Public Service Commission of Wisconsin,
I =
reside=20
at E3530 Townline Road, Kewaunee, WI. I own 54.5 acres of land =
located=20
in the NW corner of the Element Power LLC, Tisch Mills Project. =
My land=20
is located in West Kewaunee Township, and borders Carlton =
Township.=20
I have great concerns for all the estimated 3,000 =
residents who=20
will be affected by the Tisch Mills Wind Turbine Project of =
Element=20
Power LLC. I submit the PSCW must respectfully consider the =
following=20
points:
=B7 Property Values - Wind Turbine companies =
must be=20
required to provide non-participating land owners located within =
2 miles=20
of any "positioned turbine", a Property Value Guarantee =
Agreement. This=20
agreement would guarantee those land owners the ability to sell =
their=20
property at any point during the life of the contract of that=20
"positioned turbine". To establish the value of the property at =
any=20
given time, a sampling of comparable home appraisals and home =
sales=20
values in areas where no turbines are located would be used. In =
the=20
event the property could not be sold, the wind turbine company =
would be=20
required to purchase the property. I have a neighbor now who =
lived in=20
the Kewaunee County Lincoln Township wind farm whose property =
was=20
appraised at $168,500, he experience sleep deprivation as a =
result of=20
noise. The turbine company offered him $113,000 for his =
property, 35%=20
less than the appraised value. He filed suit against the turbine =
company=20
and the turbine company paid him the appraised value of =
$168,500. Later=20
the turbine company sold this same property for 8$86,000 or 50% =
of the=20
appraised value. Now this same man, moved into my neighborhood =
only to=20
find himself in an area where another wind turbine development =
is in the=20
works.
=B7 Health and Safety Issues - there is no rush to =
build=20
additional turbines in Wisconsin until such time we finish =
studies to=20
determine the impact of the noise, deep ultrasonic sound waves, =
shadow=20
flicker and sleep deprivation. There are just too many =
documented cases=20
of Wisconsinites who live in these turbine farms who have had =
problems=20
or are experiencing health issues caused by the turbines. =
=B7 Wind=20
Turbine Setbacks - I have personally interviewed people living =
in the=20
Fondulac Forward Energy Wind Farm, their comments combined with =
studies=20
that have been completed, confirm that many of the issues that =
revolve=20
around noise and shadow flicker would be addressed if a setback =
of 2,680=20
feet from a Property Line were to be set as the standard. This =
setback=20
will not, however deal with the property value issue as most =
people view=20
turbines as unsightly and are ruinous to the peaceful Wisconsin=20
countryside.
=B7 Wind Turbine Company Solicitation - the =
PSCW should=20
be required to directly notify all land owners or dwellers in =
any=20
proposed wind turbine area prior to any leasing solicitations =
made by=20
the turbine company. This notice would be made a minimum of 90 =
days=20
prior to allowing wind turbine companies to solicit any leases. =
A=20
turbine area should be defined as any person living in the =
proposed area=20
and any person living within 5 miles of the boundary of the =
proposed=20
area.
=B7 Decommissioning of Turbines and Land Reclamation - =
these=20
turbine companies like Element Power LLC must be required to =
post bond=20
or put in place an irrevocable letter of credit in the amount of =
$325,000 per turbine. Additionally, over the period of the lease =
term,=20
this amount should be increased or decreased each year by a =
percentage=20
mutually agreed to by both parties. The bonds or LOC ideally =
will be=20
held by the county affected, not by the state. I use the =
$325,000 number=20
as this is what is cost to decommission a large turbine in the =
Abilene=20
Texas area. In the event the $325,000 is not fully used, the =
balance of=20
the money would be released back to the turbine company.
=B7 =
Effects=20
of Turbines on Animals - prior to having any more wind turbines=20
constructed in Wisconsin, the PSCW must consider the many =
documented=20
cases of farm animals and wildlife being impacted by these =
turbines.=20
Whether it is stray voltage, low ultrasonic sound waves, shadow =
flicker,=20
noise or some other stimulus that affects animals this must be =
taken=20
into consideration now. Studies must be completed in this regard =
before=20
we move forward.
Thank you,
Ronald H. Heuer=20
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