On Local residents concerned wind bill would wipe out their work

Posted on April 19 at 2:47 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

EcoEnergy states there is a "requirement" for a 1/2 mile setback in the Town of Union's Ordinance. This is not a factual statement. The Town of Union ordinance allows for landowners hosting turbines, as well as neighboring landowners who choose to do so, to agree to a lesser setback than 1/2 mile from their home. Hence, a ½ mile set back is not required, should the landowner choose otherwise. Please read the ordinance rather than rely on Utility companies or their lobbyists (Renew Wisconsin, Michael Vickerman) to tell you what it says.

The Town of Union volunteer citizen Wind Turbine Study Committee reviewed hundreds of pages of literature that cautioned about wind turbine impact on human health. Where the PSC’s Draft Model Wind Ordinance for Wisconsin uses setbacks of 1,000 feet from dwellings, the Committee found studies and reports from governments (including the US Congressional Research Service), physicians, and professional societies that stipulate setbacks of ½ mile or more in order to protect human health (10 of those sources recommend setbacks of 1 mile or more). To learn how the PSC arrived at their recommendation the Town had to submit a Freedom of Information request and discovered there was no rationale for the 1,000 foot setback—the distance had been provided by a Florida utility.

The duty of government is to protect its citizens—in this case, to protect the health and safety of Wisconsin residents from unhealthy effects of large wind turbines. The Town of Union's ordinance does not unduly limit what people may do on their own property; rather it addresses the impacts on neighboring residents. The residents in need of protection are those on neighboring properties who may be affected by the noise or hazard that come with the installation of large wind turbines. These residences are provided protection by the required 1/2 mile setback.

The Wind Siting Reform bill brushes aside a quality ordinance, written in full compliance with the law and democratic process by the Town of Union and replaces it with a corporate lobbyist influenced process that concentrates decision making power into the hands of a very few, unelected people – none of whom could tell you much, if anything about the Town of Union, or the people living there.