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Michael Groen over 5 years ago

No, the modified setbacks should not be approved. When the towers were built, the energy company decided the location to erect the windmills. It appears they selected sites that were near the minimum distance from property they do not have the wind rights upon. I do not think they should be rewarded for not thinking about the possibility of installing larger blades in the future and that a larger set back would be required. If the modified set back is approved, I question the ethical behavior as this would be giving the legal approval to the wind company of stealing due to their own poor decisions. It also creates the atmosphere to land owners that they must sign on whatever the wind company is offering, otherwise they will take it (similar to eminent domain) with no FAIR compensation to the land owner. The wind energy enterprise is a for profit business. I think it is in poor taste that wind companies are even requesting modified setbacks and any approval would be creating a disturbing precedent valuing corporate profits over individual land owners rights.

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Michael Groen about 5 years ago

No, the modified setback should not be approved. I represent 28.5% of the wind turbines that do not have adequate set back requirements. In response to the January 9, 2019 Fenton Power Partners I, LLC reply comments, they state that they are negotiating and will continue negotiating wind right agreements with affected landowners. My family has not received any correspondence from Fenton wind for the past 18+ months. It appears rather than negotiating a fair agreement, they intend to use a legal means to conduct imminent domain to bypass land owners on the assumption that it is for "greater" good of MN and are reasonable because it appears that is a cheaper method to achieve their goals. If they want to retool their windmills, I believe Fenton Wind should follow the appropriate legal requirements without waivers. If they choose to keep up to 7 of the 136 windmills at the existing size and proper legal setback requirements, I do not believe that will have a large adverse effect on their operation or the additional potential income for the greater MN area. Fenton Wind says they respect all land owners rights, but appears that their actions and requests for variance contradict this statement.

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