Town divided over wind, solar

By Kevin O’Brien

At their latest public presentation about the dangers of wind and solar operations, members of Farmland First encountered some pushback from a few landowners in the town of Day who said they have the right to harness natural resources on their own land.

A group calling itself Town of Day Residents For Locally Produced Energy made its presence known at an informational meeting last Wednesday, hosted by Farmland First at the town of Day municipal center. Based on comments made during the meeting, most of the 60-plus audience seemed strongly opposed to wind and solar operations, but a handful of attendees challenged the prevailing notion that such technology is harmful.

Beth Spindler, who identified herself as a member of the local energy group, repeatedly questioned Farmland First members about the claims they were making regarding wind and solar facilities, and said she and other residents are free to benefit financially from signing contracts with renewable energy companies.

“Farmers will do what they think will be the best thing to do for their farming operation,” she said.

The purpose of the April 10 informational meeting was twofold: to promote a new ordinance restricting solar farms in the town (see page 2), and to rally support for the towns of Brighton and Eau Pleine, who are facing possible legal action by EDP Renewables, which is demanding the towns rescind their wind licensing ordinances.

At times, the conversation was consumed by heated back-and-forth arguments over the facts surrounding wind and solar power, with the comments occasionally taking on a personal tone, which was discouraged by event organizers and town chairman Joe Brueggen.

“Be mindful of the people you’re sitting next to, because they might have totally different opinions than what you have,” he told the audience at the start of the meeting.

Trine Spindler, a town of Day resident and president of Farmland First’s Marathon County chapter, said representatives from Alliant Energy, which is trying to start a wind farm in the township, were invited to the meeting, but no one from the company stepped forward. Beth Spindler claimed that a man from Alliant had come before the meeting, but he left because he felt “uncomfortable” and was “told to leave.” Trine Spindler disputed this claim.

“Nobody’s been asked to leave,” she said. “That’s ridiculous.”

Echoing Brueggen’s comments, Trine Spindler also urged audience members to be respectful.

“We’re not here to argue and yell at each other,” she said. “We’re here to share information.”

An argument over heritage

When Beth Spindler got up to speak at last week’s meeting, she portrayed wind and solar operations as just the latest development

See TOWN OF DAY/ page 2

DIVISION IN DAY - Town of Day resident Beth Spindler is given a chance to respond to complaints about wind and solar operations at an informal meeting last week. Marti Machtan, left, executive director of Farmland First, questions her about a letter written by Town of Day Residents For Locally Produced Energy while town chairman Joe Brueggen offers her a microphone so she can speak.

STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN O’BRIEN Town of Day

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in farming, which has evolved greatly since the time when her ancestors first homesteaded in the township. More than just “two or three” landowners in the township are choosing to embrace the new opportunity to make money from renewable energy, she said.

“We’ve decided that this is how we do want to allocate our land, and this is the crop that we would like to harvest,” she said. “I personally do not think it is my right to tell my neighbors what they can and cannot harvest on their land.”

The history of farming is filled with innovations that may have triggered a backlash at first – from silos and manure pits to robotic milkers – but people eventually got used to them, she said.

“I’m not going to turn around and say you can’t spread manure because it stinks,” she said. “I’m not going to turn around and say you can’t put up a big robot facility because it’s loud.”

Marti Machtan, executive director of Farmland First, said the property rights argument that Spindler was making is an example of “low-resolution thinking” among wind and solar advocates.

Machtan said signing up for a project that is opposed by so many residents is not being a good neighbor, and the wind or solar company is going to “dictate more than your neighbor ever will with your land.” He also noted that wind and solar projects are only being proposed now because of all the lucrative production tax credits included in recent federal legislation.

“It’s our tax dollars making these projects possible, so we certainly get a say,” he said.

Machtan also challenged the idea of including wind and solar operations in the definition of agriculture.

“To me, if you’re a farm, you have to produce food, fiber or fur,” he said. “Energy is not part of a farm in my opinion.”

Several other residents spoke both for and against wind and solar operations, revealing a deep divide over the issue.

Beth Kraus said town residents need to talk to each other more about why some landowners are choosing to sign wind and solar contracts, and make sure they are getting the correct information about renewable energy. Right now, though, she said the “community is being torn apart” over the issue.

“It breaks my heart,” she said. “I don’t want to see this happen either.”

Joan Carey-Gebelein said she took issue with the information printed in the town’s latest newsletter from Town of Day Residents For Locally Produced Energy, especially the comparison between the advent of silos in years past with today’s wind turbines. She disagreed with the notion that town residents “won’t even notice” the turbines after they’ve been around for awhile.

“This really strikes me at my core,” she said. “The heritage that I understand, that I grew up with, that I was taught living in this area, is agricultural heritage.”