WIND SITING COUNCIL

WIND SITING COUNCIL

(1)Tom Green, Wind developer, Wind Capitol Group, Dane County (Financial Interest in Outcome of Rules)

(1) Bill Rakocy, Wind developer, Emerging Energies of Wisconsin, LLC, Wind developer, Dane County

(Financial Interest in Outcome of Rules)

(2) Doug Zweizig, P&Z Commissioner, Union Township, Rock County

(2) Lloyd Lueschow, Green County Board Supervisor, District 28, Green County,

(3) Andy Hesselbach, Wind project manager, We Energies, Dane County

(Financial Interest in Outcome of Rules)

(3) Dan Ebert, Vice President of Policy and External Affairs, WPPI Energy, Dane County, Chair of The Coalition for Clean, Responsible Energy for Wisconsin’s Economy (CREWE)

(Financial Interest in Outcome of Rules)

(4) Michael Vickerman , Executive Director, RENEW Wisconsin, Madison, Dane County

(Financial Interest in Outcome of Rules)

(4) Ryan Schryver , Global Warming Specialist, Organizer, Advocate: Clean Wisconsin, Madison, Dane County

(Financial Interest in Outcome of Rules)

(5) George Krause Jr. Real estate broker: Choice Residential LLC, Manitowoc County

(5) Tom Meyer, Real Estate Agent, Restaino & Associates, Middleton, Dane County

(6) Dwight Sattler Landowner, retired diary farmer, Malone, Fond du Lac County (Resides 3700ft from a turbine)

(6) Larry Wunsch, Landowner, non-participating resident of Invenergy Forward Energy wind project, Fond du Lac County

(7)Jennifer Heinzen, Wind Energy Technology Instructor, Lakeshore Technical College, Manitowoc County, and President of RENEW Wisconsin, Madison, Dane County

(Financial Interest in Outcome of Rules and not a "public member"))

(7) David Gilles, attorney specializing in energy regulatory law, shareholder, Godfrey & Kahn Attorneys at Law, Madison, Dane County. (Former PSC Council)

(8) Jevon McFadden University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine & Public Health, Dane County

(Is not a member of the UW System Faculty and an admitted non-expert on wind turbine health effects.

Ann Wirtz's Comment to the PSC Wind Siting Council:

Dear Council Members,

My name is Ann Wirtz. My family resided in the Forward Wind Turbine Project for well over a year, just shy of 2 years. We lived at this same residence for over a decade prior to the turbines being constructed.

I am going to tell you what was like to live there after the turbines went up. I wasn`t happy about them being built. But I did feel if they were going to be built, someone surely knew it would be ok. After all, in America, they wouldn`t allow anything this bad to be placed around peoples home. That was my honest belief going into it. I was very open minded about it after I realized there was nothing we could do to stop them from being built.

I remained open minded about it the first days they were spinning. I was shocked at the noise. I was surprised to see how nervous and jumpy my docile alpaca`s were. But yet I told myself that we just needed to get use to it. I questioned my doctor shortly after the turbines were spinning, "could the turbines be why suddenly I am so tired and yet unable to sleep?" I still remained open minded not realizing it surely was the turbines impacting our lives.

The first times my then 16 year old daughter complained of stomach aches, I thought it was nothing more than the "usual 16 year old stomach ache". These stomach aches grew increasingly worse. For a time she would leave every other weekend to spend time with her dad. Every time she was gone for the weekend she came back home feeling pretty well. In a day or two after being home she again started with stomach aches. Again I questioned my doctors about living near the wind turbines. Eventually her health took such a toll. She lost all her strength. Once so athletic that she played varsity basketball as a freshman, she didn`t have the strength to make it through any day without the need for a nap and lying on the couch curled in a ball. She had been a "social butterfly" up to this point having plans every weekend with her friends. Now I had to watch her stay home most nights because she didn`t feel well and was so tired. Eventually she had a colonoscopy done that found she had ulcers all the way through her intestines.

For me personally, my sleep got even worse. I would go to bed completely exhausted. I would fall asleep and awaken in only an hour or sometimes even less. I would lay there and not know why I couldn`t sleep. This went on for months. While lying awake I would hear the sound of the turbines spinning. My thoughts would follow the rhythm of the turbines. I tried adjusting my position in bed. I tried covering my head with another pillow. I tried wearing ear plugs to bed. I would get up to read in hopes that after a bit I would be so tired that I`d just naturally fall asleep when I went back to bed. I would walk around and try to tire myself even more. I would try to stay up later than my exhausted body could stand in hopes that when I did fall asleep I would stay sleeping. I tried over the counter sleep aides. I tried prescription sleep medicine. Nothing ever worked. Most and I mean most nights I was lucky to get more than 1-3 hours of sleep. I got lucky every now and then but very few nights. When the wind was heavy the sound was really bad. In light winds I would feel a pressure that I couldn`t stand. I eventually felt like the house was vibrating. It would make me feel nauseas. These later feelings of vibrations and pressure didn`t start until after I had been exposed to the turbines for some time. Eventually in the last 9 months of living in our home before we left it, I slept on a couch in our living room. The pellet stove that had a blower fan on it seemed to somewhat lesson the pressure and vibrations I felt. But again, most nights I still got very minimal sleep. I use to try all kinds of deep breathing techniques. I use to lay there and think sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep and only try to clear my mind for sleep. I would lay there and try to block the vibrations and pressure I would feel. But usually, even this was very unsuccessful.

I had always had a faced paced life, being a mom of four and working a full-time job. I now was unable to cope with all I had to do being completely exhausted. There were days I could not think clearly. I had always multi tasked and now found myself barely able to function to the simplest of every day tasks.

For a long time I felt like no one could understand what I was living with. I don`t need to ask anyone ever again, "could it be the wind turbines we are living by?" There is no one in the world who can tell me it wasn`t. We moved away. I have slept well since. My daughter has improved greatly. Her ulcers are gone. Today since we have left and I have talked about it, I finally know there are other people who are going through this. I have cried with them.

I am begging you to put a stop to this. Wind turbines are unhealthy for people. Not everyone exposed will have the same reaction; I saw this within my own family. But, some people will. You`re just rolling the dice, to find out who is affected by low frequency. No one should be forced to take that chance. If you want to allow turbines, then they CAN NOT be placed where people live, work and go to school. Stop it before it is too late for many other families.

Liv Moyer's Comment to the PSC Wind Siting Council:

First I would like to thank the couple of Council members who responded to me. I am ATTACHING a letter from The State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services. I just can't believe that absolutely no one can even acknowledge there is a PROBLEM!

I have invited anyone to come and stay in our home, you would need to "live" amongst them for a month to feel the affects they have on a person. And the Turbine people cannot know you are staying at our home since they would change the way the turbine would run. I would also like to respond to the letter the Dept of Health Services mailed to me. They said absolutely NOTHING. Just that I should go to a doctor every day when I am affected to see if it is affecting me... go figure! Who is going to pay for this? Not me.

There have been times since the turbines have moved in next to our property, that I wish I could just leave. But how could I do that and tell my family that they must. I have considered getting a divorce, since then my Husband (of 20 years and believe it I really do LOVE HIM!) and children would be able to stay in the home and not lose what we have worked so hard for over 20 years! I have even wondered what would happen if someone who has been affected by the turbines would commit suicide - if then the Turbine people would even listen - but I just don't think the Turbine people care!!! so it wouldn't matter.... sad... just really sad, that people have put in front of the bus!

I would also like to know why there has been studies on the birds, bats and other animals but absolutely no studies on how the Turbines affect PEOPLE! Boy that would be a concept!

I read the Glacier Ridge proposal - Do you know how much time they actually studied the 'SOUND' levels? Ten minute intervals, thirty minutes a day, for 14 days! another WOW thanks for caring!!! Did you see how long they are going to study the bats and birds - TWO years! This is unbelievable!

Now I know most of you can care less and think I must be crazy - but I have been driven to be crazy. It is very frustrating that when you have a complaint - no one answers...

Again just to remind you the problems I have had since the Turbines have started in November 2008! Noise, the humming and vibrations at night when I would like to sleep in my own bed in my bedroom. I on average get about 3 nights of full rest and the rest of the week I wake up to try to find a quieter place to sleep in my home and not in my room. Flicker... enough said.

Thanks again...

Trying to live and sleep at my OWN Home

WIND ENERGY LOBBYIST MICHAEL VICKERMAN EXPLAINS

WHERE DID 50 DBA COME FROM?

WHAT SCIENTIFIC DATA WAS USED TO COME TO A RECOMMENDED 50DBA?

REALITY........THERE IS NONE.

IT IS A RANDOM NUMBER USED BY THE WIND INDUSTRY

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION RECOMMENDS 35 DBA

WIND SITING COUNCIL MEETING 7-15-10

THE WIND SITING COUNCIL discusses the meaning of the noise standards. According to this conversation, the new standards would allow turbines to be louder and closer to homes than those used in siting the wind projects in Fond du Lac and Dodge Counties which have given rise to numerous complaints. OMG. According to the explantion from Tim Osterberg of Emerging Energies, the limit would be ambient plus 50 dba. The sound attributed only to the wind energy system, seperate from the background noise is using a relative number. The 50dba in the existing wind farms is 50dba which includes ambient, is an absolute limit.

Absolute noise limit: maximum allowed noise level at the wind speed creating the highest noise emission must not be exceeded as measured at the nearest neighbour to the turbines;

Relative noise limits: turbine noise emission must not exceed the level of background noise (both turbine and background noise are measured as a function of wind speed); such limits are often supplemented with a low absolute maximum noise limit to cover those situations in which turbines are located in areas of very low background noise;

Vestas recommends relative noise limits that take into account local background noise levels (where new wind turbines are sited near existing ones, already present turbine noise should not be calculated as part of the background noise). Vestas bel

ieves this type of regulation is the most effective and flexible, in that it ensures minimal noise disturbance for wind turbine neighbours while allowing turbines to be located in relatively noisy areas (areas with industry or roads, for example) that are rich in wind resources. Such areas are also often close to existing electrical grids, which can minimize the cost of connecting wind turbines to the grid.

HOW MUCH LOUDER IS 25DBA REALLY????????????

Should noise limits be decided by those who don't understand decibel levels beyond knowing that 50dbA will allow them to site more turbines in a community?

Wisconsin Act 40.....There is created in the public service commission a wind siting council that consists of the following members appointed by the public service commission for 3−year terms:

1. Two members representing wind energy system developers.

2. One member representing towns and one member representing counties.

3. Two members representing the energy industry.

4. Two members representing environmental groups.

5. Two members representing realtors.

6. Two members who are landowners living adjacent to or in the vicinity of a wind energy system and who have not received compensation by or on behalf of owners, operators, or developers of wind energy systems.

7. Two public members.

8. One member who is a University of Wisconsin System faculty member with expertise regarding thehealth impacts of wind energy systems

SHOULD WISCONSINS WIND SITING RULES BE WRITTEN BY THOSE THAT HAVE A DIRECT FINANCIAL INTERST IN THE OUTCOME OF THE RULES?

THE REGULATED CREATING THE REGULATIONS IS A RECIPE FOR DISATER FOR COMMUNITIES IN WISCONSIN.

Chair of The Coalition for Clean, Responsible Energy for Wisconsin’s Economy (CREWE) which has been formed by business stakeholders to partner with the administration, task force members, lawmakers and other businesses and stakeholders as energy policies are developed that transition Wisconsin to a sound economy powered by new green jobs and investment.

CREWE is a non-profit business coalition that believes Wisconsin citizens and businesses can benefit from this economic development while mitigating the impact of rising energy costs, increasing our energy independence, and addressing climate change.

MICHAEL VICKERMAN EXPLAINS COMMUNITY WIND.

A ROSE IS A ROSE.................

THE EMERGING ENERGIES PROJECT NEAR MISHICOT WOULD HAVE BEEN A COMMUNITY WIND PROJECT BY THIS DEFINITION. COMMUNITY WIND IS INDUSTRIAL TURBINES JUST LESS OF THEM. IT IS A SCAM TO TRY TO GET LESS RESTRICTIVE REGULATIONS.

At the June 2 council meeting Larry Wunsch, a council member was discussing his problems with living a 1000 ft from a wind turbine when Chairman Ebert interrupted and said the following.........

He was sympathizing with Larry and said "He felt things would have been different for Larry if this process had been done before those turbines went up, it would have resulted in a better outcome. I think we have an opportunity here to provide a pathway for a better outcome, not a 100% satisfactory outcome for everyone. But I do think at the end of the day it would have been a far better outcome had we had this type of process in place for the Invenery project. One of the questions for you(Larry), because you do bring a very specific perspective, is what are the types of things that would have, as you sort of think about, where the mistakes may have been made and how we got it wrong and how can we get it right?

YET..........a majority of the council, many having a financial interest, voted to keep the 1000ft setback from a home, the 1.1 setback from a property line and a 50dba noise limit. Bill Rakocy would like a 65dba limit. So it seems that things will not be different and they have no desire to get it right because of their financial interest.

THE PSC RECENTLY APPROVED A 45DBA NIGHT NOISE LIMIT IN THE WIND SITING RULES. THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE FROM A MAP OF THE GLACIER HILLS PROJECT. THE BLACK LINES DESIGNATE A SETBACK FOR A 50DBA NOISE LIMIT AND THE WHITE LINES DESIGNATE A SETBACK FOR A 45DBA NOISE LIMIT OR THE 2200FT THAT COMMISSIONER AZAR STATED IT WOULD TAKE TO MEET THE 45DBA LIMIT.

THE RED DOTS REPRESENT TURBINE SITES AND THE RED DOTS INSIDE THE LARGE YELLOW CIRCLE DESIGNATE NON-PARTICIPATING LAN OWNERS.

THE MANITOWOC COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH HAS DETERMINED THAT THESE SETBACK DO NOT ADEQUATELY PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH

AUGUST 19TH PSC MEETING. COMMISSIONER AZAR STATES THE PSC STAFF INFORMED HER THAT BASED ON RESEARCH AND COMPUTER MODELING IT WOULD TAKE A 2200FT SETBACK TO MEET THE 45dba NIGHT TIME NOISE LIMIT INTHE PROPOSED WIND SITING RULES BASED ON A FLAT TOPOGRAPHY. IT COULD TAKE MORE IF THE LAND WAS HILLY

IT IS ADMIRABLE TO WANT TO SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT.

BUT WE DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SACRIFICE HEALTH, SAFEETY, QUALITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY VALUES TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL. WE ARE NOT FIGHTING THE EFFORT TO SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT, WE ARE FIGHTING TO BE PART OF A BETTER SOLUTION.

WORKING TO EDUCATE COMMUNITIES ON THE TRUTHS AND

REALITIES

WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

WHEREAS THE BOARD OF HEALTH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEALTH OF ALL CITIZENS OF MANITOWOC COUNTY, HAS STUDIED THE PROPOSED WIND SITING RULE CONTAINING THE NOISE CRITERIA AND HAS CONCLUDED THAT THE RULE DOES NOT SET NOISE LIMITS THAT ADEQUATELY PROTECT THE PUBLIC.....

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE MANITOWOC COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FINDS THAT WIS, ADMIN, CODE, PSC 128.14(3), PERTAINING TO NOISE LIMITS FAILS TO ADEQUATELY PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH....

CLICK TO SEE FULL RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE MANITOWOC COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

WHAT WOULD A 5DBA OVER AMBIENT SETBACK LOOK LIKE?????