by jboullion | Feb 3, 2011 | Uncategorized
From a letter to the editor of the Dun County News by Carol Johnson, Forest:
As a resident of the State of Wisconsin, I’m extremely disappointed to hear that Governor Walker is proposing ridiculously restrictive setbacks for wind turbines that will make it virtually impossible to build a wind farm anywhere in the state. I understand he is doing this as a “payback” to campaign contributors — Realtors.
As someone who lives in a farming community, I have known Wisconsin government to be “farmer friendly.” Apparently, that is a thing of the past. I guess Walker would like our state to be known as “realtor friendly.”
Wind farms help the farming community remain a farming community; housing developments destroy farming communities. People should know that our representatives worked very diligently to develop reasonable wind turbine siting guidelines for the state.
The governor’s proposal is an attempt to derail those siting guidelines, even though they were prepared with the involvement of many stakeholders, including the general public in public hearings.
Our energy future in this country has been referred to as one of the most important elements of homeland security. The State of Wisconsin has an opportunity to be part of an energy future that includes one of the most viable forms of green energy — wind.
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 27, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Liam Marlaire in the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram:
A solar panel company’s move to Wisconsin could create hundreds of jobs in Eau Claire.
Chatsworth, Calif.-based W Solar Group is in the process of moving its headquarters and research-and-development operations to Dane County, and contenders for a manufacturing plant include Eau Claire and Wausau.
More about Wausau possibility.
by jboullion | Jan 26, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article Kevin Lee in The Chippewa Herald:
MADISON — Wind energy developers are the latest businesses to be subject to the interstate struggle between Wisconsin and Illinois for jobs and economic development.
Last week, Gov. Scott Walker introduced a special session proposal that would tighten restrictions on where wind energy sites could be constructed.
Wisconsin wind energy supporters say the legislation could stall or even disrupt many of the 21 proposed wind projects that are at various stages of bidding and construction, said Michael Vicekrman with alternative energy advocacy group RENEW Wisconsin.
Vickerman warned that some of the companies running those projects could decide to move resources to neighboring states.
“The nexus shifts to Iowa and Minnesota and nothing happens here. Basically Wisconsin becomes a development-free zone,” he said.
Illinois Wind Association Executive Director Kevin Borgia has invited wind energy businesses to “Escape to Illinois,” a play on the “Escape to Wisconsin” appeal that Walker used earlier this month toward Illinois businesses.
“For all his attacks on Illinois being an unfriendly business climate, Gov. Walker goes out and proposes something that makes Wisconsin a wholly unfriendly business climate for (the wind energy) business,” Borgia said.
