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Advocates for
Responsible Energy Development (ARED)
ARED is
a growing group who represents the concerns of more than 600
citizens from all over Adams County. We believe that
any wind development in Adams County should be created "responsibly."
That means a wind farm must be safe, fair for all parties
who are affected by it, and the product of an open, public
process. ARED exists to educate the public, do
continuing research on the issue, and speak to government
officials and the media on behalf of those who feel they
cannot speak out on their own.
Click here if you would like to add your voice
to ARED
Questions? Contact us at:
Responsible.Development@hotmail.com
The list of those who sign up to be
part of ARED is kept confidential. You will receive
emails, meeting notifications, and information from the
group from time to time.
Sign up today, and "be counted."
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The Effects
of an Illinois Windfarm
on a Family and their Dream Home
http://lifewithdekalbturbines.blogspot.com/
This site features videos of the daily "shadow flicker" that
this DeKalb, Illinois family must live with for 45 minutes
every morning. It also includes their day to day
entries about the noise and other effects of living in the
middle of a wind farm. They are now talking about
moving out of their dream home, but they'll need to find a
buyer who will pay fair market value for a home with 13 huge
wind turbines within a mile of it. The nearest
turbines to them are 1400 feet away--just a little farther
than the 1320 feet Adams County allows.
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| Above: an unidentified house in DeKalb County with
a new addition "in the backyard" (actually at least 1400
feet from the foundation, according to their setbacks). |
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Testimony about Noise Effects on an
Ellsworth, Illinois Family
(from a tower 1500 feet away from a
home--the Adams County setback is only 1320 feet)
"Living with turbines has caused us to change
many things in our lives. While we retain the use of our property,
much of the time we are no longer able to enjoy it. We do what we need
to do outside and hurry back inside, confined to our house to avoid the
constant sounds from the turbines and substation...
"These
sounds can clearly be heard inside our home...every member of our family has
experienced difficulty sleeping, headaches, irritability, pressure in our
ears, and fatigue since the turbines closest to us began operation...Some in
our family have also experienced heart palpitations. My youngest
daughter tells me it feels like a hamster running inside her chest...the
noise is most common at night and occurs often between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.
We are often awakened by the noise and find it very difficult, if not
impossible to go back to sleep..."
-- Rene Taylor, rural Ellsworth, IL from
testimony given before a Union, WI planning commission on 5-28-08. The
closest tower to her home is 1500 feet away--(we only have a 1320 foot
setback in Adams County)
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Leased land is often marked "No Trespassing." It is an industrial
zone, that prevents other types of development on leased ground and
discourages homes or businesses from locating on nearby ground. |
Photo Credit: Betterplan.squarespace.com
Wind turbines located near homes can negatively affect the value of that
real estate.
(see more details). To be fair, shouldn't the wind developer submit a plan to compensate
those landowners for any loss of value?
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Real Estate Values: Conclusion of
Iowa State University Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation
“At present
time, anecdotal data indicates that wind turbines have a depressing effect
on nearby land values and are a drag on the ag real estate market. Most
recent anecdotal data from Illinois indicates that assessed value on
farmland is dropping approximately 22-30 percent on farmland that is near
land where wind turbines have been placed. Also, the increased risk of
getting sued for nuisance has a dampening effect on value.”
Source: Iowa State University Center for
Agricultural Law and Taxation
“Wind Energy Production: Legal Issues and Related
Liability Concerns for Landowners in Iowa and Across the Nation”
www.calt.iastate.edu
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A Wisconsin Farmer's Regrets
Why can't he speak openly about it?
When you sign a 20-30 year contract to host a wind turbine on your property
you may be signing away many rights you're unaware of. A confidentiality
agreement in the contract may mean legal action can be taken against you if
you complain publicly about the project. A Fond Du Lac farmer signed
away his rights. He was interviewed by Don Bangart who wrote the
following on behalf of the farmer, whose contract with the wind company
prevents him from speaking openly about any problems.
(Read this Farmer's Story)
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