Health Risk Predictions for Badger Hollow Wind

Dear Editor,

Are you concerned about Wind Turbine-related health risks your household would become subject to if the Badger Hollow wind power plant proposal is approved as outlined by power plant developer, Invenergy?  

Would you like to express concerns to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin during the time period officially set aside for this purpose (until December 20)?

My publicly accessible review of the Noise, Shadow Flicker and EMF predictive studies commissioned by Invenergy find that:

• ~370 residents are predicted to experience Audible Noise under quiet conditions

• More than 2000 residents in the Towns of Clifton, Eden, Linden, Mifflin, Wingville, Lima and Belmont in Iowa, Grant and Lafayette Counties would assume exposure to wind turbine air pulses known to cause Nauseogenic Illnesses that have already been documented with the smaller, Red Barn wind turbines up to 4 miles. These illnesses include vertigo, dizziness, headaches, nausea, tiredness, irritation, uneasiness and difficulties with concentration.

• ~120 residents are predicted to experience Shadow Flicker Hours with some occupied residencies undergoing 100 hours per year.

• Electromagnetic Field Concerns from ~22 miles of 34,500 volt (34.5 kV) connection transmission lines buried only 4.5 feet deep.

• ~22 miles of continuous, vegetation management of transmission line easements through agricultural fields, pastures and lands use for recreational purposes. 

• 25 stream crossings by underground transmission lines

What the purpose of commenting? The Wisconsin Public Service Commission and the Department of Natural Resources ask affected residents to help state agencies determine the potential impacts associated with the proposed 24.5 square mile, 19 wind turbine project. The agencies emphasize that resident and municipality scoping input is most effective when describing and precisely locating, "Any potential human and environmental impacts of the proposed wind generation project," and encourage residents and municipalities to suggest, "specific actions or changes to the proposed project that might minimize or mitigate the potential impacts of the project."

In addition to health-related concerns, residents may also find concerns within Invenergy's reports pertaining to bat and bird mortalities, navigable stream re-designation requests and a highly-generalized, questionably relevant assessment of local economic impacts. For example, none of the economic studies cited in Invenergy's study were conducted on actual communities using before and after power plant data and none address the impacts of the much larger wind turbines being proposed by Invenergy.  

Here are some of the additional studies with links:

Badger Hollow Wind Appendix R Bird and Bat Conservation Study: https://apps.psc.wi.gov/pages/viewdoc.htm?docid=523297

Badger Hollow Wind Appendix P Bat Acoustic Activity Report: https://apps.psc.wi.gov/pages/viewdoc.htm?docid=523298

Badger Hollow Wind Appendix Q Bat Mist Net Report (REVISED): https://apps.psc.wi.gov/pages/viewdoc.htm?docid=523299

Badger Hollow Wind Appendix V Navigability Determination Requests: https://apps.psc.wi.gov/pages/viewdoc.htm?docid=521368

Badger Hollow Wind Appendix ZA Economic Impact Study  https://apps.psc.wi.gov/pages/viewdoc.htm?docid=521378

Links to key materials:

PSC Comment Instructions: https://no-uplands.com/2024/12/06/pscw-scoping-comment-process/

Danielson Findings: https://bit.ly/BHW-HealthScopingData

Badger-Hollow Application Materials: https://bit.ly/BadgerHollowWind-PSCDocket

Sincerely,

Rob Danielson

Opposition Volunteer

info@no-uplands.com