PSC 128.10(4)(c)
(c) Section PSC 128.19 applies to every owner of a wind energy system of at least one megawatt, regardless of the political subdivision in which the wind energy system is located and regardless of the contents of a political subdivision's ordinance or the lack of an ordinance.
PSC 128.10 History
History: CR 10-057: cr.
Register February 2011 No. 662, eff. 3-1-11.
PSC 128.105
PSC 128.105
Development of a wind energy system; notice requirements. PSC 128.105(1)
(1)
Pre-application notice. At least 90 days before an owner files an application to construct a wind energy system, an owner shall use commercially reasonable methods to provide written notice of the planned wind energy system to all of the following:
PSC 128.105(1)(a)
(a) Landowners within one mile of a planned wind turbine host property.
PSC 128.105(1)(b)
(b) Political subdivisions within which the wind energy system may be located.
PSC 128.105(1)(c)
(c) Emergency first responders and air ambulance service providers serving a political subdivision within which the wind energy system may be located.
PSC 128.105(1)(g)
(g) The Wisconsin department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection.
PSC 128.105(1)(h)
(h) The office of the deputy undersecretary of the U.S. department of defense.
PSC 128.105(1m)
(1m) Additional pre-application notice to commission. At least 180 days before filing an application to construct a wind turbine with a maximum blade tip height exceeding 600 feet, or a wind energy system in those portions of Lake Michigan or Lake Superior that are within the jurisdiction of the state, the owner shall provide written notice of the planned wind energy system to the commission.
PSC 128.105(2)
(2) Pre-application notice requirements. The owner shall include all of the following in a notice under
sub. (1) or
(1m):
PSC 128.105(2)(a)
(a) A complete description of the wind energy system, including the number and size of the planned wind turbines.
PSC 128.105(2)(b)
(b) A map showing the planned location of all wind energy system facilities.
PSC 128.105(2)(d)
(d) A list of all potential permits or approvals the owner anticipates may be necessary for construction of the wind energy system.
PSC 128.105(2)(e)
(e) Whether the owner is requesting a joint application review process under
s. PSC 128.30 (7) and the name of each political subdivision that may participate in the joint review process.
PSC 128.105 History
History: CR 10-057: cr.
Register February 2011 No. 662, eff. 3-1-11.
PSC 128.11(1)
(1)
Easement recording required. A wind energy system easement or wind access easement shall be recorded under
ch. 706, Stats. A wind energy system easement or wind access easement shall include the term of the easement and a full legal description of the property subject to the easement.
PSC 128.11(2)
(2) Wind lease and waiver provisions. A wind energy system lease and any waiver under
s. PSC 128.14 (5) or
128.15 (4) shall hold harmless and indemnify the real property owner for all of the following:
PSC 128.11(2)(a)
(a) Any violation of federal, state or local law by the owner of the wind energy system.
PSC 128.11(2)(b)
(b) Any damages or bodily injury caused by the construction, operation or decommissioning of the wind energy system.
PSC 128.11 History
History: CR 10-057: cr.
Register February 2011 No. 662, eff. 3-1-11.
PSC 128.12(1)
(1)
Land use and commercial enterprises. An owner shall make reasonable efforts to ascertain and accommodate any land use or commercial enterprise located on a nonparticipating property within 0.5 mile of a proposed wind turbine site if the land use or commercial enterprise exists when the owner gives notice under
s. PSC 128.105 (1), or if complete publicly-available plans for construction are on file with a political subdivision within 30 days of the date the owner gives notice under
s. PSC 128.105 (1).
PSC 128.12(2)
(2) Agricultural use. An owner shall design a wind energy system to reasonably minimize the conversion of land from agricultural use.
PSC 128.12 History
History: CR 10-057: cr.
Register February 2011 No. 662, eff. 3-1-11.
PSC 128.13(1)(b)
(b) An owner shall measure wind turbine setback distances as a straight line from the vertical centerline of the wind turbine tower to the nearest point on the permanent foundation of a building or residence or to the nearest point on the property line or feature, as applicable.
PSC 128.13(1)(c)
(c) An owner shall work with a political subdivision and owners of participating and nonparticipating properties to site wind turbines to minimize individual hardships.
PSC 128.13(1)(d)
(d) The owner of a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building may waive the applicable wind turbine setback distances in Table 1 for those structures to a minimum setback distance of 1.1 times the maximum blade tip height. The owner of a nonparticipating property may waive the applicable wind turbine setback distance in Table 1 from a nonparticipating property line.
PSC 128.13(2)(a)(a) A political subdivision may not establish long-term land use planning requirements or practices that preclude the construction of a particular type, or any type, of wind turbine or wind energy system within the political subdivision's jurisdiction, except as provided in s.
66.0401 (4) (f) 2., Stats.
PSC 128.13(2)(b)
(b) A political subdivision may not set height or setback distance limitations for a wind turbine near a public use airport or heliport that are more restrictive than existing airport and airport approach protection provisions under ss.
114.135 and
114.136, Stats. If no provisions have been established for public use airports or heliports under s.
114.135 or
114.136, Stats., the political subdivision may adopt wind turbine height or setback distance provisions that are based on, but not more restrictive than, the federal aviation administration obstruction standards in
14 CFR Part 77.
PSC 128.13(2)(c)
(c) A political subdivision may set height or setback distance limitations for wind turbines near a private heliport at a medical facility used for air ambulance service that are based on, but not more restrictive than, federal aviation administration obstruction standards that apply to public use heliports.
PSC 128.13(2)(d)
(d) A political subdivision may not set height or setback distance limitations for a wind turbine near a private use airport or heliport except as provided in
par. (c).
PSC 128.13 History
History: CR 10-057: cr.
Register February 2011 No. 662, eff. 3-1-11.
PSC 128.14(1)(1)
Definitions. In this section, nighttime hours are the hours beginning at 10:00 p.m. and ending at 6:00 a.m. daily and daytime hours are the hours beginning at 6:00 a.m. and ending at 10:00 p.m. daily.
PSC 128.14(2)(a)(a) The noise limits in this section apply at the outside wall of a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building that exists when the owner gives notice under
s. PSC 128.105 (1) or for which complete publicly-available plans for construction are on file with a political subdivision within 30 days of the date on which the owner gives notice under
s. PSC 128.105 (1).
PSC 128.14(2)(b)
(b) An owner shall design the proposed wind energy system to minimize noise at a residence or occupied community building to the extent reasonably practicable.
PSC 128.14(2)(c)
(c) An owner shall design a wind energy system to comply with the noise standards in this section under planned operating conditions.
PSC 128.14(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b),
subs. (4) (c) and
(5), an owner shall operate the wind energy system so that the noise attributable to the wind energy system does not exceed 50 dBA during daytime hours and 45 dBA during nighttime hours.
PSC 128.14(3)(b)
(b) In the event audible noise due to wind energy system operations contains a steady pure tone, such as a whine, whistle, screech, or hum, the owner shall promptly take corrective action to permanently eliminate the noise. This paragraph does not apply to sound the wind energy system produces under normal operating conditions.
PSC 128.14(4)(a)(a) If an owner uses sound level measurements to evaluate compliance with this section at a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building, those measurements shall be made as near as possible to the outside wall nearest to the closest wind turbine, or at an alternate wall as specified by the owner of the nonparticipating residence or occupied community building. The owner may take additional measurements to evaluate compliance in addition to those specified by this section.
PSC 128.14(4)(b)
(b) Upon receipt of a complaint regarding a violation of the noise standards in
sub. (3) (a), an owner shall test for compliance with the noise limits in
sub. (3) (a). A political subdivision or monitoring committee established under
s. PSC 128.41 may not require additional testing to show compliance with
sub. (3) (a) if the owner has provided the results of an accurate test conducted within 2 years of the date of the complaint showing that the wind energy system is in compliance with
sub. (3) (a) at the location relating to the complaint.
PSC 128.14(4)(c)
(c) Methods available for the owner to comply with
sub. (3) shall include operational curtailment of one or more wind turbines. Upon receipt of a complaint about a noise under
sub. (3) (b), the owner shall use operational curtailment to eliminate the noise until the owner permanently corrects the problem.
PSC 128.14(4)(d)
(d) An owner shall evaluate compliance with
sub. (3) (a) as part of pre- and post-construction noise studies. An owner shall conduct pre- and post-construction noise studies under the most current version of the noise measurement protocol as described in
s. PSC 128.50 (2).
PSC 128.14(5)
(5) Waiver. Upon request by an owner of a wind energy system, an owner of an affected nonparticipating residence or occupied community building may relieve the owner of the wind energy system of the requirement to meet any of the noise limits in this section at the affected residence or occupied community building by written contract with the wind energy system owner. Unless otherwise provided in a contract signed by an owner of an affected nonparticipating residence or occupied community building, a waiver by an owner of an affected nonparticipating residence or occupied community building is an encumbrance on the real property, runs with the land until the wind energy system is decommissioned, and shall be recorded under
ch. 706, Stats.
PSC 128.14(6)(a)(a) Before entering into a contract under
sub. (5), an owner of a wind energy system shall provide written notice of the requirements of this section to the owner of an affected nonparticipating residence or occupied community building.
PSC 128.14(6)(b)
(b) Before the initial operation of the wind energy system, an owner of a wind energy system shall provide notice of the requirements of this section to an owner of a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building within 0.5 mile of a constructed wind turbine that has not entered into a contract under
sub. (5).
PSC 128.14 History
History: CR 10-057: cr.
Register February 2011 No. 662, eff. 3-1-11.
PSC 128.15(1)(a)(a) The shadow flicker requirements in this section apply to a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building that exists when the owner gives notice under
s. PSC 128.105 (1) or for which complete publicly-available plans for construction are on file with a political subdivision within 30 days of the date on which the owner gives notice under
s. PSC 128.105 (1).
PSC 128.15(1)(b)
(b) An owner shall design the proposed wind energy system to minimize shadow flicker at a residence or occupied community building to the extent reasonably practicable.
PSC 128.15(1)(c)
(c) An owner shall use shadow flicker computer modeling to estimate the amount of shadow flicker anticipated to be caused by a wind energy system and shall design the wind energy system so that computer modeling indicates that no nonparticipating residence or occupied community building will experience more than 30 hours per year of shadow flicker under planned operating conditions.
PSC 128.15(2)
(2) Shadow flicker limits. An owner shall operate the wind energy system in a manner that does not cause more than 30 hours per year of shadow flicker at a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building. If a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building experiences more than 30 hours per year of shadow flicker under the wind energy system's normal operating conditions, the owner shall use operational curtailment to comply with this subsection.
PSC 128.15(3)(a)(a) An owner of a wind energy system shall work with an owner of a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building to mitigate the effects of shadow flicker to the extent reasonably practicable.
PSC 128.15(3)(b)
(b) An owner shall provide reasonable shadow flicker mitigation at the owner's expense for a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building experiencing 20 hours or more per year of shadow flicker.
PSC 128.15(3)(c)
(c) An owner shall model shadow flicker and a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building is eligible for mitigation if computer modeling shows that shadow flicker at the nonparticipating residence or occupied community building will be 20 hours or more per year. An owner of a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building is not required to document the actual hours per year of shadow flicker if modeling indicates the nonparticipating residence or occupied community building is eligible for mitigation. A nonparticipating residence or occupied community building that experiences 20 hours or more per year of shadow flicker based on records kept by the resident of a nonparticipating residence or the occupant of an occupied community building shall also be eligible for mitigation.
PSC 128.15(3)(d)
(d) An owner may provide shadow flicker mitigation for any residence or occupied community building in addition to the mitigation required under
par. (b).
PSC 128.15(3)(e)
(e) The requirement under
par. (b) to mitigate shadow flicker applies when the owner receives a complaint or request for mitigation regarding shadow flicker for an eligible nonparticipating residence or occupied community building. If shadow flicker mitigation is required, the owner of the wind energy system shall allow the owner of the nonparticipating residence or occupied community building to choose a preferred reasonable mitigation technique, including installation of blinds or plantings at the wind energy system owner's expense.
PSC 128.15(4)
(4) Waiver. Upon request by an owner of a wind energy system, an owner of an affected nonparticipating residence or occupied community building may relieve the wind energy system owner of a requirement under
sub. (2) or
(3) (b) at the affected nonparticipating residence or occupied community building by written contract with the wind energy system owner. Unless otherwise provided in a contract signed by an owner of an affected nonparticipating residence or occupied community building, a waiver by an owner of an affected nonparticipating residence or occupied community building is an encumbrance on the real property and runs with the land until the wind energy system is decommissioned, and shall be recorded under
ch. 706, Stats.
PSC 128.15(5)(a)(a) Before entering into a contract under
sub. (4), a wind energy system owner shall provide notice of the requirements of this section to individual owners of an affected nonparticipating residence or occupied community building.
PSC 128.15(5)(b)
(b) Before the initial operation of the wind energy system, a wind energy system owner shall provide notice of the requirements of this section to an owner of a nonparticipating residence or occupied community building within 0.5 mile of a constructed wind turbine that has not entered into a contract under
sub. (4).
PSC 128.15 History
History: CR 10-057: cr.
Register February 2011 No. 662, eff. 3-1-11.
PSC 128.16(1)(a)(a) Except as provided in
sub. (4), the signal interference requirements in this section apply to commercial communications and personal communications in use when the wind energy system begins operation.
PSC 128.16(1)(b)
(b) A owner shall use reasonable efforts to avoid causing interference with commercial communications and personal communications to the extent practicable.
PSC 128.16(1)(c)
(c) An owner may not construct wind energy system facilities within existing line-of-sight communication paths that are used by government or military entities to provide services essential to protect public safety. A political subdivision may require an owner to provide information showing that wind turbines and other wind energy system facilities will be in compliance with this paragraph.
PSC 128.16(2)
(2) Commercial communications interference mitigation. An owner shall use reasonable and commercially available technology to mitigate interference caused by a wind energy system with commercial communications in use when a wind energy system begins operation. Before implementing mitigation measures, the owner shall consult with affected parties regarding the preferred mitigation solution for commercial communications interference problems. Except as provided in
sub. (4), an owner shall mitigate commercial communications interference caused by the wind energy system by making the affected party's preferred reasonable mitigation solution effective until either the wind energy system is decommissioned or the communication is no longer in use, whichever is earlier.
PSC 128.16(3)
(3) Personal communications interference mitigation. PSC 128.16(3)(a)(a) An owner shall use reasonable and commercially available technology to mitigate interference with personal communications in use when a wind energy system begins operation caused by a wind energy system. A political subdivision may require an owner to use reasonable and commercially available technology to mitigate interference with personal communications that were not in use when the wind energy system began commercial operation, if a wind energy system is causing the interference and the interference occurs at a location at least 0.5 mile from a wind turbine.
PSC 128.16(3)(b)
(b) Before implementing mitigation measures, the owner shall consult with affected parties regarding the preferred mitigation solution for personal communications interference problems. Except as provided in
sub. (4), an owner shall mitigate personal communications interference caused by the wind energy system by making the affected party's preferred reasonable mitigation solution effective until either the wind energy system is decommissioned or the communication is no longer in use, whichever is earlier.
