Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect the Land Use and Zoning Committee meeting was Monday.
"At this point, everything is on hold," Grotophorst said.
But organizers of a wind turbine farm in Jefferson Township are still pushing forward with a project first proposed in late 2015. EDF Renewable Energy Development Director P.J. Saliterman said he had spoken to Green County Zoning Administrator Adam Wiegel, who advised him to wait until an ordinance was passed before moving forward with permit applications.
"We are very much front and center," Saliterman said, noting that the company had been working for "a couple of years and we are about ready to start working with the county."
Saliterman said he recently visited Wisconsin to talk with representatives from companies that would use the energy created by turbines in southern Green County. He added that the total number of windmills may vary depending on which model is used. Different types of turbines can produce a variety of output, depending on the size.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the country generated nearly 227,000 megawatt hours of energy through wind power in 2016. The number has been rising from just under 7,000 in 2001. The Global Wind Energy Council reported more than 52,000 turbines were being actively used in the U.S. at the end of 2016.
Wiegel said discussing the terms of an ordinance draft at the meeting Monday was to allow he and Green County Corporation Counsel Brian Bucholtz to write in changes for a law to eventually be adopted by the county board.
Wind projects under 100 megawatts can be approved by local governments but must adhere to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission rules, per restrictions passed in March 2012. Act 40 instructed the PSC to create restrictions that a municipality may impose on an incoming wind farm. Wiegel said the county's ability to regulate wind energy projects was limited by the state restrictions and required an adherence to state law. Without enacting its own ordinance, the county is unable to have any wind energy siting laws, Wiegel said.
After the state removed county oversight for wind energy siting, Green County officials decided not to adopt an ordinance because of the lack of interest in any type of project within the area.
When Wiegel said the county heard "rumblings of a proposal" near Jefferson Township, the need to adopt some type of regulation became acute. However, county supervisors raised concerns over the need for language specific to Green County during a public hearing in December. It was meant to be discussed during the December meeting of the Green County Board of Supervisors but was referred back to the committee instead.
Residents of Jefferson Township first heard about the proposal in 2015, when they received letters from the company formerly called OwnEnergy, which was acquired by EDF Renewable Energy in the same year. At the time, a development manager named James Damon had written that the company was exploring the idea of a wind project either in Jefferson or Sylvester Township. The plan at the time was to complete a farm within three years consisting of 25 to 30 windmills, each with a 30-year lease, on farmland between County S and County K.
MONROE - Members of the Green County Land Use and Zoning Committee have decided to wait on adopting state regulations which oversee the siting of wind farms after considering a potential ordinance during a meeting Monday.
"At this point, everything is on hold," Grotophorst said.
But organizers of a wind turbine farm in Jefferson Township are still pushing forward with a project first proposed in late 2015. EDF Renewable Energy Development Director P.J. Saliterman said he had spoken to Green County Zoning Administrator Adam Wiegel, who advised him to wait until an ordinance was passed before moving forward with permit applications.
"We are very much front and center," Saliterman said, noting that the company had been working for "a couple of years and we are about ready to start working with the county."
Saliterman said he recently visited Wisconsin to talk with representatives from companies that would use the energy created by turbines in southern Green County. He added that the total number of windmills may vary depending on which model is used. Different types of turbines can produce a variety of output, depending on the size.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the country generated nearly 227,000 megawatt hours of energy through wind power in 2016. The number has been rising from just under 7,000 in 2001. The Global Wind Energy Council reported more than 52,000 turbines were being actively used in the U.S. at the end of 2016.
Wiegel said discussing the terms of an ordinance draft at the meeting Monday was to allow he and Green County Corporation Counsel Brian Bucholtz to write in changes for a law to eventually be adopted by the county board.
Wind projects under 100 megawatts can be approved by local governments but must adhere to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission rules, per restrictions passed in March 2012. Act 40 instructed the PSC to create restrictions that a municipality may impose on an incoming wind farm. Wiegel said the county's ability to regulate wind energy projects was limited by the state restrictions and required an adherence to state law. Without enacting its own ordinance, the county is unable to have any wind energy siting laws, Wiegel said.
After the state removed county oversight for wind energy siting, Green County officials decided not to adopt an ordinance because of the lack of interest in any type of project within the area.
When Wiegel said the county heard "rumblings of a proposal" near Jefferson Township, the need to adopt some type of regulation became acute. However, county supervisors raised concerns over the need for language specific to Green County during a public hearing in December. It was meant to be discussed during the December meeting of the Green County Board of Supervisors but was referred back to the committee instead.
Residents of Jefferson Township first heard about the proposal in 2015, when they received letters from the company formerly called OwnEnergy, which was acquired by EDF Renewable Energy in the same year. At the time, a development manager named James Damon had written that the company was exploring the idea of a wind project either in Jefferson or Sylvester Township. The plan at the time was to complete a farm within three years consisting of 25 to 30 windmills, each with a 30-year lease, on farmland between County S and County K.