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Dear Editor;
I was recently looking up meetings on the Iowa County website and noticed they had updated the home page. I would encourage people to visit www.iowacounty.org and watch the video. It shows off some of the beauty of Iowa County. Green pastures with cattle, rivers and streams, beautiful wooded bluffs along with county owned buildings and lastly a view of the turbines by Montfort.
They show the county owned buildings with the newest having the solar panels on the roof - just where solar panels should be. I noticed they didn't highlight the thousands of acres of solar panels that were once farmland helping to produce food for the country. I believe they show the Montfort turbines to downplay what big energy development companies are doing to our countryside. We are not an industrial wasteland.
Look closely at the video.....there are two of the turbines not operating. I wonder why. Notice the shadows extending across the landscape. Is the county trying to send us a message that wind turbines are a beautiful part of our area? Have you noticed how energy development companies put turbines where ever they can get a lease? You wouldn't want to see turbines on private land in the Smoky Mountains or along the Blue Ridge Parkway? What about Mount Rushmore or other National Parks? How is the Driftless area any different? We don't need or want 700' turbines here that you can see for miles. We need to help people understand it's not just the money, there is so much more at stake here. Our future is at stake.
If energy development companies want to build solar and wind turbines they need to have money set aside for dismantling before they start the project. These companies buy their way into town, stating there will be so much tax revenue and donate large sums of money to make every look rosy. Take off those rose colored glasses and wake up before it's too late. Wisconsin needs to update the set backs on these projects and keep the area safe from infrasound, shadow flicker and the constant hum of solar panels in a field. Take a drive and enjoy our beautiful countryside before it's too late.
These projects have places that they can be located away from the population and picturesque areas. Please contact your local county supervisors and legislators to see where they stand on these projects. Most of all, if you want to sign a lease with the giants be prepared to give up all the rights to your property.
Steve Ferrell
Iowa County landowner
Monroe, WI