Wisconsin Supreme Court Upholds Wind-Siting Rules

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has upheld the Wisconsin Public Service Commission’s rules for siting wind turbines.

The decision comes after a four-year legal battle between the Wisconsin Realtors’ Association and the PSC. The Wisconsin Realtors’ Association had argued the rules were invalid because the commission didn’t consider the impact they would have on the housing market.

But, in a 5-2 opinion, the court said the rules don’t substantially affect housing costs or availability.

Michael Vickerman, the program and policy director of the wind power advocacy group RENEW Wisconsin, said the ruling clears the way for more wind power in the state, but that doesn’t mean more turbines will be built because state utilities have already met their requirement for producing renewable energy.

“So, if you are a wind developer you say, ‘Great! There are no outstanding legal hassles to contend with,’ but the market for renewable’s, in this case wind power, doesn’t really exist,” said Vickerman.

The wind-siting rules only affect large wind installations of 100 megawatts or more.