MADISON — Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green), Rep. Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City), and other residents of the 17th Senate District were among those who testified in favor of Senate Bill (SB) 3 on Tuesday, March 10. Introduced last January by Sen. Marklein and Rep. Tranel, SB 3 would require local elected officials and municipalities to sign off on large wind and solar projects as they go through the approval process.

“In recent years, citizens in rural communities and their local elected officials have felt ignored when they express concerns about large utility projects in their backyard,” Marklein said. “This legislation would reaffirm local control by empowering municipalities and their elected officials by giving them a seat at the table when it comes to approval of large-scale wind and solar projects.”

Since 2009 Wisconsin Act 40 took away local control under Governor Jim Doyle, the Public Service Commission (PSC) is responsible for granting a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for proposed large wind and solar facilities without any approval from local officials. SB 3 would amend the review process to require municipalities to approve or deny a project no later than 90 days after receiving a request. The PSC would be unable to complete its evaluation until every municipality within the proposed area has approved the project.

Sen. Marklein was joined by Rep. Travis Tranel and dozens of residents from around Wisconsin as they advocated for SB 3 before the Senate Committee on Utilities, Technology, and Tourism. Many of the speakers traveled from southwestern Wisconsin to testify on the legislation.