Our natural resources and peace in the Town of Lind, Wisconsin are in jeopardy. The tranquility we cherish, the value of our properties, and the purity of our groundwater are all at risk due to a proposed development on Brooks Farm. This project, backed by BlackRock / Vanguard Renewables, aims to build an Anaerobic Digester on their property right here in our small community off of Cross Rd. 

Not only will this affect us in Lind but also neighboring communities that share the same water table. We fear that the construction and operation of this digester could lead to contamination of our shared groundwater resources, not only requiring us to take on the financial burden of restoring our own wells, but also putting our many historical Artesian Wells that are surrounding the proposed Digester at risk. The industrial wastewater produced by these digesters would be discarded directly into the Walla Walla Creek which runs right through our small community and is currently a Class 2 trout stream, one of the coldest in the state. 

Moreover, studies have shown that such facilities can negatively impact property values due to perceived health risks and unpleasant odors (Source: Journal of Real Estate Research). Not only are the odors from burning excess / unusable biogas unpleasant, but they also have adverse health risks causing potential respiratory illness and cancer following long term exposure.

As a small family-focused community, do we really want two of the largest companies in the world to become our neighbor? The proposed Anaerobic Digesters will be accepting far more than manure and other organic waste, on the Vanguard Renewables website it says they will accept “virtually everything!” Including but not limited to process waste, packaged waste, fats/oils/grease, process water, and discarded front and back of house scraps (source: Vanguardrenewables.com). Vanguard is also partnered with companies such as AstraZeneca which means these digesters could be accepting pharmaceutical waste as well. These materials are hazardous to every one of us. 

You may be wondering why this Digester has been proposed in the first place; like many things that have gained popularity over time and seem to be a great solution, there have been countless studies done on Anaerobic Digesters showing that they can have a hefty negative environmental impact that would take a lifetime to reverse - a classic case of greenwashing. They claim to reduce waste and create “natural” biogas that is used to provide gas to surrounding cities, however, biogas has proven to be harmful to our environment if not handled properly (source: Natural Institutes of Health.gov). Explosions and spills from this equipment are not unheard of unfortunately. There are other safe alternatives for farms to handle their waste, including manure-only digesters, and allowing cows/livestock to roam the farm fields that surround the buildings they're currently kept in 24/7. The main goal by installing the proposed digesters is to manage the farms waste and reduce harmful methane production. In a non-anaerobic environment manure produces virtually no methane when allowed to decompose on fields as nature intended. It is when the manure is in an anaerobic environment that harmful gases are produced. 

Our quality of life and natural resources are at stake here. We call upon local authorities and decision-makers to reconsider allowing this development within our community's boundaries. It's time for us as residents to stand up for what we hold dear - clean water, stable property values, and a peaceful living environment.

We urge you all - residents not just from Lind but also from surrounding areas - to sign this petition! Let's protect what makes our community special, the people, the ecosystem, and our natural resources!