March 1, 2011
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Committee suspends PSC wind siting rule
By Thomas Content of the Journal Sentinel, www.jsonline.com 1 March 2011
By Thomas Content of the Journal Sentinel, www.jsonline.com 1 March 2011
A legislative committee voted Tuesday to suspend a wind siting rule adopted last year by the state Public Service Commission.
The 5-to-2 vote along party lines by the Legislature’s joint committee that reviews administrative rules means there are now no standards in effect across the state governing setbacks and other permitting requirements for wind turbines on small wind projects.
In a debate that pitted economic development opportunity against concerns about property rights, wind energy supporters and critics of wind power projects squared off at a hearing last month on the issue.
The PSC rule, finalized in December, would have taken effect Tuesday if the vote had failed.
Jennifer Giegerich of the League of Conservation Voters expressed disappointment with the vote, and said it sends the wrong message on job creation at a time when the wind components industry has been building in the state.
“Now we’re back to where we were two years ago when wind developers said Wisconsin was an unfriendly place to build,” she said.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/03/01/committee-suspends-psc-wind-siting-rule/