January 16, 2013
Wisconsin

County commission to review wind turbine concerns

Written by Charlie Mathews | HTR Media | January 15, 2013 | www.htrnews.com

MANITOWOC – County Board supervisors declined Tuesday night to support a request from town of Mishicot supervisors to enact a temporary moratorium on creation of any local wind farms.

Town supervisors wanted the board to prohibit installation of of industrial wind turbines in Manitowoc County until low frequency noise issues can be studied, identified and resolved.

However, Board Chairman Paul “Biff” Hansen referred the request to the county’s Planning & Park Commission. He said the state “holds most of the cards” when it comes to siting wind turbines and he doesn’t want to risk lawsuits against the county for trying to exercise restrictions without having the statutory authority to do so.

The county is in the process of drafting a revised wind turbine siting ordinance covering other issues than the minimum distance between towers and residents, which the state Public Service Commission has established at 1,250 feet.

But the release earlier this month of a study, paid for in part by the PSC, into noise levels around the Shirley Wind Farm in Brown County may be the catalyst for further study of potential negative health impacts following the installation of 500-foot tall industrial wind turbines.

Town of Mishicot supervisors are asking for the county’s ordinance, currently being drafted, to address several concerns.

“Look at doing noise pre-testing before wind farm construction to establish levels already existing in the environment,” town supervisors stated.

“Establish guidelines for electrical pollution to protect farming operations and residents” was another concern expressed by town supervisors.

In other deliberations, board supervisors approved Hansen’s appointment of Martha Rasmus to the 8th Supervisory District, on the north side of the city of Manitowoc. She replaces Paul Tittl who resigned after election to the state Assembly.

This website and Thursday’s Herald Times Reporter newspaper will include additional coverage of the county board meeting.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/01/16/county-commission-to-review-wind-turbine-concerns/