Industrial Wind Turbines Coming Near You???

Can you imagine living next to 500 ft. wind turbines?

Last week I mentioned a letter we received from a teenager who has become ill as a result of wind turbines. Her family had to move away from these nearly 500 ft. wind turbines (now they are paying two mortgages). Please read her short letter provided. Other people are suffering from wind turbines near their homes. Industrial Wind Turbines (IWTs) have caused many people to contact my office because of their health issues that coincided with these big turning towers in their neighborhoods.

Yesterday, in the Senate we had the opportunity to help not only those experiencing difficulties now, but also those who will suffer in the future. Senate Bill 50 would require the Public Service Commission (PSC) to go back to the drawing board and come up with new rules. The existing rules (PSC-128) were written by a Governor Doyle appointed committee. Many of the people on that committee had strong financial incentives or ties to the wind industry and they made it as easy as possible to site these 40 story IWTs.

All 16 of the Democratic Senators refused to help victims of IWTs. Senator Schultz (R – Richland Center) did not support requiring the PSC to look at the facts and take people’s health into greater account when establishing minimum setbacks from children and other vulnerable people.

Yesterday on the Senate floor, I urged my fellow Senators to imagine themselves living next to 500 ft. wind turbines. I asked them to do the right thing and vote for this bill. We had 16 of 33 senators, not enough to send it to the Assembly. I am disappointed. In our country and our state, rural folks (urban folks too) shouldn’t be forced to move from their homes because of 40 story IWTs nearby.

Please contact your senator and representative to let them know the victims of IWTs can’t wait much longer. Many of these folks are hurting physically and financially. It isn't safe for them to remain in their homes, but they can't sell their homes because people don’t want to live near IWTs.

There is scientific evidence that low frequency sounds harm people and wildlife. There is also evidence that IWTs create low frequency sounds.

Critics of this bill argue that there are no scientific studies proving wind turbines harm people. That is simply not true. In just the last 18 months, there have been no fewer than five peer reviewed comprehensive studies that positively link the pollution of IWTs (low frequency noise and stray voltage) to adverse health effects in people. Click here to see an excellent study on IWTs and their negative effects.

The studies that don’t exist are those that prove wind turbines sited closely to families' homes are safe.

This is why we need to elect more conservative Republicans to the legislature. It takes a strong majority of conservative legislators with similar values to lead Wisconsin in an effective way.