How close would you want to live to a wind farm? That's a question lawmakers are considering as they try to create more wind energy projects. State Senators are scheduled Tuesday to vote on a bill (SB 185), which would direct the Public Service Commission to set a statewide set of standards on where turbines could be sited in relation to homes and businesses. As of now, depending on the county, those tall spinning turbines can as be close as 500 feet from homes, or as far away as one mile.

Across Wisconsin, smaller-scale wind developers like Winn say super-restrictive local ordinances are suffocating their businesses. Now lawmakers are stepping in with a bill that calls for the three-person Public Service Commission to create statewide rules. The Senate is expected to vote on the measure Tuesday. Supporters argue the Democratic-authored legislation will streamline wind farm permits ...Opponents consider the measure a power-grab and fear regulators will approve projects to meet the 10 percent renewable mark, ignoring the turbines' effects on neighbors' health and quality of life.

Land values have fallen on properties near wind turbines built as part of the largest wind power projects in the state, a study funded by wind-power critics says. The study found property values have fallen by at least 19% for sales of land near the We Energies wind farm in Fond du Lac County, and at least 12% for sales of land near Invenergy LLC's Forward Wind project in Fond du Lac and Dodge counties, a report by Appraisal Group One says.

It was the strangest sensation Lynda Barry ever felt: a near-constant vibration within her body. ...Barry was standing in a house in Fond du Lac County, near a wind farm. The vibration she felt was created by wind-power turbines, one just 1,100 feet away. These were part of the Blue Sky Green Fields wind project, 88 wind towers owned and operated by We Energies. The owners of the house complained of ringing in their ears anytime the wind turbines and their 100-foot blades were spinning.

In recent weeks, the oil lobby and a manufacturers trade group ignited a campaign in the Mountain West and Midwest asserting that the House legislation would be a job killer. Environmental and labor groups have countered with a "Made in America" tour to highlight the green jobs they say would be created.

Either way, the sound of wind turbines is making more ears perk up as a bill moves forward in the Legislature that would empower the Public Service Commission to create statewide rules governing wind power and pre-empt local government control over their placement. The rules would govern the distance between turbines and homes along with their noise and the flicker effects of shadows from their turbine blades.

State regulators set a bad precedent for other energy projects when they gave the go-ahead to Alliant Energy Corp. to build a $497 million wind farm in Minnesota, two energy customer groups say. The groups filed suit in Dane County Circuit Court on Friday to protest the vote by the state Public Service Commission to approve the project under a less rigorous review procedure than is typically required of major energy projects.

Members of the village of Friesland's planning commission Tuesday shared horror stories of a wind farm in a nearby county, but said that the prospect of another wind farm near the village is only one of many reasons why Friesland wants to extend its zoning authority up to 1.5 miles from the village limits.

Calumet County officials are awaiting word on whether the state Supreme Court will review a decision that invalidated its restrictions for wind turbine construction. While they wait, supervisors are working on ordinance changes they say would make their rules valid should justices decline to take the case.

Among agenda items that moved quickly through the docket during the July 21 Calumet County Board of Supervisors meeting was verbal discourse on the moratorium on wind energy development. As reported previously in the Tri-County News, the District 2 Court of Appeals in Waukesha ruled that local governments cannot make broad-based rules controlling wind turbine projects. Given the July 15 decision ...the board voted to postpone development of wind energy facilities in Calumet County.

Two bills currently before both houses of the state legislature would give more of that kind of control to Wisconsin's Public Service Commission, taking it away from municipalities. "I'd rather have my town board be able to have my destiny in their hands, rather than three guys appointed by the governor," said McIlrath. Wind energy firm, Wind Capital told WISC-TV that they are conducting land and wind surveys in the area, but have no long term contracts for projects.

As if falling power sales and record cold July weather weren't enough challenges for Alliant Energy Corp., the company's wind-power construction business is also seeing sales slide. A downturn in the wind power industry led Alliant to reduce its earnings forecast Thursday ...So far this year, wind development has slowed as developers have had trouble getting financing for new projects.

Cistercian nuns are moving from Prairie du Sac, but a site for a new monastery in the Town of Ridgeville is no longer one of several considered by the religious community. According to Sister Roberta Boyer ...the Ridgeville site, land owned by Ryszard Borys, was taken off the table because of the wind farm situation in the township.

A state senate panel has advanced a bill that would create a statewide standard for siting wind farms in Wisconsin. But senators changed the plan to add protections for people who live near the massive wind turbines. ...under a provision passed by a senate panel, the PSC would have to consider the health effects of wind turbines when they decide how far to set them back from homes.

A state Senate committee today voted 6-1 to approve a bill to establish statewide siting standards for wind energy projects. "It's time to make decisions and if we are to get away from reliance on Mideast oil, we need to find a way to site these wind energy systems," said Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Kenosha. Senate Bill 185 directs the state Public Service Commission to work on statewide siting standards.

It is a mistake for Wisconsin officials to focus on their goal of generating 25 percent of energy from renewable sources without keeping in mind the other 75 percent, according to state lawmakers. "If, in 16 years' time, we've got coal or nuclear plants being retired, we need to know what we're replacing that with," said state Rep. Jim Soletski, D-Green Bay. Still, Soletski said, the state's 25 percent by 2025 goal makes it difficult to break the focus on renewable energy - even for him.

A recent Wisconsin appeals court ruling wipes away ordinances written in Union and Magnolia townships to regulate wind energy systems, experts say. ..."Even though we apparently wasted $40,000 coming up with an ordinance, I don't think the money was completely wasted because I think we have solid, scientific facts that will give our community and the Union Town Board the basis for evaluating these proposals on a case-by-case basis."

American Transmission Co. has won another round in a legal battle with Dane County over the county's ability to make the utility apply for local permits for power-line projects. ...The appeals court ruiling found that local units of government don't have jurisdiction over power lines in areas where the PSC has exercised its authority.

Calumet County officials are one-upping an appeals court ruling overturning a wind farm ordinance by slamming the door on all such projects until further notice. The County Board of Supervisors has passed a moratorium on all new wind farm projects until the end of the year or until the county passes zoning ordinance with turbine setback distances and noise limits.

Wind turbine construction is off the table in Calumet County for the time being as supervisors regroup from a court decision that invalidated their restrictions on placement of the systems. The Calumet County Board passed a moratorium on turbine construction Tuesday that could remain in effect until the end of the year. It could end earlier should the board change or replace the ordinance.