GE Healthcare Holds off on Seeking Wind Turbine Approval
Waukesha residents concerned about airport safety and aesthetics of wind turbines.
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GE Healthcare is going to take it slow as it pursues plans to install 10 wind turbines on its property to assist in defraying utility costs, an official from the company said in a meeting that brought several residents forward with concerns.
GE Healthcare was seeking approval of a conditional use permit to install the wind turbines on the property from the Plan Commission on Wednesday. But, when the project came forward, GE Healthcare’s general manager of global facilities and real estate, Mark Colananni, asked that the item be up for discussion and not approval.
Colananni estimated that the wind turbines proposed will be about 150 feet and 160 feet tall. The wind turbines, if eventually approved by the Plan Commission, would be the first in Waukesha.
“I know wind turbines can be very controversial,” said Colananni. “… What we want to do is get all community's input and thoughts on this.”
GE Healthcare wants to spend more time engineering the program and soliciting feedback about the towers from nearby Pewaukee, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Federal Aviation Administration, Crites Field and the neighbors and residents who may want more information or have concerns, Colananni said.
“We are in the early stages here,” Colananni said. “We will make sure we get everyone’s input.”
Plan Commissioner R.G. Keller asked if the wind turbines would be made at Manitowoc’s Tower Tech. Colananni did not commit to a vendor but did say GE Healthcare is looking at having the wind turbines made in the United States.
The wind turbines were placed on the Plan Commission agenda as if GE Healthcare was seeking approval of the conditional use permit Wednesday night, which irked some nearby Waukesha residents.
The residents spoke about airport safety concerns, the aesthetic changes to the area and environmental impacts
Joseph Cottrell, who lives on Northview Road, said it was “a form of insanity” to place the wind turbines close to the airport and he was glad that the project was stalled.
“It has enormous impact on airport safety,” Cottrell said.
St. Swithin
8:33 am on Thursday, April 28, 2011
I'm a big supporter of this. GE would be highlighting their own products and cutting energy costs at the same time. Mr. Cottrell is engaging in hyperbole when he talks about airport safety. The turbines would be almost a mile from the airport and not on the flight path. You could think of them as 10-story buildings. Pilots would have to avoid them like any other urban hazard, such as radio towers.
Terry
1:03 pm on Thursday, April 28, 2011
Hey GE, don't you think you've got your head up Obama's butt far enuf yet??? I mean - Really?
St. Swithin
3:32 pm on Thursday, April 28, 2011
Got some anger management issues there, Terry? In case you missed it, the topic was the pros and cons of installing wind turbines here on the GE Healthcare campus in Waukesha. You know GE? The company that provides thousands of high-paying jobs (like mine) for this community? The one that is heavily involved in supporting local schools and charities. The one that likes to hire veterans (like me). You know, THAT company. If you need to vent go find one of those vote-counting articles. You'll fit right in over there.
twister929
6:06 pm on Thursday, April 28, 2011
Glad to know my neighbors think they know m0re about airport safety than the people running the airport. That being said, as much as I'm for the project I say deny it until they start paying taxes.
St. Swithin
8:51 am on Friday, April 29, 2011
Twister,
I realize you are referring to the NY Times article about GE and federal taxes. Does that apply at the local level? I would be very surprised to hear that Waukesha county or the state of Wisconsin receive no tax money from GE. Does anyone have details on that?
Even so, would you deny a company the right to build something on their own property when they are obeying all the laws and regulations? At a time of increasing energy costs why would you deny anyone the right to explore alternative energy sources? Especially when that is their business?
Glen Godfrey
3:37 am on Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Good idea and I am a supporter of it.
http://www.globalwarming360.net/wind-energy-pros-and-cons-an-overview.html
The Welshman
6:36 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Sounds like a great idea, wind, solar, hydro, whatever we can do!