Opinions
Category:
Wisconsin
Small town caught in wind farm vortex pays $50,000 to settle suit over sign ordinance
May 1, 2013 in Bruce Vielmetti
May 1, 2013 in Bruce Vielmetti
Plans for more of the giant turbines have spun up a deep philosophical split between neighbors who favor or oppose wind farms. As more towers arose, so did big yard signs opposing wind energy ...On Tuesday, their attorneys, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, announced that town and its insurers agreed to pay the couples $30,000, plus $20,000 in attorney fees.
Also filed under [
General]
We were thinking "green energy" was great and did not ask for any compensation for the lines across our property. We thought we were helping our community.
A lot has happened these last five years since these industrial wind turbines went online. The noise these giants generated are part of our lives 24/7.
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
Noise]
It's imperative that local governments have to ability to adjust wind siting setbacks to protect their residents. This basic right and responsibility is available in every other state except Wisconsin.
“When PSC 128 was created in 2010 by a committee stacked with wind interested members, the scientific information about the devastating health effects of industrial wind turbines was ignored and kept from the record. They took away the power of local units of government to protect their families from the devastating impacts of industrial wind turbines.”
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
Noise]
While society said "enough" when it comes to smoking, especially as it pertains to public spaces and second-hand smoke, the wind industry unapologetically continues to force its harmful product on Wisconsin families - not just intruding on public spaces, but primarily invading people's homes with devastating effects.
Also filed under [
Impact on People]
Wind energy lobby ignoring real concerns of families, children
January 17, 2013 in Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
January 17, 2013 in Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
The wind energy lobby doesn't care about families and children currently being harmed or about future families that will be harmed by 500- foot industrial wind turbines. They are not listening, they are either uninformed or are deliberately misrepresenting the facts; it appears they don't care.
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
USA]
The acoustical firms involved in the sound testing were unanimous, "The four investigating firms are of the opinion that enough evidence and hypotheses have been given herein to classify LFN and infrasound as a serious issue, possibly affecting the future of the industry" and "We recommend additional study on an urgent priority basis..." Scientific study is clearly needed to establish humane and appropriate turbine location setbacks from homes to protect the health and safety of exposed populations.
Acoustician Richard James provides a brief explanation of the Shirley wind farm sound study where four investigating firms found sufficient evidence to classify LFN and infrasound emanating from the turbines as a serious issue, possibly affecting the future of the wind industry.
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
Noise]
This situation comes down to who should control your property and neighborhood environment - residents or industry? The only way to take back the right to refuse risky, involuntary technologies is through statewide administrative code changes. Contact state lawmakers today to support a new code that gives you the right to reject these dubious installations.
Also filed under [
General]
It is alleged that many dozens of residents are in favor of the proposed project. Ironically the majority of the townships residents do not agree. Many homeowners in our township are extremely concerned that this project will in fact have a detrimental effect on our health, our property values and our environment.
Also filed under [
General]
There are many cases where people living near large turbines have claimed to have suffered negative health effects due to their continuous operation. ...This week there was a small bit of hopeful news for those opposed to the wind farm concept when State Sen. Frank Lasee (R-DePere) suggested that the PUC adjust its rules and move future turbines further away from homes. He also suggests the state take a closer look the possible health impact of wind farms.
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Impact on People|
Energy Policy]
Will the Public Service Commission continue to promote dangerous utility practices and sacrifice Wisconsin rural health for big wind profits this March?
Electrical pollution tests conducted by Dave Stetzer at the Shirley Wind Project in Brown County reveal electrical pollution levels to be severely unsafe, not meeting the standards of the World Health Organizations and the Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineers.
Also filed under [
Impact on People]
Two families whom I represent have moved out of their homes because of illnesses they felt after eight wind turbines were built nearby; others want to move but can't afford to. A Fond du Lac family abandoned their $300,000 remodeled farm house because their 16-year-old daughter developed intestinal lesions and was hospitalized for them. After they moved away, she recovered.
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
Energy Policy]
Some of you may be aware that the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin appointed a committee of experts to create statewide wind siting rules, but may not know the majority of that committee benefits financially from the wind industry.
Also filed under [
General]
Why would Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker propose to increase the setbacks between wind turbines and property lines to 1,800 feet? Because the newest industrial wind turbines in our state are 50 stories tall.
Also filed under [
Impact on People]
Characteristic noises would include the footfalls of deer. "I have not seen a deer here since construction began," said Meyer, and the owls and hawks that used to frequent his woodlot are gone, too. While someone choosing to live near a freeway is moving next to the noise nowadays (since we're not building new freeways), in the case of wind farms, the noise is moving in.
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
Noise]
Fair and open process? More like outnumbered and ignored, say turbines' neighbors
January 27, 2011 in Journal Sentinel
January 27, 2011 in Journal Sentinel
It's true that wind turbine critics wanted a farther setback -- one figure that gets thrown around is a 2-kilometer setback, or more than 6,000 feet. But that the PSC's figure is less than critics wanted and more than developers proves nothing about the process that produced the PSC's rule.
Was, in fact, the process fair?
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Zoning/Planning]
If the PSC guidelines didn't reflect the state real estate association data on decreased property values, and if the industry cannot guarantee acceptable sound levels prior to construction, then the risk is all mine.
As long as there is not a clear and easy recourse to be sure my rights and property values are protected, I will object.
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
Zoning/Planning]
The tide of public anger is rising, as rural people lose trust in the agencies charged with their protection. Can those responsible for protecting us live with the damaged health and ruined lives that will be the consequences of their failure to conduct the studies necessary to find the truth?
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
Energy Policy]
This means that wind and solar have to use more land, steel and ultra-long transmission lines, which reduces the projects economic viability and their ability to scale. They cannot compete.
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