WPS settles suit over wind turbines
Source: www.greenbaypressgazette.com
Posted Feb. 02, 2005
Stray voltage, noise among complaints
By Richard Ryman
rryman@greenbaypressgazette.com
LINCOLN — A lawsuit against Wisconsin Public Service Corp. over the placement of 14 electricity-generating wind turbines in the town of Lincoln has been settled.
Two landowners, Mike Washecheck and Ken Loeber, who live near the Green Bay-based utility’s 290-foot towers in Kewaunee County, filed the suit in April 2002.
Their attorney, Glenn Stoddard of Garvey & Stoddard, Madison, said a negotiated settlement was reached in December and the case was dismissed in January. Stoddard said terms of the settlement will not be disclosed.
“We’re glad it’s resolved. It’s been a pain,” Washecheck said. “But we felt really good that we got them to settle it. If we hadn’t done anything, I think we would have been more resentful. We feel good we did this.”
Wisconsin Public Service has had to deal with a number of problems as a result of the wind turbines near Gregorville, including the lawsuit and complaints by dairy farmer Scott Srnka about stray voltage.
The towers were constructed in 1999 and almost immediately nearby neighbors complained of noise, strobing effects and television reception interference. In 2001, WPS offered to buy the homes of six landowners who appeared to be most inconvenienced. Two sold to the utility. Two others did not and apparently dropped the issue. Washecheck and Loeber filed suit after rejecting what Stoddard called a take-it-or-leave it offer.
Washecheck said he and his wife are living in their dream house and did not want to sell but felt a compromise was possible.
Kerry Spees, a spokesman for Wisconsin Public Service, said two of three issues involving the windmills, including a records issue with the town of Lincoln and the lawsuit, have been settled.
He said they are working to address the stray voltage complaint.
Spees said he did not know when that issue will be resolved.
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