I live in the proposed wind farm area. I am among the 80 percent in the area who have many concerns.

I have had a day care business here for over 20 years.  I love my job, my children and their families. I have grave concerns if this would be allowed to go through for my family and my day care business. I have attended the formal meetings here on the siting and the transmission line.  I will be attending the contested case also.

Concerns for me, my family and my business are possible health concerns, construction, noise, shadow flicker, infrasound, loss of my local channels, possible loss of marketability of my home and business, possible interference with my internet, radio and land line. Also concerning would be if my well is affected from the drilling as complaints from people in the Chatham-Kent region in Canada reported in 2017. 

Another concern is if we were to have a tornado as we did on May 1, 2001, in this area and near my home. In Invenergy’s application, it stated wind turbines are not designed to survive tornado force wind of over 200 mph. 

We also have snowmobile trails in the project area, which my family uses. Some proposed turbines would be quite close I feel. GE, a maker of large wind turbines, warns that rotating blades may propel ice fragments up to several hundred meters if conditions are right. These turbines are not equipped with ice sensing.

One thing some may not know is that the complaints in the Manchester area (Bent Tree) area have yet to be resolved. I believe it went online in 2011. You also may not know the Iowa side was granted a 1,500-foot setback, but the Minnesota side of the project has a 1,000-foot setback.

The wind does not blow all the time, and so wind power is not reliable. 

There will be huge amounts of concrete going into the land and using huge amounts of oil.  The Shell Rock River will also possibly be affected.

Also, if this is such a great thing, why the “no talk” clause after signing a contract?

I am only one example. We are real people here with real concerns.

Sue Madson

Glenville