Saginaw Future and the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce present an invitation only opportunity to learn more about wind energy from the experts. We will provide a forum featuring a panel of experts on health, a panel of community experts who have experienced wind energy farm developments and a legislative update on wind energy opportunities in Michigan.
We offer this complimentary forum to help educate elected officials and other key decision makers using sound science and firsthand experience of what a wind energy project has offered to communities across Michigan.
Invitation IS NOT transferrable.
Agenda:
| 7:30 a.m. |
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Check-in and Breakfast Buffet |
| 7:55 a.m. |
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Welcome |
| 8:00 a.m. |
|
Senator Ken Horn |
| 8:10 a.m. |
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Health Experts: |
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Jeffrey Ellenbogen, MMSc, MD |
| |
|
Kenneth Kaliski, PE, INCE Bd. Cert., RSG |
| |
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Steve Block, Siting Engineer, Black & Veatch |
| 9:15 a.m. |
|
Break |
| 9:30 a.m. |
|
Community Experts: |
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Bill Renn |
| |
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Douglas Merchant |
| |
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Kevin Beeson |
| 10:20 a.m. |
|
Closing Remarks |
To register, click the button above or email Lisa@SaginawChamber.org. Registration deadline: May 10th
About our speakers:
Jeffrey Ellenbogen, MMSc, MD
Jeffrey Ellenbogen, MMSc, MD, is a licensed physician, author and current director of The Sound Sleep Project. He is also a board-certified expert in neurology and in sleep-medicine. Dr. Ellenbogen was the lead author of “Wind Turbine Health Impact Study” for the state of Massachusetts and has authored numerous other articles on neurology, sleep and sound. Dr. Ellenbogen also serves as an expert reviewer for Council of Canadian Academies’ report “Expert Panel on Wind Turbine Noise and Human Health.” He has conducted Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) on people claiming health effects from wind turbines, has experience working with numerous wind energy companies including providing in-depth depositions, written testimony, town hall meetings and evidentiary hearings. Dr. Ellenbogen’s undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan, and he graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from Tufts University School of Medicine. He also holds a Masters in Medical Science from Harvard Medical School.
Kenneth Kaliski, PE, INCE Bd. Cert.
Kenneth Kaliski, PE, INCE Bd. Cert., is a senior director at RSG. He is a licensed professional engineer in Michigan, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Illinois, and is Board Certified through the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE). He is also certified as a Quality Environmental Professional through the Institute of Environmental Practice. Kaliski is the co-chair of the Wind Turbine Noise Technical Activity Committee of INCE and a member of the Acoustical Society of America where he serves on the Technical Committee on Noise. Kaliski has taken a lead role in research on wind turbines, authoring more than a dozen papers on the subject. His research includes the “Massachusetts Study on Wind Turbine Acoustics” for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and Department of Environmental Protection and an ongoing study with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on wind turbine public acceptance. He has also published several papers on sound propagation modeling for wind projects.
Steve Block, Siting Engineer, Black & Veatch
Steve Block serves as the lead engineer for wind development and siting activities for Black & Veatch. In this role he has significant experience in site selection, wind resource assessment, technology selection, project layout development and energy production analysis for projects in the United States. Block has more than 13 years of experience in wind development and siting practices, including more than 10 years of experience siting wind projects in Michigan. Block holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University. Black & Veatch is a leader in comprehensive planning, engineering, consulting, construction, program management and combined engineering, procurement and construction services throughout the globe. Behind the large infrastructure assets that Black & Veatch designs and builds, the company accounts for business and operational processes, environmental concerns, asset management, water treatment, regulatory requirements, and physical security, among others.
Bill Renn
Bill Renn is a life-long resident of Chandler Township where he has farmed all of his life. Prior to 1990, he farmed in partnership with his dad and brother. Currently he farms with S&I Inc., farming 3,500 acres while also operating a used truck and trailer repair facility in Chandler Township. Mr. Renn has served as the Chandler Township supervisor since 1989, and, in 2001, was elected to the Michigan Townships Association (MTA) board of directors to represent Huron, Sanilac and Tuscola counties. In 2012, Mr. Renn served as president of the association. He left the board in 2017. In 2008, Mr. Renn oversaw the building of Harvest Wind I in Chandler and Oliver townships and later Harvest Wind II in 2012. In 2013, DTE constructed Echo wind park followed by an expansion in 2017. Chandler now has 87 wind turbines, two measurement towers and a substation all related to wind generation in the area.
Douglas Merchant
Douglas Merchant worked in farming after graduating from Ithaca High School in 1972 until his retirement in 2006. In 1986, Mr. Merchant was appointed to the Arcada Township Board as a Trustee and to Township Supervisor in 1988. Mr. Merchant obtained a Level I Assessor Certificate in 1989 and became the Arcada Township Assessor that same year. In 1998, he obtained his Level II Assessor Certification from Delta College and became the Bethany Township Assessor and, in 2004, he became the Pine River Township Assessor. Mr. Merchant served 13 years on the Michigan Townships Association (MTA) Board and served as its President in 2014. Mr. Merchant has been involved with the wind turbine projects since 2012.
Kevin Beeson
Kevin Beeson is the elected Supervisor at Pine River Township in Gratiot County. His leadership has been a driving force in collaborative efforts across the county to provide better services for residents at lesser cost to taxpayers. Pine River Township saw the largest producing wind-farm brought online this year relying on Mr. Beeson to guide the project through the Planning Commission and the Board of Trustees. He worked closely with landowners, homeowners, and the wind-farm developer to ensure that all parties had their concerns heard in a fair and equitable manner. Mr. Beeson is a member of the Michigan Townships Association (MTA) Board of Directors. He serves as Finance Chair of Greater Gratiot Development, Inc., and as Chair of the St. Louis Area Fire Department.