Trick #1
The language of the easement option includes such items as "Owner agrees that it will not publicly oppose or object to the Project or any necessary permit, variance or other similar government or quasi-governmental action in a public meeting or forum."
Trick #2
They are Unamerican
Unlike public utilities, private energy factories in Wisconsin do not have to be American owned.
LIE
CORPORATE WIND FARMS ARE GREEN WASHING CORPORATE GREED
Warren Buffett remarked about wind energy, "We get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That's the only reason to build them. They don't make sense without the tax credit.”
Trick #3
The Public Service Commission Doesn't Serve the Public
Wisconsin's Public Service Commission is a three person body. Members are appointed for by the governor for six year terms. The public has no say in who should be appointed, and there is no requirement for diversity or community members on the Commission. The Commission does not appear at all interested in hearing from the public or affected communities, often not even attending scheduled public listening sessions. Two of the commissioners have strong ties to Big Energy. And yet, they still feel capable of deciding which communities will cease being agricultural and become industrial. They can risk the lives of others without any risk to themselves. We are just collateral damage.
Trick #4
Land agents use coercive tactics to have options signed.
When attempting to enroll land in a option agreement, land agents may lie, leave lots unsaid and make implications that sound like promises. We know of one situation where a land agent told a land owner while out looking at the site that Uplands Wind could easily put "X" number of turbines on the land while pointing at various places.
There is a big difference between "could" and "will." The land agent didn't mention that a determination of turbine citing cannot be made until after sufficient land has been enrolled for the PSC to give the developer the go-ahead and siting modeling has been done. The land owners thinking they have pay dirt by having multiple turbines on their land could find out that they will receive no turbines but perhaps a substation instead.
Worse yet, the agents will enroll a designated parcel of land (far away from the farm house} without mentioning that by signing the easement the owner has given away control of all the land they own.
READ THE CONTRACT!
Trick 5
Trick 6