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Board asks WCA to lobby for greater local control on renewable energy; measure passes 14–4
Summary
The St. Croix County Board voted 14–4 to ask the Wisconsin Counties Association to lobby the state and governor for greater county-level control over renewable energy siting; Supervisor Rice said he would oppose, arguing local fora lack authority and the resolution could inflame community tensions about a proposed Excel site.
The St. Croix County Board voted 14–4 to ask the Wisconsin Counties Association to lobby the state legislature and governor for greater local control over renewable-energy siting.
Supervisor Shirley moved the resolution and Supervisor Carlson seconded. Shirley said the counties' association can help add the issue to the board’s agenda for the next legislative session rather than repeatedly contacting state lawmakers during the year.
Supervisor Rice said he would vote against the resolution despite supporting it in committee. Rice warned that local control over siting is limited and could be used to block projects that residents oppose; he added that passing the resolution ‘‘will just give more fuel to people to continue to show up and demand that we spend money fighting something that we can't control,’’ and referenced heightened emotions around a proposed Excel site.
The board adopted the resolution 14–4. The measure asks the Wisconsin Counties Association to advocate for legislation that would give counties more authority over energy project siting, though any change would require action by the state legislature and governor.
What happens next: The resolution requests association-level advocacy; it does not change county regulatory authority by itself, and any statutory change would require state-level legislation.
