Goodhue County Wind Energy w/ Rick Conrad

Please apply the wind turbine setbacks of ten rotor diameters recently approved by the Goodhue County Board. These setbacks are not unfair to large turbines. Quite the opposite, ten rotor diameters allow large turbines to be placed closer to the homes of non-participants than smaller turbines when you factor in their relative size. Example a 270-foot rotor diameter 2700 from a non-participant equals a 10 rotor diameters setback. The minimum setback for a 35-foot rotor diameter turbine is the minimum 750 feet setback. That is a setback of over 20 rotor diameters. Goodhue County chose the ten-rotor diameter setback to address the serious problems of noise and shadow flicker in an easily enforceable manner. These setbacks can easily and fairly be applied to all turbines sited in Goodhue County allowing Goodhue County to protect its tax base and the public health without added expense to County taxpayers. Applying ten rotor diameter setbacks for non-participants to a C-bed community supported project should not be a burden.

Goodhue County made only one serious omission in the drafting of their Wind Turbine ordinance. When they withdrew all references to shadow flicker, they did not specify a setback from road intersections. I feel it very important that wind turbines not be sited where they will cause shadow flicker on road intersections. Extreme shadow flicker can be disorienting, but even mild shadow flicker has the potential of distracting drivers. Even a momentary distraction when approaching an intersection could prove deadly. I ask that since Goodhue County’s current ordinance does not provide for Minnesota drivers in this regard that you exercise your permitting authority to require that no shadow flicker occur on any Minnesota road intersections. Zero shadow flicker can be enforced either by siting so that shadow flicker can not occur or requiring that wind turbines be shut down during the periods that shadow flicker on a prohibited location would occur. The amount of time that this would cause turbines to be shut down would be only a fraction of one percent of their total yearly operating time.

I ask on behalf of the citizens of Goodhue County that you follow our setbacks of ten-rotor diameters from non-participants. I ask on behalf of all people who drive our highways and roads that you take up the cause of protecting them and not allow any shadow flicker to occur on or near road intersections.

Rick Conrad 14 Oct 2010

Please apply the wind turbine setbacks of ten rotor diameters recently approved by the Goodhue County Board. These setbacks are not unfair to large turbines. If this truly is to be considered a C-Bed wind project then the setbacks should respect the values of the local community in which the project will be constructed.

The local community does not oppose wind development done in a responsible and respectful manner. Having run for Goodhue County Commissioner in the primary I feel that I have a good understanding of the wishes of the voters in Belle Creek township. Even though I was eliminated I received more votes than any of the other four candidates did in my home township of Belle Creek. My platform on wind energy was that I view wind energy as just another potential source of energy that farmers could develop if setbacks were in place that would protect their neighbors. The general view in Belle Creek is that Industrial Wind will not benefit the local area in any way.

    The general feeling of most people is that there is no good reason to pursue wind energy in a farming and dairy community. Industrial developers are raping our land and homes by erecting these large turbines. And pillaging our local resources, even local supporters of wind energy feel that the developers are not paying a fair price for the use of our wind resources. If this project were to request a C-Bed resolution of support from either Belle Creek township or Goodhue County at the present time it is unlikely that it would receive support now. The recently approved new simplified local wind ordanance allows for siting turbine closer that the ten rotor diameters IF the affected neighbors agree to a reduction down to 750 feet or meet state standards for noise pollution. Please follow the local Goodhue County wind turbine ordinance.

    The local community is strong. Facing what they see as a mutual threat has only strengthened the community. More and more supporters are joining the local Goodhue Wind Truth organization. The simple truth is that no one wants large turbines imposed upon them at the setbacks that wind developers are currently seeking. Every wind turbine proposed or built without adequate setbacks or the participation of the neighbors will merely increases wind resistance. It would be best for wind development if the PUC were to adopt Goodhue County’s ten rotor diameters setback for non-participants negotiable down to the state noise control distance as the PUC’s own guideline for wind turbine siting. This would ensure that wind developers would develop true C-Bed projects. And that local non-paticipants would not be overly burdened by wind development. Higher local participation would ensure that the PUC would not be blamed for problems caused by 400-foot tall turbines sited at 1500 feet by many angry Minnesota citizens and taxpayers.

Just days before the final PUC siting hearing Goodhue Wind AWA posted environmental studies that they conducted. These studies find that American Bald Eagles and Loggerhead Shrikes exist throughout the project area. Their conclusions that their project will not adversely affect these protected avian species are questionable. Their speculation that since Loggerhead Shrikes fly low from tree to tree and turbine rotor blades are 100 hundred feet above the ground turbines will pose no threat to Loggerhead Shrikes is unsupported. All smaller birds fly low from tree to tree, but their flight ability is not limited to only flying low from tree to tree. The claim is also made that setbacks will protect the Loggerhead Shrikes. What setbacks? Project specified setbacks for this project are 1000 feet from participants and 1500 feet from non-participants. The project application does not specify any setbacks from Loggerhead Shrike populations, hunting grounds or nesting areas. Loggerhead Shrike habitat exists throughout the project area. It is logical to assume that Loggerhead Shrikes being predatory will fly from nesting areas to hunting areas by the shortest routes available regardless of the presence of Industrial Wind Turbines. Loggerhead Shrikes will likely encounter turbine blades at the average rates for all small birds. No study is in evidence as to how turbines will affect the natural habitat. The Loggerhead Shrikes may be driven from this area by the presence of turbines or the insects that they prey upon may be affected. The only fair conclusion as to the affect of permitting turbines near protected species like Bald Eagles and Loggerhead Shrikes is that the outcome is unknown at this time. Caution should be exercised.

   This matter concerns me greatly because I maintain 30 acres of my 80-acre farm in a natural state. This is partly because my land is highly erode able with wetland and a creek. However, the main reason is that I wish to do so. I chose not to develop my land at the expense of the environment. I ask that the PUC not endanger the environment that I have been protecting all my life.

                                                                                          Rick Conrad 14 Oct 2010