A thank you for saying NO

Dear Editor,

I want to thank the few landowners, particularly in the Town of Mineral Point and adjacent towns, who are standing strong against Pattern Energy. Pattern Energy is working hard to construct a project comprising181 wind turbines of up to 698’ in height, as well as transmission and grid-tie lines in Iowa, Grant and Lafayette Counties.

It appears Pattern just needs a few more landowners to give Pattern rights to their land to complete this project. They even call some land leases “Good Neighbor Agreements.” Don’t be fooled.

Pattern is oOering big bucks to a few landowners and yet these landowners are saying “no.”

I can’t express how grateful many of us are to these landowners for holding out. They are making the right decision.

This project, if it goes forward, will forever change our communities. Just this phase of the project is dividing neighbors and families. There are many health and safety implications of living near industrial-scale wind turbines. You don’t want this project get built and then find you, a family member, a pet, or your livestock suOer any of the potential health eOects. Do you enjoy seeing all the cell phone towers blinking across our landscape? Just wait until 181 turbines coated in red lights soaring 700’ into the air are blinking, and blinking out of sequence. So much for a starry, starry night.

Thank you to landowners who have values that surpass what money can buy.

Deirdre Birmingham

Mineral Point, WI

Town of Moscow