Sep 27 - Daily Reporter (Milwaukee)

Despite local opposition and a moratorium on wind farm development, the town of Union might approve construction of a wind- measurement tower.

"It doesn't make any sense to me," said Lynda Barry-Kawula, who lives near Magnolia in Spring Valley. She is against wind farm development in Rock County.

"The point of a moratorium is to stop development," she said, "and it's not like this tower could lead to anything else."

The town's Plan Commission on Thursday night was scheduled to discuss approving Elgin, Ill.-based EcoEnergy Engineering LLC's application to build the almost 200-foot tower.

The company has pursued wind farm development in Rock County for several months, and it built a measurement tower in the town of Magnolia, which is next to Union.

Curt Bjurlin, EcoEnergy's Wisconsin project developer, said he expects the Union wind tower to collect data like the tower in Magnolia does. He said a second, more localized data measurement tool will better evaluate the area's wind resources.

Barry-Kawula doesn't buy it.

"This is their reason to get the foot in the door," she said. "They hope they can get the clearance for the turbines and have the (Public Service Commission of Wisconsin) handle the rest."

Magnolia enacted a development ordinance stipulating a wind farm must be built at least a half-mile from property lines, and Union is expected to enact a similar ordinance in November when its wind farm moratorium expires.

The Magnolia ordinance and the one Union might approve include caveats that property owners can agree to wind farm placement closer to their land. Without those agreements, the ordinances effectively leave no available land for wind farm developers.

But EcoEnergy wants a farm that generates at least 100 megawatts of energy, and, according to state law, the PSC makes the final call on developments producing 100 megawatts or more.

Alvin Francis, chairman of Union's Plan Commission, said he knows several residents oppose wind farms, but he said he's encouraged by EcoEnergy's proposal.

"I think it's at least worth looking into," he said. "And if we can get accurate data on what kind of wind resources we have, I think a lot of people would be interested in knowing that."

Bjurlin said data collection will take at least one year, but he said it's hard to say what "good" data is or even what kind of data would support building a wind farm.

Although a bill to create statewide standards for wind farm development failed in the last legislative session, state lawmakers said it will be back when the next session begins in 2009. Wisconsin set a goal to generate 25 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2025.

"But it's hard to say if that will create a big rush for wind farms," Bjurlin said. "What makes sense now might not make sense in five years. Conversely, what doesn't make sense now might make sense in five years."

Barry-Kawula said a wind farm in Rock County isn't a sure thing, pointing out more people are noticing the damaging effects of wind farms built in the Fond du Lac area. Gerry Meyer, a resident of Brownsville, located about 15 miles south of Fond du Lac, in August said his 13-year-old son suffers from the sound of turbines spinning three-quarters of a mile away.

"I think trying to put (in) another (measurement) tower is just part of the wind farm developers' strong-arm tactics," Barry-Kawula said. "But now that some examples are starting to come out about what it's like to live by these things, I think more people will at least listen to the arguments."

Originally published by Paul Snyder.

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