The Wisconsin 3rd District of Appeals upheld Wisconsin’s wind siting standards on March 22nd. This means that the PSC will not have to produce a report on how wind turbines affect property values while imposing the siting standards.

The Wisconsin Realtors Association, Wisconsin Builders Association, and Wisconsin Towns Association along with a few individuals, brought suit in 2012 claiming that the PSC’s rules on setting up uniform wind turbine construction and setback standards were invalid because no report had been produced on the rules’ effect on property values. This was found to not be the case as the court determined that the multitude of evidence against any change in property value was sufficient to conclude in favor of PSC.

The Circuit court in Brown County ruled in the commission’s favor last year, determining that no report was necessary, and Judge Lisa K. Stark wrote the appellate court opinion affirming the lower court’s decision.