Kerrie Marquardt, of the Town of Pella, points to recommendations for the community to keep solar farms and data centers out during an informational meeting May 12 at Pella Town Hall. More than 100 people packed the meeting room, while others peered in through the windows with umbrellas deterring the rain falling outside so they could hear about proposals taking place in the town. (Lee Pulaski | NEW Media)
Many communities are concerned about either solar farms or data centers destroying their pristine country lifestyle.
In the Town of Pella, residents are worried about both of them at the same time. They packed Pella Town Hall for an information meeting May 12 — even resulting in some latecomers standing out in the rain with umbrellas so they could still hear the presentation about the threats that both provide.
There is a company, Nexamp, based in Boston and Chicago, that is interested in using land in the Town of Pella for a solar farm, according to town officials.
Current town ordinances and zoning do not address solar or data projects, as many policies date back to 1994. Shawano County is looking at establishing a moratorium on data centers in its boundaries, but because the Town of Pella has its own zoning system that’s not controlled by the county, it has to establish its own moratorium if it wants to slow down future development efforts.
Solar farms are a different story. According to Town of Pella resident Kerrie Marquardt, who led the presentation on the issues, any kind of solar project involving rooftops or something with a maximum of 100 megawatts is under the purview of the town. Larger projects, however, get decided by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, which could leave the town helpless to keep them out.
“We have no say,” Marquardt said.
There were two potential solar farm projects that were vying for space in the Town of Belle Plaine, but neither one went through.
The first one, which expressed interest in 2021 for up to 500 acres of the 630-acre county farm, was pitched by Geronimo Power, formerly known as National Grid Renewables. It could have provided millions of dollars in revenue for the county. After that, OneEnergy asked the county for land near Rose Brook Road and state Highway 22, but it was determined the revenue to the county would be minimal.
Marquardt said she spoke with the new chairperson in the Town of Morgan in Oconto County about the solar farm project there, which had been in the works for five years without town residents realizing. The former chairperson and one of the town board members worked with NextEra to bring the Fox Solar Project for a 100-megawatt solar farm and 50-megawatt battery facility to almost 650 acres of land.
Marquardt said she was worried something similar could happen with the Nexamp project.
“We sat here for three years and didn’t realize we were being targeted,” Marquardt said.
She warned that towns that have signed deals with solar farm companies were put under gag orders not to discuss details with residents, media or others who inquire. Marquardt said she could not find any consistent information on the number of solar developments in the Midwest, and she added that acreage for solar farms is also a target for companies wanting to build data centers.
Marquardt noted that solar farm companies are interested in getting their hands on farmers’ land, whatever the cost.
“If they want your land, they’re going to keep upping,” she said. “This lady, for 60 acres, they were going to give her $11 million across 30 years.”
Town of Pella zoning favors land preservation, according to Marquardt, even with future plans for residential areas. Industrial areas are not in abundance, she said.
“This shows we want to keep things simple and protect our agriculture, our farmland and preserve our land,” Marquardt said. “This is a good thing.”
Town of Pella farmer Duane Buettner said that while he’s not in favor of solar farms and data centers coming into the community, he could see why farmers would be in favor of selling their land in these tough times for them to make a living.
“Someone comes along and offers me $15 million for X amount of acres — there’s no money in farming,” Buettner said. “I know we want to protect that, but everybody wants cheap food, and the farmer wants money, too.”
Buettner was in the minority, though, as many speakers wanted solutions to keep solar and data companies from gaining a foothold in the community. Gracie Waukechon, a Bonduel resident and environmental activist, noted that large-scale data centers can use millions of gallons of water daily to cool servers, putting the Town of Pella at risk of losing available water for residents.
“I’m no farmer, but I know that our dairy cattle requires a lot of water, and I would rather that our water go to supporting our farmers,” Waukechon said. “We need to make sure that our ethics are keeping up with our technological advancement.”
She added that artificial intelligence, which is part of the reason data centers are popping up, is contaminating water supplies and has been used in child sex exploitation. Also, data centers bring in people to construct them, but there are few jobs available in the community once they’re built. All Pella will get, Waukechon said, is higher energy bills and lower water supplies.
Waukechon recommended that farmers put their land into trust so it can’t be sold, and that will help protect future generations.
“We can fight this,” she said.
Doug Blashe, a Town of Pella farmer, believes that any solar projects the town has control over should be zoned commercial instead of letting the euphemism of a solar farm keep such development under agricultural zoning.
“These people are ruthless,” Blashe said. “They say that after 25, 30 years, they’re going to come and take it all down when it’s no longer useful. Yeah, I’ve got land to sell, too, in Florida.”
Jill Romberg, another Town of Pella farmer, said she has received numerous letters from various companies asking to buy the family property, and she noted other farmers in the community are in the same situation.
“These companies come from all over, and they’re very vague about what they want to do with (the land),” Romberg said. “They give us examples of how much money we’re going to make, how much money they’re going to pay. Remember, nothing is for free. Just to let you know, we are not signing any of those things.”
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
Town of Pella farmer Duane Buettner tells a packed house at Pella Town Hall that he doesn’t favor solar farms or data centers coming into the community, but that he understands why farmers are willing to sell their land to them. Buettner added that it’s a bad time to be a farmer, with people wanting cheap food while those in agriculture are getting scraps for all their hard work. (Lee Pulaski | NEW Media)
Town of Pella farmer Jill Romberg tells those in attendance at a May 12 informational meeting at Pella Town Hall that she regularly gets letters from companies wanting to buy her farm, with vague language on what would be done with it. Romberg said she never plans to sign a deal that would convert her farm to a solar farm or data center. (Lee Pulaski | NEW Media)
Bonduel resident Gracie Waukechon, an environmental activist, speaks at a May 12 meeting at Pella Town Hall regarding solar farms and data centers. She warns that the latter will require millions of gallons of water, resulting in less water for the farmers in the Town of Pella. (Lee Pulaski | NEW Media)
