On November 21, 2024, the Public Service Commission and Department of Natural Resources of Wisconsin sent this COMMENT OPPORTUNITY NOTICE to residents affected by the Badger Hollow wind power plant proposal. The facility would install about 19, 656′ tall wind turbines and 22 miles of transmission lines with health and environmental impacts. Some of these negative impacts been estimated and are accessible in Invenergy’s commissioned studies ( see Appendix A items).
~370 Residents Predicted to Experience Audible Noise Under Quiet Conditions
Nauseogenic Illnesses from wind turbine air pulses documented up to distances of 4 miles (Vertigo, dizziness, headaches, nausea, tiredness, irritation, uneasiness and difficulties with concentration.
~120 Residents Predicted to Experience Shadow Flicker Hours with some locations undergoing 100 hours per year.
~22 miles of vegetation management on easements through Agricultural Fields, Pastures
25 Stream Crossings
Electromagnetic Field Concerns From 22 miles of buried transmission lines.
The PSC Notice Explains:
“[T]he agencies are requesting comments from the public to help the state agencies determine the potential impacts associated with the project. . . Comments for the EA scoping are most effective when they discuss:
Any potential human and environmental impacts of the proposed wind generation project; or
Any specific actions or changes to the proposed project that might minimize or mitigate the potential impacts of the project.“
“The deadline for submitting Environmental Review Scoping Comments is Friday, December 20, 2024
1. By written letter mailed to Olivia Poelmann PSC Wisconsin, Docket 2817-CE-100, P.O. Box 7854, Madison, WI 53707-7854 [ And through email at olivia.poelmann@wisconsin.gov where attachments may be added ]
Notes: (A) One can file comments with text and inserted images using a writing program and exported as a “PDF” document. The PDF is up-loaded to the case docket by creating an PSC account and following these document uploading steps . Make sure the file is uploaded to the docket before the published deadline. (B) Questions about scoping process and how to find topics can be directed to: Olivia Poelmann, Badger Hollow Wind Environment Assessment Coordinator at olivia.poelmann@wisconsin.gov or via phone, (608) 266-5528.
Photograph from the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
Press Release for Joint Opposition-sponsored Public Information Meeting Concerning the Uplands and Badger Hollow wind power plant proposals for Iowa, Lafayette and Grant Counties,
While a handful of alert leaders and landowners began sharing concerns after the disappointing Cardinal Hickory Creek (CHC) decision in 2019, fewi would have predicted that the rate of utility development would bring residents and local governments of Southwestern Wisconsin to the brink of a truly historic, “protect or wreck” moment as soon as 2024.
The dilemma does not stem from heated politics or cultural debate. In largest part, its inherited from the half truths and secrecies implanted by merchant utility sales agents, likes of which are still traveling our lands making acquisitions for the largest utility interestsii in the world.
As early as 2012, when CHC was only a toddler on utility wish lists,iii utility sales agents began to increasingly canvas landowners twenty or more miles north and south of anticipated giant transmission lines’ path. Over and over and over, agents drove down driveways asking for signatures on secretly held, inescapable, 60+ page documents that grant the utility “site control” for 20-30 years, if not, practically, speaking indefinitely.iv Only recently has it become apparent that a significant number of landowners in the Livingston vicinity signed site control contracts starting in 2018 after being told the half-truth that doing so would not conflict with their voiced opposition to CHC. The untold half was that the planned, Part II, of Badger Hollow Solar directly conflicted with CHC opposition as did use for Badger-Hollow and Uplands Wind.v
The phrase, ‘site control’ is actual, utility-parlancevi for documenting progress on critical, land use and easement rights required for a large network of essential electrical connections. What does giving a utility ‘site control’ of one’s land actually entail? When they were signing, did landowners understand they were giving the right to exercise a broad set of “options” across their land? Did the sales agents encourage landowners to stop and consider that signing automatically subjects their neighbors to endless high pressure sales techniques? And on and on and on?
Utilities don’t just erect pieces of highly visible infrastructure, they require and build expansive networks of land control.
Outlined land parcel has no wind turbines but enables an enormous network.
Was the participation status of neighbors always accurately portrayed by sales agents? After signing, landowners report feeling afraid and avoiding all discussion about contracts.
These are but some of the concerning questions that volunteer residents opposed to the Uplands and Badger Hollow Wind power plants will be answering and discussing on August 15, at the Belmont Conference Center starting at 7 PM, 103 W Mound View Ave., Belmont, WI.
Titled, Preserving and Protecting our Rural Legacies, the event hopes to address the assault on deeply held rural traditions vulnerable to steady demise should the approximately 400 square miles of land impacted by the Uplands Windvii and Badger Hollow Windviiiproposals receive consummation by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, as soon as December, 2025.ix At least two additional power plant developments and another massive transmission expansion project wait on the sidelines.x Unless residents and local governments rise to the occasion and force the PSC to honor public interests above corporate interests, PSC approval of these massive projects stands to foster new waves of utility and industrial development across our lands.
Threatened, rural traditions to be considered include:
Openness and Honesty. Humanity’s time-honored religiousxi and non-religious teachings stress the importance of respecting our neighbors as much as we respect ourselves. When activities that undercut this foundation for peace and happiness get accepted, nothing good comes of it. If the ‘benefits’ are as worthy of community trust as utilities claim, they would certainly survive the light of day.
Habitat Priorities. While farmers rely on cash crops for economic survival, most regard avoiding interference with natural habitats at the top of their lists. Presenters will inform attendees about likely, negative impacts on our already threatened bat populations and water contamination risks accelerated by abandoned lead mines and vulnerable karst topologies.
Lead mining contaminants in the Mineral Point area superimposed on a small portion of Pattern’s preliminary Uplands Wind infrastructure plan. Mining features from p. 30 DIGITAL ATLAS OF HISTORIC MINING ACTIVITY IN SOUTHWESTERN WISCONSIN
The public will be informed of ways to prepare for participation in the upcoming Public Service Commission review process and make these unacceptable threats abundantly clear.
Public Health Priorities. Under high wind speeds, three families in the Montfort area are being forced to leave their homes due to extreme, repetitive, air pressure changes created by the relatively smaller, 551′ foot high wind turbines constructed for Red Barn. The public will be shown scientific records synchronizing turbine activity to tragic health consequences and ways that landowners many miles from proposed wind plants can estimate their health risks.
Local Economy Priorities. Trading, bartering and investing dollars locally, whenever possible, is fundamental to rural economies from the very first homesteads.. The monetary value of landowners’ greatest asset, the land itself, has been rising at the rate of 6% per yearxii when not compromised by utility obstructions and controls. In this 10 minute session, landowners and local governments will be encouraged to compare the value of their land and tax revenues, over coming decades, with and without utility incursions. Alternatives to utility scale wind plants towards the goal of CO2 emission reduction will also be outlined.
Restoring Local Control. A long-held fundamental right of local government planning has been to personally determine what kinds of activities are compatible with long-term community goals. Towns used ordinances and application processes to learn about and evaluate the details of any proposed development within their jurisdictions. Wisconsin and Lawmakers unwittingly eliminated this right at the same time they created a de-regulated utility class. Today, dozens of these “merchant” utilities are active canvasing our state.xiii This presentation will focus on deficiencies in Wisconsin laws that must be corrected and actions citizens can take to promote the restoration of fundamental community rights as soon as possible.
The event to be held on August 15th at the Belmont Conference Center starting at 7 PM, is made possible by donations from unaffiliated opposition volunteers.xiv It is free and open to the public of all ages. We’ll have a pickle jar to help support the educational and outreach activities encouraged in presentations.
– Rob Danielson, Opposition Volunteer
CITATIONS
i Village of Montfort President, Jim Schmitz, drove to North Dakota to witness the buildout around expansion transmission lines there. After that trip he vociferously warned landowners that a large number of power plants and transmission transmission lines were soon to follow. Jim passed in 2022.
ii The worth of Invenergy has been estimated at $10 billion, but actual figures are held in privacy.
iii See pdf. p. 9, Project No. 5, Figure 1-3: Proposed MVP portfolio. MTEP 2011
iv To date, no utility has decommissioned an industrial scale wind power plant in Wisconsin. The smaller class wind turbines at Montfort were installed 24 years ago. The turbines at Green Field Blue Sky, erected in 2007, were replaced (repowered) in 2023. See PSC REF: 482715.
v MISO interconnection records show that all power plant construction in the area, except for the first half (150 MW) of Badger Hollow Solar depend on 345 kV Cardinal Hickory Creek Expansion Transmission line. The Iowa County Board had officially opposed the CHC line before farmers were misled.
ix Based on August 2024 application submission for Badger Hollow Wind. Pattern has announced that it will submit its application for Uplands Wind coming months.
x See second 345 kV expansion transmission line in the area being discussed within industry circles. https://bit.ly/3countyutilitydistrict . It is reported that land-owners in the Towns of Mount Hope, Mount Ida, Fennimore, N. and S. Lancaster, Liberty, Patch Grove, Beetown and Glen Haven are being pressured to sign lease options.
xi Matthew 22:37–39 . “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. “This is the first and great commandment. “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself”
Click on above image or here for table with projects and calculations of the averages.
In 2009, The Wisconsin Wind Siting Council was established in state law WI ACT 40for these purposes and terms:
196.378(4g)(e) The Wind Siting Council shall survey the peer-reviewed scientific research regarding the health impacts of wind energy systems and study state and national regulatory developments regarding the siting of wind energy systems. No later than October 1, 2014, and every 5 years thereafter, the wind siting council shall submit a report to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3), describing the research and regulatory developments and including any recommendations of the council for legislation that is based on the research and regulatory developments.
Despite a steady increase in pending wind power plant proposals including a 600 MW, ~400 square mile plant in SW Wisconsin that would be 3.7 times larger than any prior state wind facility, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin failed to convene the Wind Siting Council by the legislation-specified, “no later” date of October 1, 2019.
Above map/list of proposed Wind Power Plants was obtained from MISO’s interactive map on Mar 18, 2024. If approved by the PSC or county subdivisions, these plant additions totaling 1,157 MW would increase Wind Generation in Wisconsin 60% (787 MW Existing).
The quasi-Council that the Commission marshaled and charged with duties four years late (in July, 2023), failed to include required membership. Most glaringly, the body charged with recommending needed changes in Chapter PSC 128 regulating state wind power plants lacked the expert essential for council assessment of “peer-reviewed scientific research regarding the health impacts of wind energy systems,” which law designates:
“One member who is a University of Wisconsin System faculty member with expertise regarding the health impacts of wind energy systems .
Unfortunately, the Commission has, instead, tried substituting faculty persons with no health or medical backgrounds. As a result, when Council members make motions to introduce studies, articles and other considerations of health and safety impacts not acknowledged in 2014, there is no expert on the Council with professional reputation at risk or professional avenues to pursue to conduct basic business such as:
Answer questions posed by council members
Make researched, clarifications about study findings
Proof read PSC staff accounts of medical studies beyond their expertise
Move the consideration of impacts from the much larger and more powerful turbines forward.
The detrimental impact on the Council can no longer be pushed aside.
In 2023 the US Department of Energy released an agency-sponsored study accounting for larger setback distances in use with popularly used, larger, wind turbines ranging from 3.2 to 5.8 MW. Council members did not become aware of this extremely rare report until an arbitrary deadline for study submission had passed. Rather than make accommodations to insert this single report pertaining to vastly changed technologies, Wind industry appointees and members in broad support of wind development voted to reject inclusion of the study on mere basis of late submission by narrow margin.
If, at the end of a thorough process, no changes in PSC 128 setback distances or other protections are made, the council, the legislature and the citizens of Wisconsin have lost nothing by the delayed report. But rather than pausing and finding a way to meet the legislative requirements, recent minutes indicate that the Council Chair is hurrying to “finalize the report, in total, for April [2024].”
Consistent with verbal accounts of Council members representing landowner and community interests, an agenda item addressing the newer, more powerful and taller wind turbines being proposed in Wisconsin has yet to be scheduled.
If submitted in April, the Wisconsin Wind Siting Council’s report to the state legislature report would unacceptably lack:
Input from a medical professional with expertise regarding the health impacts of wind energy systems.
Informed acknowledgment of, not to mention appropriate regulation for the much larger and more powerful wind turbines being presently proposed in Wisconsin.
Incorporation of the US Department of Energy’s sponsored study concerning much larger setbacks being used to meet acoustic noise standards set for much smaller wind turbines
Incorporation of fundamental infrasound data for the larger turbines.
Studies the Council has not yet considered taking up in their impactful decision making included:
A MAY, 2023 STUDY SPONSORED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RECOMMENDS AN AVERAGE SETBACK DISTANCE OF 4,560 FEET (BEIGE AREAS) FOR WIND TURBINES LIKE THOSE PROPOSED BY THE MERCHANT UTILITY DEVELOPER TO SURROUNDING LIVINGSTON, WISCONSIN.* The 3.7 greater distance compared to the 1250’ used by the developer significantly reduces exposure to sound and “SPL related requirements.” The discouraged beige impact areas include about 390 dwellings and most of the Village. *The specified GE 3.4-140 turbines align with the 1.39 km average setback for the “Future with STE” scenario. See “Effects of land-based wind turbine upsizing on community sound levels and power and energy density,” by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Ben Hoen, Ryan Darlow, Ryan Haac, Joseph Rand and Ken Kaliski. May, 2023. Accessible at: https://bit.ly/4560ft.
Map detailing some of the critical infrastructure announced by Pattern in September, 2023 for their proposed 600 MW ‘Uplands” wind power plant. The facility impacting an area of approximately 400 square miles viewable from the outskirts of Madison to the Mississippi River would be the largest wind facility in Wisconsin and among the largest in the United States. Unlike facilities Wisconsinites are accustom to, the massive plant would host about 150, super-scale turbines as high as 650′ feet, more than 40 miles of 120′-180′ high 345 kV High Voltage Transmission lines as well as hundreds of miles of 34.5 kV “connection’ transmission lines. Pattern is aggressively seeking landowners to sign easement/access contracts for lacking critical transmission components under the misleading description of a “Good Neighbor” agreement.Under Wisconsin’s out-of date wind turbine siting codes (PSC 128), newer, much larger wind turbines can still be located as little as 1250′ from an occupied dwelling exposing persons to impacts on a nearly continuous basis.
Informed landowners in Iowa, Grant and Lafayette Counties have powerful opportunity to work together to prevent Uplands from be permitted or, minimally, prevents some or many industrial scale wind turbines from being included.
WITHHOLD “GOOD NEIGHBOR” TRANSMISSION & CONNECTOR LINE EASEMENTS
Each of the approximately 150 wind turbines in the Uplands power plant must be connected to expansive transmission networks comprised of dozens of 34,500 volt high voltage “connector lines. These lines that can be buried or carried on poles hold considerably more power than the existing distribution lines in the area.
As diagramed below, wind power plants require a large number of high voltage “Collection” lines that converge at Project Substations. The power from the Uplands Project Substations would then be transported through 41 miles of large-scale, high voltage, 345 kV transmission “Tie Lines” similar to the recently constructed and highly controversial Cardinal Hickory Creek (CHC) Transmission line. But unlike CHC, most of the 345 kV Tie Lines and 34.5 kV Connector Lines for Uplands would not follow pathways of existing transmission but rather slash new swaths across the properties of landowners who unwittingly grant easements by signing “good neighbor” or other contracts.
When landowners refuse to provide access for these transmission facilities, this stands to either block the construction/inclusion of nearby wind turbines or perhaps the entire Uplands project if the developer is unable to install the necessary 345 kV Tie lines.
PSC Required Map of ALL Wind System components found to be incomplete and potentially misleading.
[Below filing from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Docket 9300-WF-2023, by Ben Hoffman, October 3, 2023.]
Subject: Docket ID: 9300-WF-2023 Required Notices and Filings under Wis. Admin. Code ch. PSC 128 Related to Wind Siting for CY 2023 PSC REF # 480525
Uplands Wind LLC (Pattern Energy) submitted a 180 day Pre-Application Notice for the proposed Uplands Wind Project on September 27th 2023. The project, proposed to be located in the Wisconsin Counties of Iowa, Lafayette, and Grant, is a 600-megawatt (MW) wind energy facility requiring a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) under Wis. Stat. § 196.491 (3). Having proposed turbine heights greater than 600 feet, Pattern Energy is required to submit this Pre-Application Notice in order to comply with state law.
– Per Wis. Admin. Code PSC 128.01 (26), “Wind Energy System Facility” is defined as: “any component of a wind energy system, such as a wind turbine, collector circuit, access road, electric system interconnection facility or operation and maintenance facility.”
– Per Wis. Admin. Code PSC 128.105 (2) (b), the owner of a Wind Energy System is required to include “a map showing the planned location of all wind energy system facilities” with their 180 Day Pre-Application Notice.The map included in Pattern Energy’s 180 Day Pre-Application Notice (PSC REF # 480525) does not show the planned location of all wind energy system facilities, and therefore does not satisfy the legal requirements outlined in Wis. Admin. Code PSC 128.105 (2) (b). There are numerous omissions and inaccuracies on the map, but of particular importance:
21 of the 145 “Wind Turbine Locations” on the map have no Collector Circuit lines, which means they are not connected to the overall project/grid.
At least 50-75% of the “Wind Turbine Locations” on the map have “Access Roads” that do not connect to any identifiable or named public road, which makes it impossible to identify what the access road connects to.
Up to 10 of the “Wind Turbine Locations” have no access roads identified at all.
The map is missing key road names that are necessary access points for the operation of the proposed Wind Energy System Facilities.
At least one (possibly two) of the “Wind Turbine Locations” on the map are located inside designated State of Wisconsin Wildlife Areas that cannot possibly be used for this project given that the land was purchased using State and Federal Stewardship funds that does not permit any type of industrial or commercial use of the land.
It is important to note that this is the second Pre-Application Notice filed for this project by Pattern Energy. On August 11th, 2023, Pattern Energy filed a Pre-Application Notice (PSC REF # 475068) that was embarrassingly incomplete. Fortunately, concerned citizens [Kurt, Zemlicka] recognized this and submitted correspondence to the PSC highlighting the obvious lack of detail in that original filing. It took Pattern Energy just 49 days to file their new/second Pre-Application Notice, which – as outlined above – is still incredibly incomplete and inaccurate.
It is also important to note that Pattern is not the first developer to navigate the approval process in our State. There are numerous other developers that have complied with state law by providing accurate and detailed maps of their proposed wind energy system facilities and were successful in their applications. These projects serve as templates, providing a reliable precedent for what a developer is required to provide during the approval process. It is alarming that Pattern Energy did not feel the need to utilize that information not just once, but twice, in their Pre-Application Notice filings.
The fact that Pattern Energy felt it was necessary to file a second Pre-Application Notice means they acknowledge their first filing did not satisfy state requirements. This second incomplete and inaccurate filing by Pattern Energy supports that this is no longer an “error” on their part as they navigate the approval process – especially since there are many successful wind project applications in our state that can be used as reference. At worst, Pattern’s filings are a blatant disregard for the law. At best, it shows their dishonest business practices and total disregard for the public as they attempt to push this project through. Given Pattern Energy’s track record of submitting incomplete and inaccurate filings, additional scrutiny by state officials and citizens is warranted when reviewing any additional filings by Pattern Energy related to this proposed project.
Due to both Pattern Energy’s Pre-Application Notices (PSC REF #480525 and #475068) omitting essential wind energy system facilities from their map, the 180-day time period prior to application should not commence until the map is updated and fully complies with Wis. Admin. Code PSC 128.105 (2) (b). Proceeding without this information deprives citizens and political subdivisions of their opportunity to defend their substantial interests – most importantly, their health and safety – and therefore deprives them of their due process rights.
The proposed, 70 Megawatt plant would make the seventh wind power plant aimed at a 600 square mile, three county utility district in Southwest Wisconsin.
Click on Map for greater detail.
The Conservation, Sanitation and Zoning Committee will read and consider written comments and suggestions about the proposal if submitted by June 27th to Erik Heagle, 150 West Alona Lane, Suite #1 Lancaster, WI 53813 or emailed to erik.heagle@wi.nacdnet.net (Start email with introduction).
Following are some project factors determined from Allete’s 62 MB Application that may not be immediately apparent about the proposal:
OF THESE DWELLINGS, 69% WOULD BE EXPOSED TO COMPOUNDED IMPACTS FROM 4-8 WIND TURBINES WITH 31% EXPOSED TO COMPOUNDED IMPACTS FROM 1-3 WIND TURBINES.
A MAY, 2023 STUDY SPONSORED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RECOMMENDS AN AVERAGE SETBACK DISTANCE OF 4,560 FEET (BEIGE AREAS) FOR WIND TURBINES LIKE THOSE PROPOSED BY THE MERCHANT UTILITY DEVELOPER TO SURROUNDING LIVINGSTON, WISCONSIN.* The 3.7 greater distance compared to the 1250’ used by the developer significantly reduces exposure to sound and “SPL related requirements.” The discouraged beige impact areas include about 390 dwellings and most of the Village. *The specified GE 3.4-140 turbines align with the 1.39 km average setback for the “Future with STE” scenario. See “Effects of land-based wind turbine upsizing on community sound levels and power and energy density,” by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Ben Hoen, Ryan Darlow, Ryan Haac, Joseph Rand and Ken Kaliski. May, 2023. Accessible at: https://bit.ly/4560ft
OF THESE AFFECTED DWELLINGS, MORE THAN 60 WOULD EXPERIENCE FROM 10 TO 90 HOURS OF TURBINE SHADOW FLICKER IMPACTS PER YEAR.
THE APPLICATION CONTAINS NO MENTION OR ACCOUNTABILITY OF HEALTH DANGERS PRESENTED BY THE DOCUMENTED PHENOMENON OF “ICE THROW.” STUDIES SHOW THAT THE ICE FROM SHEETS THAT BUILDS-UP ON TURBINE BLADES UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS CAN BE LAUNCHED DISTANCES AS GREAT AS 500-1700′. THE LATER DISTANCE, ESTIMATED BY PROF. TERRY MATILSKY OF RUTGERS UNIVERSITY FOR TURBINES MUCH SMALLER THAN THOSE BEING PROPOSED, IS CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN THE 1250′ SETBACK DISTANCE THAT WISCONSIN LAW ALLOWS ALLETE TO BUILD TURBINES FROM OCCUPIED DWELLINGS AND OTHER EXTERIOR EXPOSURES CREATED BY WORK AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.
Letter to the Editor From Dodgeville Chronicle, April 20, 2023:
On a windy day with gusts in the 25 mph range, one can also assess audible sound impacts. Drive west of Montfort, WI on Highway 18 to the last two Red Barn industrial Wind Turbines (circled in white on below map). Turn South on Annaton Road and park off the road between the two turbines. Both of these IWTs are located about1250 ft from the road- the allowable setback distance from residents in Wisconsin under out of date code. Many states have increased setbacks to one mile or further.
This is an excellent excursion to for anyone unfamiliar with the size and impacts of modern day Industrial Wind Turbines. Red Barn turbines are approximately 550 feet high, 100 feet shorter than the 650′ systems being proposed.
UPDATES: See more recent map of proposed wind facility/transmission infrastructure locations based on a Wisconsin Public Service Commission filing made by Pattern in September 2023 and another map of this infrastructure superimposed on important bird resources previously indentified by the Wisconsin Department of Resources.
Additionally, see sample of an easement agreement document with language that the developer can use to acquire land access for 34. 5 kV collection lines (explained below), 345 kV grid tie lines and new substations that would be created.
– – – – –
The below maps show land parcels under contract for potential wind power plant development as of November, 2022.
Select landowners in Iowa, Grant and Lafayette Counties have an unprecedented opportunity to work together and prevent some or many industrial scale wind turbines from being developed. More explanation follows below
Additionally, Town and Village officials in these jurisdictions have been presented the opportunity to request two meetings with Pattern Energy, the developer of the 600 MW Uplands Wind proposal. The first meeting is designated to provide exact, preferred locations of wind turbines and associated equipment in the municipality’s jurisdiction and the second to make suggestions that Pattern can consider and affect before their application is submitted to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. This information is essential for a municipality to be able to “work with” the developer as encouraged by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.
CLICK MAP TO VIEW LEASED LAND PARCELS NEAR YOU
CLICK MAP TO VIEW PROPOSED THREE COUNTY UTILITY DISTRICT
CLICK MAP TO VIEW SAMPLE INFRASOUND IMPACT AREA
Designated parcel information was sourced from County land records in November, 2022 and may not be complete. Wind turbine, new transmission line and right of way locations in these map portrayals are approximated. Developers have not yet provided this information at the time of this writing.
The information in this article was researched by five individuals whose lands, livelihoods, health and economic welfares are threatened by the proposed development of more than 250 square miles of very large-scale wind power plant development in Iowa, Grant, and Lafayette Counties, Wisconsin. The goal is to help potentially impacted landowners, residents and citizens at large become more aware of the enormous scale of the Uplands and Badger Hollow power plant proposals and steps that can help prevent or reduce negative impacts. As electric customers, we pay for all added power plants. Our research finds that these very costly plants pose unacceptable heath risks, are not compatible with existing land values and uses and would be much less effective at reducing CO2 emissions compared to using the billions, instead, to incentivize home and business based energy improvements.
WITHHOLDING CONNECTOR LINE EASEMENTS
The blue-green colored rectangles in the map indicate parcels of land in county records that landowners have signed over for possible uses by Pattern Energy, the under-regulated, “merchant” utility that wishes to build the Uplands Windpower plant. Similarly, the pink-colored rectangles indicate parcels in county records that owners have signed over for possible uses byInvenergy LLC, the under-regulated, “merchant” utility that wishes to build theBadger-Hollowwind power plant.
Ostensively, these marked land parcels can be used for several purposes including installation of wind turbines, access roads, right of ways, under or above ground high voltage “connection” lines, project substations and high profile transmission lines connecting the power plant to large substations. As can be seen in the below, to-scale, illustration, modern wind turbines are much larger than any turbines installed in Wisconsin, to date. The turbine models under consideration by the privately owned, non-public utility developers have not been specified but are expected to range to as large as 6.4 MW with heights of ~650 feet.
Under Wisconsin’s out-of date wind turbine siting codes (PSC 128), newer, much larger wind turbines can still be located as little as 1250′ from an occupied dwelling exposing persons to impacts on a nearly continuous basis.
Each of the approximately 160 wind turbines in the two, proposed power plants must be connected to expansive, web-like networks made up of several dozen of high voltage power lines (34,500 volts or 34.5 kV). The heavy cables, or “Collection Lines” can transport considerably more power than the existing distribution lines in the area. Collection lines are either buried under ground or mounted on poles on the surface.
As illustrated below, wind power plants require a large number of Collection Lines that converge at Project Substations. The power from these Substations is collected and interjected into the area grid.
By zooming in to the contracted land parcels on the high resolution map of the Uplands/BadgerHollow projects, one can see that many of the blue-green, rectangular shaped land parcels are bunched together, as illustrated below. Because landowners have permitted collection line RIGHT OF WAY in the lease options they signed, the private company can add collection lines without additional land contracting.
In this simulation, rectangular land parcels under contract that are bunched together grant the developer right of way to install collection lines between the turbines. Note that collection lines can pass through properties without wind turbines.
However in many locations on the map, contracted parcels, stand alone, separated from the larger bunches creating gaps. As of November 2022, county records suggest that parcels in many “gap” areas have not yet been contracted by Pattern or Invenergy for power plant-related purposes. This condition is crucial for landowners to understand because those concerned about the lack of modern protections for public health and unwarranted negative impacts on property values can work together. They can refuse to sign RIGHT OF WAY easements and discourage the developer from adding connection lines needed tobuild stranded turbines, potentially, within 1250′ of occupied residencies.
In this simulation, the orange, dotted lines represent approximate paths of possible Connection Lines across parcels of land that the developer does not have right of way for. It is believed that the ability to install wind turbines on these, separated parcels can become limited if surrounding property owners withhold giving the merchant developer right of way to add the necessary connections lines, This illustration does not portray actual locations of turbines being sought by the Pattern or any other potential developer. These locations have not been provided at the time of this writing.
Potential gaps in right of way for the Uplands Wind project are portrayed on the high resolution parcel map as blue-green tinted areas. Potential gaps in right of way for the Badger Hollow Wind project are portrayed on the high resolution parcel map as pink tinted areas.
CONTACTING INTERESTED NEIGHBORS
If you would like a neighboring volunteer to contact you to discuss ways to use the above information to engage your neighbors or your Town/Village officials, please email info@no-uplands.com . Please include the street address of your potentially affected property in your email so we can get you in touch with a volunteer who lives near you.
