by jboullion | Apr 5, 2011 | Uncategorized
A Fox Valley person provided a copy of the following letter to RENEW Wisconsin:
People of Glenmore Township:
PLEASE VOTE RESPONSIBLY!
Dear Fellow Townspeople,
Two months ago, I was a supporter of the BCCRWE [Brown County Citizens for Responsible Wind Energy]. I was actively opposing the wind turbines coming into any of the townships in our area, including Glenmore.
But then something happened.
As the March 7th meeting drew closer, I heard disturbing things from members of the BCCRWE. Things that scared me. Even before the meeting took place, there were threats being made towards our town board members if the vote did not go in the favor of the BCCRWE. There were “agendas” being planned, and conspiracies being formed, not only against the project, but against individual people.
On March 7th, I sat quietly through the meeting listening to barbaric accusations, foul language, curses and threats hurled at our town board. Members of the BCCRWE shouted inappropriate and belittling comments and became unruly and disruptive to the point that law enforcement needed to be called. Later, I read accounts of that same meeting, written by the BCCRWE, that were horribly distorted and inaccurate. Actually, they were straight out lies!
On March 16th, I sat through another meeting and watched the same unruly group, once again, disrespect our town leaders. As the members of the BCCRWE were chanting “Shame on you” to the town board, I was the one that was ashamed to have ever been a part of that group.
On April 5th, you have an opportunity to elect new town board members. Many of the candidates are the same people who threatened and disrespected our current board members for following the law. One candidate admitted, her only goal was to terminate wind turbines in the town and then she wants out. Is that the chairperson you want running the entire township? Even for one term?
The recent events of oil spills in the gulf and nuclear plant failures in Japan should make all of us take a second look at wind energy. I realized after the two meetings in March, that the only reason I didn’t want turbines, was because I couldn’t have on of my own. So, I’m a NIMBY.
It’s important, that we have “responsible” leaders in our township. The mob I witnessed at the last two meetings, did not fit that definition. It would be a disaster to have those people who demonstrated irrational, biased and disorderly behavior, become our new leaders. I was embarrassed to have ever been a part of that group.
Since I have seen how threatening and dangerous this group can be, I prefer to sign only as,
A Concerned Townsperson
by jboullion | Apr 5, 2011 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by the Organic Farming Research Foundation:
Organic farmers from across the U.S. will join the Organic Farming Research Foundation’s(OFRF) new executive director Maureen Wilmot for the Organic Trade Association’s(OTA’s) Policy Conference and Hill Visit Days in Washington, DC April 6-7, 2011.
Five entrepreneurial organic farmers will journey from Georgia, Maine, New York, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin to discuss the beneficial impacts of their farm businesses on rural economies and on environmental and public health with their congressional members who sit on key agriculture and appropriations committees and subcommittees. OFRF is a supporting organization of the OTA event and Ms. Wilmot will be a speaker at the conference.
“This event is a wonderful opportunity for members of Congress to learn from the farmers themselves about the role of organic farmers who really are the “roots” of the burgeoning 26 billion dollar organic industry,” said Ms. Wilmot.
Ms. Wilmot, OFRF staff, and the organic farmers will join with other OTA member companies to visit key members of Congress to discuss the economic and social viability of organic farming. The organization seeks to make organic farming viable, profitable, and attractive for the American farmers of today and those of the future.
“Organic farmers are the heart of the organic movement – without their commitment to vibrant communities and healthy ecosystems, the organic industry as we know it today could not exist,” said Ms. Wilmot. “In addition,” she noted, “Organic farmers contribute to a diverse U.S. agriculture. Investing in their future will benefit both consumers and rural communities nationwide.”
OFRF’s grant making program has worked closely with organic farmers for almost 20 years, awarding more than $2.5 million for over 300 organic research projects nationwide since 1992.
The five organic farmers OFRF is bringing to the OTA event are:
1. Mark Shepard is the CEO of Forest Agriculture Enterprises and the owner and manager of New Forest Farms in Viola, WI. New Forest Farms is a 104 acre perennial agricultural farm and forest considered by many to be one of the most ambitious sustainable agricultural projects in the U.S. Mark and his family grow organic fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts.
2. Will Harris and his family own and operate White Oak Pastures, an organic, grass-fed beef cattle farm in Bluffton, GA, which received the Governor’s Award for Environmental Stewardship in 2009 and 2011. Will is the President of Georgia Organics’ Board of Directors and is the Beef Director of the American Grassfed Association.
3. Michael Kilpatrick is the owner of Kilpatrick Family Farm which grows vegetables and raises chickens using organic practices on over 100 acres near Granville, NY. The farm sells to four farmers markets per week, employs 6 people full-time, and grows produce year-round in high tunnels.
4. Kathy Moore owns Anichini-Moore Ranch and Farm in Woodward, OK. The ranch “The Ranch” focuses on education and soil building, and produces rare breed sheep, wool, grass-pastured lamb, large Black Pig products, Belted Galloway beef, Bison, produce, flowers, nuts and fruit. Kathy is the co-founder of the Oklahoma Composting Council and received the Oklahoma State University Green Award for Sustainability in March 2011.
5. Sarah Smith and her husband own Grassland Farm in Skowhegan, Maine, a certified organic farm and dairy. She and her family milk 45 diverse dairy cows and produce organic, grass-fed beef and chickens as well as a wide range of vegetables. Sarah will be joining the conference on behalf of Organic Valley, the Wisconsin-based organic dairy marketing cooperative, which works closely with OFRF to promote organic agriculture.
by jboullion | Apr 5, 2011 | Uncategorized
A Fox Valley person provided a copy of the following letter to RENEW Wisconsin:
People of Glenmore Township:
PLEASE VOTE RESPONSIBLY!
Dear Fellow Townspeople,
Two months ago, I was a supporter of the BCCRWE [Brown County Citizens for Responsible Wind Energy]. I was actively opposing the wind turbines coming into any of the townships in our area, including Glenmore.
But then something happened.
As the March 7th meeting drew closer, I heard disturbing things from members of the BCCRWE. Things that scared me. Even before the meeting took place, there were threats being made towards our town board members if the vote did not go in the favor of the BCCRWE. There were “agendas” being planned, and conspiracies being formed, not only against the project, but against individual people.
On March 7th, I sat quietly through the meeting listening to barbaric accusations, foul language, curses and threats hurled at our town board. Members of the BCCRWE shouted inappropriate and belittling comments and became unruly and disruptive to the point that law enforcement needed to be called. Later, I read accounts of that same meeting, written by the BCCRWE, that were horribly distorted and inaccurate. Actually, they were straight out lies!
On March 16th, I sat through another meeting and watched the same unruly group, once again, disrespect our town leaders. As the members of the BCCRWE were chanting “Shame on you” to the town board, I was the one that was ashamed to have ever been a part of that group.
On April 5th, you have an opportunity to elect new town board members. Many of the candidates are the same people who threatened and disrespected our current board members for following the law. One candidate admitted, her only goal was to terminate wind turbines in the town and then she wants out. Is that the chairperson you want running the entire township? Even for one term?
The recent events of oil spills in the gulf and nuclear plant failures in Japan should make all of us take a second look at wind energy. I realized after the two meetings in March, that the only reason I didn’t want turbines, was because I couldn’t have on of my own. So, I’m a NIMBY.
It’s important, that we have “responsible” leaders in our township. The mob I witnessed at the last two meetings, did not fit that definition. It would be a disaster to have those people who demonstrated irrational, biased and disorderly behavior, become our new leaders. I was embarrassed to have ever been a part of that group.
Since I have seen how threatening and dangerous this group can be, I prefer to sign only as,
A Concerned Townsperson
by jboullion | Apr 5, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The heat-producing bulbs are gone from the freezers at Olsen’s Piggly Wiggly. And the natural gas furnace isn’t getting used much.
These are two of the ways the expanded Cedarburg grocery store scored the highest of any of nine other supermarkets across Wisconsin that are participating in the Wisconsin Green Grocer program.
Store co-owner Ryan Olsen said he and his family saw the opportunity to become more energy efficient as they pursued a remodeling project that increased the size of their store by one-third, to 43,000 square feet.
“With energy prices forever climbing, it just made sense for us to (make an) investment now to reap the rewards of not having as high energy consumption later on,” he said.
As a result, the store’s energy bills are about the same, or slightly more than before, but the store has grown by 11,000 square feet and has six more full-time and 10 more part-time workers.
“This is an example of how we can create jobs and grow our economy but keep our energy use about the same,” said Brett Hulsey, an environmental consultant who worked with the grocers association on its initiative. Hulsey is also a Democratic state Assembly representative from Madison.
Some changes can be small – like giving shoppers the ability to recycle plastic bags – but others can be much more extensive.
“They’re heating almost all the building with reclaimed heat from their compressors,” Hulsey said. “That was the first time I’d seen that.”
by jboullion | Apr 4, 2011 | Uncategorized
From the Spring issue of Catching Wind:
Siting Rule Suspension Rocks Wind Industry
In a move that sent shock waves through the wind industry in Wisconsin, a joint legislative panel voted on March 1 to suspend the wind siting rule promulgated by the Public Service Commission in December 2010. The action taken by the 10-member Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR) suspended the wind siting rule, known as PSC 128, on the very day it took effect. By itself, a JCRAR vote to suspend a rule lasts 30 days. To continue the rule suspension beyond 30 days, JCRAR voted in late March to introduce a bill to repeal PSC 128 and direct the Public Service Commission (PSC) to promulgate a new rule regulating wind energy
systems no more than six months after the repeal date. The bill must clear one house of the Legislature in order to become effective.
JCRAR’s bill does not attempt to influence the content of any successor rule to PSC 128, nor has the legislative leadership issued any statement regarding the timeline of the bill’s passage. The Legislature could potentially wait until the last day of the biennial session before passing this bill. However, if the Legislature does not repeal PSC 128 by the end of the current session, PSC 128 will take effect as promulgated. . . .
Glenmore Wind Survives Raucous Opposition
In a dramatic about-face that elicited loud cries of disapproval from local wind opponents, a Brown County town board granted on March 16 building permits enabling CEnergy, a subsidiary of CG Power Solutions, to erect a seven-turbine wind project.
Two Glenmore board members voted in favor of allowing construction to begin, while the third voted against. . . .
by jboullion | Apr 4, 2011 | Uncategorized
From a commentary by Mark Z. Jacobson in the New York Daily News:
The powerful earthquake and tsunami that caused reactors at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant to shut down – releasing radiation and endangering workers and evacuees – have many Americans asking whether nuclear energy is worth the investment and risk.
I say not. In fact, it should not have taken a disaster of this kind to move us decisively away from nuclear and toward safe, clean, renewable energy. . . .
If the world’s energy needs were converted to electricity for all purposes – and nuclear supplied such energy – 15,800 large nuclear reactors, one installed every day for the next 43 years, would be needed. The installation of even 5% of these would nearly double the current number of reactors, giving many more countries the potential to develop weapons. If only one weapon were used in a city, it could kill 1 to 16 million people.
***
Why do we need nuclear energy when we have safer, cleaner options that can provide greater power for a much longer period and at lower cost to society? These better options are called WWS, for “wind, water and sunlight.” The chance of catastrophe caused by nature or terrorists acting on wind or solar, in particular, is zero.
During their lifetimes, WWS technologies emit no pollution – whereas nuclear does, since continuous energy is needed to mine, transport and refine uranium and reactors require much longer to permit and install than do WWS technologies. Overall, nuclear emits 9 to 25 times more air pollution and carbon dioxide than does wind per unit energy generated.
***
Some argue that nuclear is more reliable than WWS systems. This is not true. A nuclear reactor affects a larger fraction of the grid when it fails than does a wind turbine. The average maintenance downtime of modern wind turbines on land is 2%. That of France’s 59 reactors is 21.5%, with about half due to scheduled maintenance.
by jboullion | Apr 4, 2011 | Uncategorized
Last year, over 300 individuals volunteered at the nation’s largest Energy Fair. From working the front gates to working in the MREA Café, the success of the Energy Fair depends greatly on our volunteers.
Sign up to volunteer 2 hours during The Fair and you’ll get free admission to that day of the Fair.
Sign up to volunteer for 12 hours or more during the week of The Fair and get free weekend admission and a Hardcore Volunteer t-shirt!
This year the MREA is partnering with the United Way Volunteer Center of Portage County to register volunteers for the 22nd Annual Energy Fair. Click here and register to volunteer for any of the 30 projects available from June 13-June 20.
by jboullion | Apr 3, 2011 | Uncategorized
2011
05.03.11 RENEW opposes legisation to count hydro toward renewable portfolio standard
2010
02.02.10 Testimony in support of Clean Energy Jobs Act bill
2009
05.12.09 Windpower in Wisconsin: The Permitting Crisis
2008
06.18.08 Comments on Strawman Proposal for Governor Doyle’s Global Warming Task Force
05.29.08 Statement in support of Wind Project in Town of Union, Rock County, Wisconsin
by jboullion | Apr 1, 2011 | Uncategorized
Immediate release:
March 30, 2011
Contact:
Bill French
Midwest Wind Energy
(847) 414-0134
French@midwestwind.com
In view of continued regulatory uncertainty in the State of Wisconsin, a leading wind farm developer has announced that it has suspended development activity until a more predictable climate is restored. Chicago-based Midwest Wind Energy, LLC (MWE) has been developing utility scale wind farms in Wisconsin since 2003 and has two of its developed projects operating; one a 54-megawatt project in Dodge County and the other a 67-megawatt project in Fond du Lac
County. MWE is also developing a 98-megawatt project in Calumet County and another project which had not yet been announced publicly.
According to MWE President, Stefan Noe, it no longer makes sense to invest significant development capital in a state that appears to be closed to the wind energy business. “Most states are clearly open for renewable energy development and the economic development dollars and jobs that come with it. So long as there are states rolling out the welcome mat it doesn’t make sense to devote significant dollars to a state that is creating unreasonable roadblocks for wind development.”
Noe cites the recent suspension of PSC 128 by the Wisconsin Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules as the most convincing evidence that Wisconsin is not interested in working in good faith with the U.S. wind energy industry. The rule was the culmination of almost two years of work by the Public Service Commission and resulted in some of the most stringent and detailed wind siting rules in the country. Although restrictive, these rules created a workable
compromise between the wind industry and a range of stakeholders.
“Our four projects alone represent more than $600 million of capital investment in Wisconsin and more than 400 construction jobs and 40 permanent high-tech jobs. The industry as a whole has the potential to be a multi-bill ion dollar industry for the state. These projects also generate millions in local landowner payments and local government revenues, cash flow that is sorely needed in Wisconsin’s rural communities.” Noe said.
Midwest Wind Energy, LLC is a leading developer of utility-scale wind farms in the Midwest and Great Plains with seven projects totaling 649 megawatts currently in operation. MWE has an additional 5000 megawatts of projects in its development pipeline.
END
by jboullion | Apr 1, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Ron Seely in the Wisconsin State Journal:
WAUNAKEE – Sure, the cows on the farm run by Chuck Ripp and his brothers near here generate a lot of manure — about 7 million gallons a year.
But now they also generate electricity.
Call it cow power.
Thursday, Dane County officials were joined by farmers and utility officials and others to flip a ceremonial switch and power up the state’s first cooperative manure digester. Spearheaded by Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, the $12 million project has been more than six years in the making.
When it is in full operation, the digester plant with its three huge tanks will process manure from three adjacent farms and a total of 2,500 cows. It will remove about 60 percent of weed-growing phosphorus from the manure. The digester will produce methane and that methane will be used to power generators that will churn out $2 million a year in electricity, enough to allow Alliant Energy to power 2,500 homes.
And, according to Dick Pieper, with Clear Horizons, the company that will run the plant, the entire operation can be run with an iPod.
“The efficiency of this plant is exceptional,” said Pieper. “It’s world class.”
Falk said the plant represents an important milestone in green energy production and in manure management in Wisconsin. Many digesters don’t remove phosphorus, which clogs lakes with weeds and toxic blue-green algae during warm months. But the Dane County plant was designed specifically to remove the nutrient.
