Wisconsin-Report

• Milwaukee Sun Sentinel: The Changes The Utility Was Seeking Would Tack On A New Charge For Solar-
Generating Customers, Pay Them Less For The Energy They Produce, And Ban Solar Companies From
Owning The Panels On Customers’ Roofs. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “The changes the utility is
seeking before the state Public Service Commission would tack on a new charge for solar-generating customers, pay them
less for the energy they produce and ban companies like Sunvest Solar in Milwaukee or national solar companies from
owning the panels on customers’ roofs.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/16/14]
Americans For Prosperity Sponsored An Article On RightWisconsin.com Supporting Higher Fees For Solar Energy
Users. [Right Wisconsin, 9/15/14]
ALEC
The Koch-Backed Americans For Prosperity And The American Legislative Exchange Council “Championed
Efforts Around The U.S. To Roll Back State Incentives For Renewable Power, Calling Them A Distortion Of The
Free Market.” According to Bloomberg, “Critics look at Walker’s record and see the ideological imprint of Charles and
David Koch, the billionaire Republican campaign donors. The Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity provided funding and
volunteers during Walker’s rise to power in Wisconsin. That group, and another partly funded by the Kochs named the
American Legislative Exchange Council, have championed efforts around the U.S. to roll back state incentives for renewable
power, calling them a distortion of the free market.” [Bloomberg, 9/2/15]
La Cross Tribune Columnist Harvey Witzenburg: Wind Energy Companies “Cancelled Or Suspended Plans To
Build Facilities” In Wisconsin, Which Was “Exactly What ALEC, Supported By Fossil Fuel Companies,” Wanted.
According to an opinion by columnist Harvey Witzenburg for the La Crosse Tribune, “Walker changed the rules for wind
energy in Wisconsin. As a result, wind energy companies have cancelled or suspended plans to build facilities here. Crippling
the wind industry is exactly what ALEC, supported by fossil fuel companies, wants.” [Harvey Witzenburg – La Crosse
Tribune, 7/26/15]
• Witzenburg: “The Failure To Develop Wind Energy Means A Loss Of Jobs,” Which, In Wisconsin, “A State
That Has Vastly Underperformed In Job Creation,” Was “An Area Of Real Opportunity.” According to an opinion
by columnist Harvey Witzenburg for the La Crosse Tribune, “Walker changed the rules for wind energy in Wisconsin. As
a result, wind energy companies have cancelled or suspended plans to build facilities here. Crippling the wind industry is
exactly what ALEC, supported by fossil fuel companies, wants. A resource assessment by the National Renewable Energy
Lab found that wind resources could provide far more than the state’s current electricity needs. The failure to develop
wind energy means a loss of jobs. For a state that has vastly underperformed in job creation, this is an area of real
opportunity.” [Harvey Witzenburg – La Crosse Tribune, 7/26/15]
ALEC Pushed For Model Legislation That Was Introduced In Wisconsin That Would Repeal State Renewable
Portfolio Standards, Which Mandate That A Certain Percentage Of Electric Generation Come From Renewable
Sources. According to the Capital Times, “The Guardian is reporting that ALEC is pushing to block clean energy initiatives
nationwide, from penalizing homeowners who install rooftop solar panels or small scale wind farms to weakening state
renewable portfolio standards (RPS). In place in about half the states, including Wisconsin, the RPS standards mandate that a
certain percentage of electric generation come from renewable sources. Wisconsin’s RPS is 10 percent by 2015, with most of
the state’s electric utilities already meeting the requirement. […] In 2012, ALEC drafted a model bill pushing for the outright
repeal of RPS and at least 15 states, including Wisconsin, have seen the legislation introduced. So far those efforts at repeal
haven’t been very successful, reports Midwest Energy News.” [Capital Times, 12/6/13]
MacIver Institute
The MacIver Institute Claimed That Liberal Special Interest Groups Attempted To Push Wisconsin’s Public Service
Commission “Towards A Misguided Position Of Restoring The Solar Power Subsidies.” According to the MacIver
Institute, “Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission (PSC) decided earlier this month to temporarily stop subsidizing home
solar and wind power projects through the Focus on Energy program. The subsidy is discontinued through the end of the year
pending a final decision by the PSC. Unfortunately, liberal special interest groups are attempting to push the PSC towards a
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