Industrial Wind Turbines: Information versus Misinformation

Dear Editor,

The Platteville Journal (PJ) had one article on industrial wind turbines (IWT) in the October 18, 2023, issue and two IWT articles in the October 25, 2023, issue. It is important that this topic is getting more coverage because wind turbines will affect all residents in southwest Wisconsin in a very negative way. Once a person looks into the facts about IWTs, they will find that it is the worst way to generate electricity.  More CO2 is generated by producing and installing IWTs than is ever compensated for over the life of the turbine. In addition, IWTs are  health, safety, environmental, economic, and social disasters. If one would like to see just how stupid the Green New Deal wind turbines are, watch John Stossel’s YouTube video The Renewable Energy Fail. 

The PJ article contained misinformation from two IWT builders Allete and Pattern.  Allete Energy states that scientific research shows no negative health effects from IWTs. Unfortunately, the research they use is old, outdated, and biased. The latest scientific research, which uses new updated scientific techniques and equipment, shows definite health effects on humans from infrasound as well as safety issues related to ice and blade throw. Remember the cigarette company executives who in the 60s said that cigarettes were not harmful to health. Legitimate, unbiased research showed that these cigarette company executives were lying. Allete and Pattern follow political science, not real physical or biological science.

Pattern states that no IWTs will go into state parks and onto the Platteville Mound.  This is true, not in these areas, but around them. (See turbine locations in the PJ maps from the October 18 and 25 issues.) This is a very misleading statement. Pattern and other IWT companies consistently mislead, deceive, or simply outright lie.

Pattern says that the turbine locations you see on the map are not permanent, but those sites on the map are definite places where IWT hosts have signed contracts. Pattern executives will not vacate any of these sites out of the goodness of their hearts. They will squeeze every last nickel out of the land.

Pattern also says it is considering abating the red flashing lights at night.  “Considering” means it isn’t going to happen. When the same question was asked at a meeting in July 2023, Pattern said it would not abate the constantly flashing red lights because it would cost too much money. Pattern offered to buy the questioner drapes so that they could close up their windows and doors at night to try to keep out the flashing red lights. Are these the good community relations Pattern talks about?

Also covered in the October 25, 2023, PJ article was the dialog that took place at a Lafayette County (LC) board meeting in Darlington on October 19, 2023.  Pattern gave a very rosy, wonderful sales pitch for IWTs.  LC needs to have another meeting in which the real-world facts about IWTs are presented. I am surprised that Jack Sauer, chairman of the LC board, said he has never heard a bad word about the “windmills” in his area. Other concerned citizens and I have heard of many complaints about the Quilt Block IWTs, including people who have had to move from their homes. After he opened up the meeting for discussion, Sauer heard nothing but complaints about IWTs. As a good chairman, Sauer really needs to be updated and educated about IWTs.  He does not realize that the new IWTs being installed are twice the size and power of the “toys” he sees in LC.

Sauer does not realize that, because he supports IWTs, LC could be sued for damages when county residents have IWT problems. Sauer has never seen any dead birds under IWTs because predators remove these birds and bats before he can get out to look for them.  How often do you check for dead birds, Jack? Does he realize that property values will fall, resulting in a drop in the tax revenue below all the flashy dollars that Pattern is offering the county and townships?  Does Sauer realize that 80% of IWT components come from China? This helps to make our enemy--the Chinese Communist Party--stronger and the USA weaker. This is not good folks and must stop.

The county chairmen of Iowa and Grant counties are also supporting the IWTs that you see on the IWT map. Our legislators and the three politically appointed Public Service Commissioners (PSC) don’t give a damn about the health, safety, environment, and economic concerns of the residents here in our tri county area.

Fortunately, some of the townships have decided to take steps to protect their residents’ health and safety by adopting a health and safety Wind Facility Licensing Ordinance. We the people, small town folks, must take care of our township business and do the job of the derelict county board members, legislators, and the PSC.

It is time for all of us who have not grabbed at the flashy IWT “sucker” money to continue to get educated, support our local townships, and avoid the industrialization of our beautiful, unique southwest Wisconsin. 

Goerge Schwarzmann Jr.,  

Belmont Township Wisconsin