Wind tower opponents set meeting for June 26

An event entitled “an open discussion and an opportunity to ask questions” is scheduled at the Belmont Convention Center June 26 at 7 pm

A brochure announcing the event carries bug red letters asking to “Stop Land Grabs.”

The event is sponsored by Farmland First and is hosted by Marti Machtan and Barb Machtan. Marti Machtan is a Marshfield attorney who is trying to stop wind developers he feels are seriously hurting the quality of life and destroying land values.  

In a recent article published in the Epoch Times Machtan is quoted as saying, “There is a revolt happening here and I’ve never seen our communities engage like this in my life.”

He was talking about a project in central Wisconsin similar to what is proposed for Iowa, Lafayette and Grant counties by Pattern,  Invenergy and Allete, companies involved in the project.

“A grassroots advocacy group called Farmland First, of which Machtan is a member, is keeping a close eye on the wind turbine industry, which wants to turn the Dairy State’s pristine farmland into an unsightly eyesore – and ear-sore, because those things are loud – of large metal wind turbines that, ironically enough, are powered by diesel,” the article further states.

Farmland First said State Representatives Todd Novak and Travis Tranel have been invited along with Senator Howard Marklein, county and town board members along with the companies asking for the project.

The group opposes the  600-800 foot towers they say the developers are proposing.  They say the areas affected are Dodgeville, Mineral Point, Waldwick, Linden, Kendall, Eden, Mifflin, Belmont, Elk Grove, Willow Springs, Fayette, Blanchard, Lima, Clifton, Liberty and Wingville.

Farmland First says the contracts the landowners are being offered are one sided and present health and safety concerns.