Marathon County Board to consider supporting local control over energy projects

A bill in the state legislature could turn control over wind and solar energy projects to local municipalities.

A Marathon County resolution could ask the Wisconsin Counties Association to help get it passed. 

Twin bills in the state Senate and Assembly would require local approval for certain wind and solar projects before the Public Service Commission (PSC) can approve them. 

At an Infrastructure Committee meeting on Thursday, county administrator Lance Leonhard said the legislation applies to projects over 100 megawatts.

“It allows for the municipality to essentially take action to restrict the project from moving forward outside of involvement through the PSC public hearing,” Leonhard said.

Leonhard would be responsible for asking the Wisconsin Counties Association to lobby for the bill on Marathon County’s behalf.

District 29 supervisor Chris Dickinson supported passing the resolution.

“I think it ties in with lots of the conversations that we’ve had about local control, particularly when it comes to, I would say, the county and that being an arm of the state,” Dickinson said.

The resolution comes as Alliant Energy is working to set up a 150 megawatt wind farm in Marathon County. 

The farm would occupy land in the towns of Day, McMillan, Eau Pleine, Cleveland, Green Valley and Brighton.

According to their website, a proposed timeline slates the company to submit a permit application to the PSC this year. 

If the legislation passes, Marathon County local municipalities would be able to approve or deny the project.

The resolution passed out of the committee and heads to the full county board at the end of the month.

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