Don’t let wind turbine issue drag on much longer

It’s about time to settle the Calumet County wind turbine issue.

More than a year old already, the controversy about how to regulate — or, in effect, even allow — two large turbine projects in one of the most promising areas in the state for wind energy has been hashed over again and again. The major sticking point is how far a turbine should have to be away from a house. The county’s current ordinance says 1,000 feet, but a special committee appointed to look into the effects of wind turbines recommended moving it back to 1,800 feet. Turbine project developers say that’s too far — that it would kill the project.

Last month, the county board passed a 70-day ban on permits for turbines. Some residents are asking for a one-year ban, to study the effects of a similar turbine project in Fond du Lac County. Really, that’s going to only serve to drag out a decision that needs to be made sooner.