by jboullion | Jan 31, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article on Political Fact Check:
To some, spinning wind turbines are a majestic source of pollution-free energy. But when they’re proposed for residential areas, opponents often portray them as a menace to healthy, safety, aesthetics and property values.
The rhetoric can get pretty extreme.
When one was proposed in Barrington in 2008, opponents claimed that unnamed “independent medical experts” had found that turbines can cause everything from headaches to heart problems, and that sunlight flashing through the blades can produce a stroboscopic effect that may lead to nausea, dizziness, disorientation and seizures.
So when a massive 427-foot turbine was proposed for Stamp Farm on Route 2 in North Kingstown, it wasn’t surprising that the opposition would echo those claims. One opponent was state Rep. Laurence Ehrhardt of North Kingstown. He co-authored an opinion column published in The Providence Journal with former North Kingstown Town Council President Edward Cooney.
For one of their bullet points, they played the epilepsy card: “The health risk of ‘flicker’ impact created by shadows of blades of turbines poses real and significant health risks, particularly seizures. . . .”
We contacted two epilepsy experts who said the concern was ridiculous because it was so unlikely.
David Mandelbaum, a neurologist and pediatrician at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School, said even if an epileptic is sensitive to light, the flicker has to be at just the right frequency, and that frequency can vary widely from person to person.
Dr. Gregory Kent Bergey, director of the epilepsy center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, said in an email: “The fact is, the great majority of people with seizures [probably greater than 95 percent] do not have this photosensitivity.” Some patients may experience a brief spasm if they see the sun coming through the trees, “but these seizures are usually readily controlled by medication. I do not tell these patients not to drive in the forest!”
He said “the risk from sun coming through a wind turbine would be very small — the person would first have to be looking at the sun, not just at a turbine, and most of us know not to look at the sun directly. . . . We cannot use this as a reason not to erect wind turbine farms.”
Mandelbaum said he has never seen any reliable documentation that turbines can cause seizures, or any other health problems. “They’re using the epileptic community. It’s clever and it’s nonsense, and I find it personally offensive,” he said.
by jboullion | Jan 28, 2011 | Uncategorized
A news release issued by the Wisconsin Energy Business Association:
A group of over 60 Wisconsin energy businesses and organizations distributed a memorandum to legislators today to respond to the factual inaccuracies and misrepresentations in a memorandum distributed by the Wisconsin Realtors Association last week, including the following points:
1. There is no credible evidence that existing wind development in Wisconsin has depressed property values in Kewaunee County.
2. There is no credible evidence that existing wind development in Wisconsin has depressed property values statewide.
3. The property value study cited by WRA contains several methodological errors and weaknesses that greatly reduce its value.
4. WRA’s discussion of windpower’s impacts on commercial and residential construction is wholly one-sided and overlooks the benefits from building energy-producing systems on rural land.
5. WRA’s characterization of the rule’s promulgation is inflammatory and untrue.
6. A longer setback distance is not necessary given PSC 128’s strict regulation of sound and shadow.
by jboullion | Jan 26, 2011 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Rep. Jennifer Shilling:
Encourages Gov. Walker to re-evaluate restrictive wind energy rules
MADISON – President Barack Obama will visit Wisconsin today to tour Orion Energy Systems, a Manitowoc-based clean energy manufacturing company. In his State of the Union address, President Obama highlighted the ongoing need for investments in clean energy development and called for 80% of America’s electricity to come from clean energy sources by 2035. The visit today is part of the President’s White House to Main Street Tour in which he has met with families and workers regarding the importance of long-term economic competitiveness.
“I am glad that President Obama is highlighting the importance that our clean energy manufacturing industry will play in our nation’s economic recovery efforts,” said Rep. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse). “If we want our state to be competitive on a national and international level, we need to invest in 21st century manufacturing and agricultural industries. Wisconsin has the potential to be a leader in clean energy manufacturing, but we need our government to be a partner rather than an obstacle to this growing industry.”
“While the President has stepped up his support for clean energy and high tech manufacturers, Governor Walker’s lack of foresight has already doomed several important economic projects in our state,” added Shilling. “While Walker has been busy bankrupting our state with corporate tax breaks, our manufacturing sector and workers continue to struggle. His crusade against clean energy and 21st century transportation has already claimed the high speed rail and Charter Street Biomass projects. With the newly proposed regulations on wind energy siting, it looks like the Cashton wind project is next in line to get the axe.”
Governor Walker has proposed new legislation (SS AB 9 & SS SB 9) that would dramatically increase the minimum setback distance for wind turbines in the state. These new regulations have been described as some of the most extreme and prohibitive requirements in the nation and would effectively ban new wind farms from being developed in Wisconsin.
“The Cashton wind energy project represents the type of forward-thinking energy policies that we should be encouraging,” stated Shilling. “By working collaboratively, Organic Valley, Gundersen Lutheran, and Western Technical College have created a model proposal for clean energy production in western Wisconsin. Unfortunately, this proposal and all of the local jobs it would have created will be left hanging in the wind if Scott Walker gets his way.”
by jboullion | Jan 25, 2011 | Uncategorized
A news release issued by RENEW Wisconsin:
Owners of Wisconsin’s four largest wind energy projects will pay out approximately $2.8 million in rent to landowners hosting turbines and payments in lieu of taxes to local governments for 2010, according to figures compiled by RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide renewable energy advocacy organization.
Wind energy developers negotiate lease agreements with landowners to host turbines on their property. Payments can be as high as $7,000 per turbine per year. Estimated rental payments to all Fond du Lac and Dodge county landowners will total slightly more than $1.2 million in 2010.
Towns and counties do not collect property taxes from wind turbines but instead receive payments based on the generating capacity of each turbine, allocated under a formula adopted by the Legislature in 2003. Payments to those local governments will reach almost $1.6 million for 2010.
“These revenues help support farm families and rural Wisconsin communities.” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin. “It’s a much better deal for the state than sending dollars go Wyoming and West Virginia for the coal imported to Wisconsin to generate electricity.”
Gary Haltaufderheide, an employee of Madison-based Land Services Company, which negotiates land leases for large projects, like pipelines and wind turbines, says, “Farmers are smart business people and they’re very satisfied with the payments. One farmer saw the lease as a way to cover tuition payments for a child entering college.”
Four wind projects – Forward, Blue Sky Green Field, Cedar Ridge, and Butler Ridge – account for the payments to host landowners and local governments. Together these projects comprise nearly 90 percent of Wisconsin’s wind generation fleet.
When calculated over a 20-year contract period, total revenues should exceed $60 million, taking inflation into account.
Shirley Wind, the state’s newest wind power installation, will contributed another $80,000 a year, divided equally between Brown County, Town of Glenmore, local landowners, and neighbors within one-third of a mile of a turbine. The eight-turbine, 20-megawatt project began producing electricity in 2010.
Click tables to enlarge.
by jboullion | Jan 24, 2011 | Uncategorized
In the fall of 2007, Grant County landowners received a survey conducted by The Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.
Question 30 on the survey asked respondents if Grant County jurisdictions should pursue Ethanol Plants, Solar Energy or Wind Energy alternatives as a form of economic development.
Data compiled from those surveys shows overwhelming support for Wind and Solar Energy with marginal support for Ethanol. The proposed White Oak Wind Farm falls within Smelser Township, Cuba City, Hazel Green, Hazel Green Township and Dickeyville.
Grant County should pursue:
|
Ethanol
plants |
Solar
energy |
Wind
energy |
| Strongly agree |
22% |
39% |
48% |
| Agree |
33% |
45% |
43% |
| Disagree |
23% |
5% |
2% |
| Strongly dis. |
9% |
1% |
2% |
| No opinion |
13% |
10% |
6% |
