LETTER: Wind farm costs are much too high

To the Editor:

With regard to Joe Sullivan (New Richmond News, Oct. 5, 2012), while I acknowledge Mr. Sullivan’s support for jobs associated with the wind industry in Wisconsin; the benefits to the people living within a wind farm are seriously in question.

Wis. Stat. § 66.0401, local governments — counties, towns, cities and villages — may not place any restriction on the installation or use of solar or wind energy systems. – The ability of residents to development their community is taken away.

Wis. Stat. § 236.292, voids all restrictions on platted land that prevent or unduly restrict the construction or operation of solar and wind energy systems. – Your right to develop or restrict use on your property is taken away.

Wis. Stat. § 700.41 freezes the permitted building envelope of properties adjacent to a solar or wind system to whatever it was at the time the system was constructed. – Your right to develop or restrict use on your property is taken away.

Wis. Stat. § 844.22 states that any structure or vegetative growth that occurs after the installation of a solar or wind energy system and interferes with its function is considered to be a private nuisance. If you wanted/needed new silos or the wind break of trees is growing too tall; forget about it.

About $93 million was allocated for wind energy projects from the federal government in 2011; this is in addition to the funding from states and the many areas of the production tax credit.

The $1 million in tax payments and $2 million to landowners does not begin to cover the costs the freedoms lost or lives displaced.

Placing 41 500-foot industrial turbines in a 36-square-mile populated area is not green, clean or efficient. The costs to residents in wind turbine developments are too great and eventually all Wisconsin residents will bear the costs of this irresponsible proposal in the Town of Forest.

Scottie Ard

New Richmond

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion