The Forest Voice is an organized group of residents in the Town of Forest, WI. Our goal is to create community awareness about the realities of wind development.
Forest Voice Annual
Thursday, May 16th
7:00pm
Anne Johnston's Home
2934 210th Ave.
PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR.
The Public Service Commission Approved Reopening of EE's CPCN
On May 2nd the Public Service Commission approved reopening of Emerging Energies CPCN,
PSC Docket No. 2535-CE-100. There was a Prehearing Conference on Monday, May 13th. The schedule agreed to at this conference is prefiled testimony due by July 16th and the technical hearings to be held on August 13th.
As before, it will be very important to participate in and be a part of the PSC hearings and review process.
The Forest Voice managers are working on strategies with our attorneys. We will bring this information to you at our Forest Voice meetings.
Below is the link to the PSC website, Case Management System Docket Information for EE's Application. It is docket number 2535-CE-100.
LINK TO DOCKET INFORMATION
Highland Wind CPCN application denied by the Public Service Commission
On Feb. 14th members of the Public Service Commission (PSC) decided, on a 2-1 vote, to deny an application of Highland Wind Farm, LLC, for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to construct a 102.5 Megawatt (MW) Wind Electric Facility in the Towns of Forest and Cylon in St. Croix County.
The majority commissioners determined a clearer record and a better demonstration that noise from the wind turbines would not exceed Commission standards was needed before making a decision to grant a CPCN. Highland Wind Farm, LLC, will be able to reapply to the Commission if an improvement to modeling and additional information is presented in a subsequent application.
The members and supporters of the Forest Voice are pleased that the PSC made the right decision to uphold the public health and welfare by denying the CPCN.
Help stop industrial wind energy development in St. Croix County
Forest Voice members and supporters have researched industrial wind energy projects for more than two years. We know what happens when these skyscraper height turbines are sited too close to homes and farmyards. The affects of mechanical and aerodynamic sound, both audible and at infra-sound levels, result in sleep deprivation, ear pressure and pain, tinnitus, nausea, vertigo, headaches, anxiety, and fatigue. Consider the sound a low-flying jet engine makes or the sound and pressure effects of trunk speakers in a "boom-box" vehicle. As the 300-foot plus radius of wind turbine blades sweep past the turbine tower, moving at 150 miles per hour or more, one can get a good sense of the sounds industrial wind turbines create. Electrical pollution or "stray voltage" is an additional problem. Thousands of people living in rural areas throughout the world have been forced to live with the negative health consequences of industrial wind turbines, along with nonparticipating property devaluation and a unaffordable tax subsidy drain adding billions to our national debt.
Industrial wind turbines are not "windmills." However, industrial wind turbines are based on the old-fashioned form of energy, with no better results than their antique predecessors. Turbines are an ineffective form of renewable energy producing electricity well below its rated capacity and works only when the wind blows. No coal- or natural gas-fired power plant has ever been replaced by wind energy; in fact, traditional power plants are necessary to ramp up and down to accommodate intermittent wind. Experts believe wind energy has little to no effect on reducing greenhouse gases. Yet millions of acres of agricultural and rural land continue to be yoked by wind developers for tax benefits, grants, and depreciation taking land from nonparticipating and unwilling landowners by de facto eminent domain. Wind energy development is corporate welfare at its worst, and nothing more than a tax subsidy gravy train.
Join us on October 9, 2012 as we travel to the technical hearing at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission building in Madison, WI for the proposed 41-tower 500-foot tall industrial turbine Highland Wind project. The Forest Voice, citizens for responsible renewable energy, its supporters, and friends will attend the hearing to show opposition in the Town of Forest and St. Croix County in the taking of our constitutional property rights, quality of life, and tax dollars. Round trip cost: $30.00. Motor coach will depart Forest, WI (Co. Road D and Hwy. 64) at 4:30 a.m. on 10/09/12. Expected arrival home by 9:00 p.m. Email
info@theforestvoice.org for sign up information. A Forest Voice representative will contact you to save your seat on the bus.
Emerging Energies/Highland Wind Farm, LLC Revised Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) Application has been found complete!!
On December 19, 2011, Highland Wind Farm, LLC (HWF) filed an application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (Commission) for authority to construct and place into operation a new wind electric generation facility. The proposed project would be located in St. Croix County, Wisconsin.
The Commission and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reviewed the application to construct the facilities. The Commission, under Wis. Stat. 196.491(3)(a)2. and Wis. Admin. Code PSC 111.53, found the CPCN application to be incomplete.
On February 28, 2012 Highland Wind Farm, LLC filed a revised CPCN.
On March 29th, 2012 The Commission found the revised CPCN application complete.
Per the Commission's letter dated March 29th,
the Commission has a 180-day review period. The letter also states that application information that is considered adequate with this determination may require further development in the Commission's review process.
PSC Docket No 2535-CE-100
It will be very important to participate in and be a part of the PSC hearings and review process.
The Forest Voice managers are working on strategies with our attorneys. We will bring this information to you at our monthly Forest Voice meetings.
Below is the link to the PSC website, Case Management System Docket Information for EE's Application. It is docket number 2535-CE-100.
LINK TO DOCKET INFORMATION
CALL TO ACTION
Please take the time to make the contacts listed in the attachment. There are sample letters included for your convenience. We need to let our federal representation know that they should not support 4 more years of subsidy with the Production Tax Credits. We want Governor Walker to know that we do not want PSC128 to become law. Contact Rep. Murtha and thank him for co-sponsoring Senator Lasee's bill.
CLICK HERE FOR ATTACHMENT
HIGHLAND WIND GROUP DROPS $25 MILLION CLAIM AGAINST TOWN OF FOREST
On 2/8/12 Emerging Energies LLC, a.ka. Highland Wind Farm dropped its potential lawsuit against the Town of Forest.
We can only surmise two reasons the wind developer would drop it's potential $25 million lawsuit against the Town
of Forest for breach of contract: 1: the developer knows it would be unwise to open up township records to legal
scrutiny, and 2. the wind developer is trying to improve its image with other townships it may be targeting next for a
wind project.
WIND PROJECT IS NOT WELCOME
CLICK HERE TO REVIEW RESOLUTION NO. 5
CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE 5/18/11 NOTICE OF CLAIM
Town Of Forest Eagle Watch
Please take note of all sitings of eagles in the town of Forest - flying or nesting.
Report the date, time, and section no. to the Forest Voice email
info@theforestvoice.org
Everyone:
Please contact the members of the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules. This is the committee that hosted the public hearing some of us attended and testified at on Wednesday, February 9th. Thank the committee members for the hearing, and tell them you are opposed to the PSC Rule and that the rule must be suspended in order to protect residents against irresponsible wind turbine siting.
Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules
(member contact information -
Republicans in red,
Democrats in blue)
Representative Jim Ott (Co-Chair) Rep.OttJ@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-0486
Senator Leah Vukmir (Co-Chair) Sen.Vukmir@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-2512
Representative Dan Meyer Rep.meyer@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-7141
Representative Daniel LeMahieu Rep.lemahieu@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-9175
Representative Gary Hebl Rep.hebl@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-7678
Representative Frederick Kessler Rep.kessler@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-5813
Senator Joseph Leibham Sen.leibham@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-2056
Senator Glenn Grothman Sen.Grothman@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-7513
Senator Lena Taylor Sen.taylor@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-5810
Senator Fred Risser Sen.risser@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-1627
