Wind energy production is one of the world's fastest growing industries. In 2010, the industry employed over 85,000 people nationally. In Wisconsin, the wind industry supports thousands of jobs at businesses like Tower Tech in Manitowoc and Renewegy in Oshkosh. Both companies produce parts for wind turbines. Tower Tech produced its first turbine in 2005 and now employs over 250 people at its plant, where it offers competitive wages and good benefits.

By effectively banning wind energy construction in the state, this law would leave manufacturing companies like Tower Tech with far less incentive to develop in Wisconsin.

These more restrictive regulations would replace rules that the Wisconsin Public Service Commission recently approved after two years of study, six rounds of public comments, and input from all major stakeholder groups.

During this process, an advisory group including businesses, local officials, health professionals and homeowners spent countless hours crafting rules that strike a compromise between promoting the development of clean, renewable wind energy and protecting the interests of neighboring landowners. These rules are some of the most onerous for wind developers in the nation, but they won't kill off the industry.