energy. I realized after the two meetings in March, that the only reason I didn’t want turbines, was because I couldn’t have on of my own. So, I’m a NIMBY.
It’s important, that we have “responsible” leaders in our township. The mob I witnessed at the last two meetings, did not fit that definition. It would be a disaster to have those people who demonstrated irrational, biased and disorderly behavior, become our new leaders. I was embarrassed to have ever been a part of that group.
Since I have seen how threatening and dangerous this group can be, I prefer to sign only as,
A Concerned Townsperson
by jboullion | Apr 4, 2011 | Uncategorized
From the Spring issue of Catching Wind:
Siting Rule Suspension Rocks Wind Industry
In a move that sent shock waves through the wind industry in Wisconsin, a joint legislative panel voted on March 1 to suspend the wind siting rule promulgated by the Public Service Commission in December 2010. The action taken by the 10-member Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR) suspended the wind siting rule, known as PSC 128, on the very day it took effect. By itself, a JCRAR vote to suspend a rule lasts 30 days. To continue the rule suspension beyond 30 days, JCRAR voted in late March to introduce a bill to repeal PSC 128 and direct the Public Service Commission (PSC) to promulgate a new rule regulating wind energy
systems no more than six months after the repeal date. The bill must clear one house of the Legislature in order to become effective.
JCRAR’s bill does not attempt to influence the content of any successor rule to PSC 128, nor has the legislative leadership issued any statement regarding the timeline of the bill’s passage. The Legislature could potentially wait until the last day of the biennial session before passing this bill. However, if the Legislature does not repeal PSC 128 by the end of the current session, PSC 128 will take effect as promulgated. . . .
Glenmore Wind Survives Raucous Opposition
In a dramatic about-face that elicited loud cries of disapproval from local wind opponents, a Brown County town board granted on March 16 building permits enabling CEnergy, a subsidiary of CG Power Solutions, to erect a seven-turbine wind project.
Two Glenmore board members voted in favor of allowing construction to begin, while the third voted against. . . .
