Money, politics should not trump health 

In a Reporter article April 13 our County Health Officer Kim Mueller said, “… There isn’t any conclusive evidence that the (wind) turbines cause human health problems. …” Where is Mueller’s documentation of the complaints that Fond du Lac County residents have made regarding health issues which we believe began when the wind turbines went online eight years ago? Were the contents of these calls and emails ever presented to the County Board of Health? When was the last time that these serious health issues, believed to be linked to the industrial wind turbines,were placed on the Board of Health meeting agenda for discussion and consideration?

Our FDL County Concerned Citizens group requested that health issues, reported by wind project residents, be placed on the Feb. 2 Board of Health meeting agenda. That request was denied saying it was “too late” to add it. Our group’s only time to speak on Feb. 2 was the 20 minutes allotted for “public comment.” We gave board members many scientific studies and documents for their consideration. Several members, which included Dr. Heather Schmidt, M.D., asked for more information or that there be a “special meeting” to allow time to hear from experts.

Our County Supervisor Dennis Stenz communicated with our County Executive Al Buechel, who attends all the Board of Health meetings. Stenz requested a “special meeting”. It was refused. Could the wind project health issues be added to the April 4 Board of Health meeting agenda? That was refused. Our citizen’s group asked to be able to bring in experts. Also refused. Why are they not allowing us to bring in experts, when Mueller states she can’t make the appropriate decision with the information they have? You would think as a health official she would want to learn more, so she could help us. What is she afraid of?

On April 4 we were told that speaking during the 20 minutes allotted time for “public comments” was limited to three minutes each. It was fortunate that night that the members of the Board of Health permitted all Fond du Lac residents in attendance to speak. People spoke and provided more scientific documents on these health issues for more than an hour. We appreciated the extra time you gave us.

A couple days later I went to the Board of Health minutes from the April 4 meeting submitted by Louise Gudex. Only item 9 of the agenda was mentioned in the minutes. A list of the names of residents who spoke was included, but not a word of what was said, so what we said was not put in the minutes. Which means all that was said, there is no documentation. Readers, please check the County Board of Health web page.

The Fond du Lac County 2015 Annual Report states: “The FDL County Health Department guards multiple fronts to defend you and our community from any health threat, regardless of the source and works to prevent disease outbreaks.” Rural residents of the county’s wind energy projects, who have reported getting ill soon after, sometimes within days, of those industrial wind turbines going online, are not even being acknowledged. This has been happening to us for eight years. With similar adverse health reports coming from other counties, Brown and Kewaunee, that also have industrial wind turbine projects, why are these serious issues not openly discussed and acted upon by our county officials? It is our belief, as affected citizens, that money and politics should not trump human health.

Elizabeth Ebertz is a member of Concerned Citizens of Fond du Lac County.