Not in my backyard

Dear Editor,

The Wisconsin State Constitution legally obligates government officials to protect the health,  safety and well being of their community.  

Regulation of the sites and installation of wind turbines is necessary for the protection of the health and safety of neighboring property owners.  We have a case like this in Waldwick where one neighbor will have wind turbines installed on his property that will encompass his property line which will effect the property and well being of his neighbors.  I call it greed over compassion.  Across the street is a 20 acre lot that Pattern said will house a big substation and the rest will be used to store bulldozers, big heavy cranes, and other heavy duty earth moving equipment.  To start with this beautiful, rich, fertile soil will be covered with foot thick heavy gravel.  

This road is used by school busses and cars going to school or work to be slowly decimated by Patterns ultra heavy equipment used to move these turbines for installation.  So once you put your John Henry on the dotted line, your roads and property become Pattern Energys to use and abuse without an inkling of fixing the roads and properties once the job is finished.  And, that folks is how they operate. Pattern basically means just our rules with no rules to follow.  Once finished that once fertile 20 acres of land will become a 20 acre empty  gravel lot with lots of drainage problems. 

Once completed the noise and vibrations of these turbines can significantly effect the health and well being of nearby residents, particularly in quiet rural areas and of our wildlife.    

So, in summary until state rules and ordinances are strictly enforced, Pattern will have its way with Waldwick and the Driftless area.  

John Christianson

Waldwick Township