[BCNnet] Wind Farm Proposal in WI

[Donald R. Dann]

BCN friends,

 

Per the following, please telephone Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and ask him
to help protect our nearby birding gem, Horicon Marsh.  There is still time
to re-site the proposed wind farm, getting the benefits of clean energy and
protecting birds.  

 

Please circulate widely.

 

Thanks,

 

Donnie  

 

Donnie Dann

Highland Park/Lake County

donniebird at yahoo.com

 

-----Original Message-----
From: bcalist-bounces at lists.abcbirds.org
[mailto:bcalist-bounces at lists.abcbirds.org] On Behalf Of Alicia Craig
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 8:28 AM
To: Post to BCA List
Subject: [BCAlist] Wind Farm Proposal in WI

 

Following is an action item relating to the placement of a wind farm in
Wisconsin near Horicon Marsh. American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon
Society (including Madison Audubon in Wisconsin), National Wildlife
Federation, National Wildlife Refuge Association, and The Wildlife Society
have been working to push back the location of the wind farm so it is
farther away from the marsh. 

 

Please share this information with your members. 

 

Wind Power Farms, Horicon Marsh and What Can be Done



For many months, a huge proposed wind-energy facility just east of Horicon
Marsh, in Wisconsin, has generated controversy. Unfortunately, this
controversy pits two conservation values - the development of
non-fossil-fuel energy sources and the protection of valuable habitat -
against each other. 



Horicon Marsh is made up of a National Wildlife Refuge in its northern
two-thirds and a State Wildlife Area in its lower third. It is also
designated as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance (of which there
are only twenty in the U.S.).



The proposed 133 wind turbines to be built by Forward Energy will be located
on over 32,000 acres as close as 2 miles from the marsh.  The company wanted
to locate turbines as close as 1.2 miles from the refuge boundary and is
still pursuing that option. An announcement by the Public Service Commission
(PSC) of a 2-mile turbine set-back in July was a disappointment.

American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife
Federation, National Wildlife Refuge Association, and The Wildlife Society
have called for a four-to-five-mile buffer. This buffer recommendation was
made based partially on a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
study done in 1999 asserting that bird activity is much reduced at distances
of 8km (approximately 5 miles) from the marsh. 

The PSC has until September 1, 2005 to respond to a current legal appeal on
their decision.

The final decision will have national implications on the future of
wind-power. While wind-power lessens our dependency on fossil fuel, extra
care must be taken to be assured that construction of such wind-facility
will not do damage to nearby habitat, birds, and bats.

In the late 1990s, before Doyle's administration, there was a statewide
advisory committee that was tasked to set guidelines for the siting of wind
farms. However, there was no follow through by Wisconsin DNR and PSC.
Currently there are no state guidelines. 


The governor of Wisconsin will tour the state touting his environmental
initiative this week.  To confirm his commitment to clean and SAFE energy,
he should address the Horicon issue and the completion of wind power
guidelines. 







ACTION: 
Contact the governor's office in Madison in the next week 

Phone - 608 - 266-1212

e-mail form on internet -
<http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/contact.asp?locid=19>
mail -
Governor Jim Doyle
115 E. State Capitol
Madison, WI 53702



Ask him to;

1) Before construction begins, make sure that the DNR bird-and-wildlife
monitoring in cooperation with Forward Energy be completed. 


2) Re-establish the previous advisory windpower-siting committee to create
responsible statewide guidelines.

3) Initiate a construction moratorium on wind farms at all sensitive
locations until guidelines are finished. 

4) Push back the controversial Horicon buffer beyond 2 miles to 4 or 5
miles, allowing construction beyond that limit only.


NOTE:
You will be told that the governor has no jurisdiction over the PSC.
However, its members are appointed by him and he should use whatever
considerable authority he has to protect the birds and their habitat.  While
Governor Doyle portrays himself as an environmental governor, with some
justification, he's been silent about the threat to this national and
international (Ramsar) treasure. Like us, he has the opportunity to be
PRO-wind-energy, and PRO-birds!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

"Joe and Barb Breaden" < <mailto:bubo at powerweb.net> bubo at powerweb.net>
Horicon Marsh System Associates - 920/387-2447

"Curt Kindschuh" < <mailto:curt at drunkbusters.com> curt at drunkbusters.com>
Horicon Marsh System Associates 920/583-2491

"Harold Steinback" < <mailto:hnsteinback at powercom.net>
hnsteinback at powercom.net>
Friends of Horicon National Wildlife Refuge 920/885-6546

"Karen Etter Hale" < <mailto:masoffice at mailbag.com> masoffice at mailbag.com>
Madison Audubon Society 608/255-BIRD (2473)

"Paul J. Baicich" < <mailto:paul.baicich at swarovskibirding.com>
paul.baicich at swarovskibirding.com>
National Wildlife Refuge Association 410/992-9736

 

 

Alicia Craig
Director, Bird Conservation Alliance
American Bird Conservancy
PO Box 90290
Indianapolis, IN 46240
317-251-2473
acraig at abcbirds.org
http://www.birdconservationalliance.org
http://www.abcbirds.org

 

The Bird Conservation Alliance is a network of organizations
that focus on bird conservation, study, education, observation and
advocacy representing millions of birdwatchers and concerned citizens
united for the conservation of birds. 

 

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