Local Residents Oppose Wind farm Project

Dozens of residents from Lafayette, Grant, Iowa and Dane counties gathered Thursday to discuss a proposed wind farm that would span across Southwest Wisconsin. Several people across the Driftless Area say they are opposed to ‘Uplands Wind,’ a wind farm project that could lead to the installation of over 200 wind turbines across the area. According to a report, a representative with the developer Pattern Energy that the $1 billion project will support the local economy and provide a new revenue source for landowners. The facility is projected to provide on average $2.4 million per year to local communities, totaling $72 million over the first 30 years. They added that they are engaged in a ‘comprehensive community outreach process, fostering open dialogue with community members, local leaders, and stakeholders to share information and gather input. Several neighbors expressed their concerns at a meeting held in the Belmont Convention Center Thursday. Organizers titled the presentation ‘Preserving and Protecting Our Rural Legacies.’ Some attendees say that if the project is approved, they believe families will leave the region.