March 7, 2008
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
There’s a last-minute push in the state Legislature to scale back the authority of local governments to reject new high-tech windmills.
With only six days left in the current session, a new bill to regulate wind energy farms is on the fast track.
Leaders in both parties support it and both houses held public hearings on it this week.
The bill would make the state Public Service Commission create rules on building and operating wind turbines.
Local governments could not pass stricter limits.
Business and environmental groups both favor the measure. They say the wind is a great way to generate power with less pollution.
The not-in-my-back-yard folks don’t like the looks of those big white blades. They’re hired former state Senator and U.S. Senate candidate Bob Welch as their lobbyist.
He said the turbines’ owners don’t want “messy” things like local governments getting in the way.
Shawn Johnson, Wisconsin Public Radio, Wheeler News Service
7 March 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/03/07/fast-track-push-in-legislature-to-tie-local-hands-on-wind-power/