We live in a beautiful, rural county, where families have prospered on pristine farmland and rural acreage for generations. Our rural community is safe, and it thrives on farming, agriculture and our rural way of life, and we deeply value the environmental sanctity and natural beauty that our rural landscape offers. But now, The AES Corporation (“AES”) seeks to install the invasive and visually offensive Isabelle Creek 500-600 acre industrial solar farm occupying the northeast portion of the Town of Hartland in Pierce County. This proposed plan will install thousands of solar panels likely manufactured and shipped from China and other foreign countries), and many miles of fencing stretching across 500-600 acres of our pristine farmlands, surrounding unenrolled landowners’ farms, lands, livestock and most importantly, families and homes.  The proposal also calls for the building of an energy substation in the far northeast corner of the installation.   

This large industrial-sized solar farm might sound progressive on paper, but the proposal has unforeseen negative health, safety, environmental and economic consequences. If the plan comes to fruition, it will have a significant impact on our local environment, including the loss of wildlife habitat, possible soil erosion and runoff, negative human health impacts and disruption of our local agriculture industry. Furthermore, the rural scenic beauty of our community, a key factor in our property values, will be materially degraded or worse. 

Moreover, farms translate into jobs. Cutting down on farmland means jeopardizing the livelihoods of our friends and neighbors, ultimately leading to a decrease in farming and agriculture jobs. The installation of this solar farm not only threatens the health and safety of those who live near it, but it also threatens our property values but also the very essence of our rural culture.

THE MANY NEGATIVE HEALTH, SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL & ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIAL SOLAR FARMS

Health & Safety Risks:

·       The proposed solar farm surrounds multiple residences and farms in the Town of Hartland.

·       Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields

·       Exposure to Stray Voltage

·       Exposure to Low Frequency Sound

·       Drinking Water Well Contamination

·       Exposure to Highly Caustic Non-Selective Vegetation Killing Chemicals

·       Massive Uncontrolled Fire Risk (there are ZERO fire departments, water hydrants or other capabilities to fight fires in the proposed 5000-Acre solar farm area)

·       Exposure to Constant Noise from Vegetation Mowing Activities

·       Exposure to Excessive Glare from the Solar Panels

 

 

Environmental Risks:

·       Drinking Water Well Contamination

·       Diminishes and/or Destroys Habitat for Endangered and Threatened Species (Pierce County is home to many endangered and threatened species, pollinators, etc.)

·       Run Off Pollution to Lakes, Rivers, Streams and Ponds

·       Massive Uncontrolled Fire Risk (there are ZERO fire departments, water hydrants or other capabilities to fight fires in the proposed solar farm area)

·       Soil Contamination from Caustic Chemicals Leaching from the Plastics, Rubber, Silicon and other Solar Panel Materials

·       Permanent Contamination of Farmland

·       Impact on Local Climate (the presence of solar panels can alter local temperature and moisture levels, potentially affecting native species)

·       Pollution from the Manufacturing Process of Solar Panels (involves hazardous materials and can generate massive pollution and improper disposal of used solar panels can lead to environmental contamination)

·       Loss of Animal and Plant Habitat

·       Permanent Loss of Farmland (approximately 4% of the Town of Hartland’s prime agricultural land.

·       Reduction in Human Food and Animal Feed Production

 

Economic & Other Risks:

·       Decimation of Property Values (due to the industrial blight, health and safety risks created by solar farms – the proposed solar farm surrounds multiple residences)

·       Loss of Agricultural Jobs

·       Degradation of Rural Culture and Rural Communities

 

WHAT WE WANT

·       We want Pierce County and The Town of Hartland to regulate the solar farm due to its negative impacts to area residents’ health, safety and welfare pursuant to Section 66.0401 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

·       We want Pierce County and The Town of Hartland to formally intervene in any review by the Wisconsin Public Services Commission to advocate for the interests of Pierce County residents and the many negative health, safety and other economic risks presented by the solar farm.

·       We want the entire solar farm project to be stopped to protect the health, welfare and safety of area residents, wildlife and the environment and to protect area residents from the catastrophic impacts on property values and quality of life.  

·       If the solar farm project is allowed to proceed, we want it to be greatly reduced in size to minimize its many negative impacts on the environment, wildlife and local residents.

·       If the solar farm is allowed to proceed, we demand that it be moved at least 1 mile minimum from any residence to reduce the negative impacts on the health and safety of the residents and to protect their property values.

·      If the solar farm project is allowed to proceed, we demand that it be moved at least 1 mile minimum away from individual residences that have NOT signed lease/purchase agreements with AES to lease or sell their land to facilitate the solar farm project.

·       Solar Farms are NOT Zero Carbon Energy Sources:  Before the Town of Hartland, the County of Pierce, the Wisconsin PSC and/or Wisconsin DNR consider granting any aspect of AES’ application for the solar farm project, we want AES to be required to conduct and submit a thorough and comprehensive study (the “Study”) to accurately measure and document the true environmental impact of large scale industrial solar farms of this type including, without limitation, all of the following measures;

·   Carbon emissions and other pollution generated in association with the raw material sourcing for solar panels, perimeter security fencing, building construction, road construction and other primary materials needed to construct the 500-600 acre solar farm (collectively “construction materials”);

·   Carbon emissions and other pollution generated in association with the entire manufacturing process of the solar panels and all other construction materials;

·   Carbon emissions and other pollution generated in association with the entire transportation process of the solar panels and all other construction materials from their country of origin all the way to their final destination upon installation including, without limitation, all of the following;

·   Road and rail transportation of solar panels and all other construction materials from foreign based manufacturing plants (e.g., China, Viet Nam, etc.) to ocean ports;

·   Marine transportation of solar panels and all other construction materials from foreign ocean ports to U.S. ocean ports;

·   Road and rail transportation of solar panels and all other construction materials from U.S. ocean ports to final destination sites in Pierce County Wisconsin;     

·   Carbon emissions and all other pollution (including run off and ground water pollution) generated from the construction and maintenance of the Solar Farm for its entire life span from creation to decommissioning including, without limitation, all of the following;

Use of electric and combustion engine-based machines to grade the solar farm property, construct roads, construct buildings, place solar panels, etc.
Spraying of chemicals to control vegetation;
Use of electric and combustion engine-based machines to cut and otherwise control vegetation;
What percentage of solar panels, security fencing, roads and buildings and other materials are recyclable and where and by what means they will be recycled, including transportation to said recycling location(s);
Carbon emissions and other pollution (including pollution to soil and ground water) associated with the recycling process;
·   The Study must include an estimate of the total yearly energy produced by the solar farm (“Total Solar Energy Production” or “TSEP”);

 ·  The Study must include an aggregation of all carbon emissions and other pollution mentioned above (“Total Solar Pollution”) and include an evidence backed conclusion as to whether or not the solar farm’s Total Solar Pollution figure is less than the total pollution generated by other energy sources.  

If the solar farm is allowed to proceed, we want AES to utilize the existing power substation located on 510th Street.

If the solar farm is allowed to proceed, we demand that AES be required to install tall earth berms around the entire perimeter of the solar farm with fast growing trees and other vegetation planted on the berms to aid in masking the blight created by the solar farm.

 

CONCLUSION

This issue is personal. Our health, our farmlands, our homes, our rural communities, the natural habitat and our rural lifestyle and culture are at risk. We need to show AES and other solar companies that rural communities hold value that goes way beyond their commercial pursuit of profit. To make matters worse, the energy produced by this large industrial solar farm in Pierce County will be immediately sold on the grid to service areas far away from the installation. None of the power generated will be available to, or service residents of Pierce County and beyond.  We must unite and protect the health and safety of our residents, our rural Wisconsin landscape, natural habitat, property values and livelihoods from this large industrial encroachment. Sign this petition and help us preserve human health and safety as well as the environment and our rural Pierce County for generations to come.