Record of Committee Proceedings

Committee on Energy and Utilities

Assembly Bill 529

Relating to: remediation of objectionable flows of electric current, burden of proof and damages in certain actions against public utilities, making an appropriation, and providing penalties.

By Representatives Gronemus, J. Wood, Black, Ainsworth, Berceau, Pocan, Young and A. Williams; cosponsored by Senators George and Risser.

September 18, 2003 Referred to Committee on Energy and Utilities.

January 6, 2004 PUBLIC HEARING HELD

Present: (12) Representatives Jensen, Montgomery, Friske, J. Fitzgerald, Gottlieb, Nischke, Honadel, Ziegelbauer, Steinbrink, Schooff, Zepnick and Travis.

Absent: (1) Representative Powers.

Appearances For
1. Rep. Barbara Gronemus, 91st Assembly District, Whitehall
2. Scott Lawrence, St.Nazianz
3. Michael Behr, Northfield, MN 55057
4. Christopher Stombaugh, Platteville
5. Steven Pechacek, Prescott
6. Jean Harder, Harder Brother's Farm, Hilbert
7. Tim Fitzgerald, Winneconne
8. Mardie Hartenstein, Plymouth
9. David Stetzer, Taylor
10. Richard Schulte, Marshfield
11. Marilyn Wilson, Clean Power Wisconsin, Madison
12. Catherine Kleiber, Waterloo
13. Tom Beane, Fort Atkinson
14. Marcie Fry, Madison
15. Lawrence Neubauer, Hortonville
16. Marvin Dietsche, Dietsche's Dairy, Loyal
17. Kathy Kietsche, Dietsche's Dairy, Loyal
18. Dennis Hinrichsen, Quad Dairy Nutrition, Abbortsford
19. Kurt Gutknecht, Fitchburg
20. Sara Brenner, WI Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Assoc, Madison
21. Mary Kaye Bronsteatter, Merrill
22. Mary Thompson, Spring Valley
23. Robert Hardie, Taylor
24. Mike Carney, Deerfield
25. Richard Nyman, Nyman Farms, Inc, Footville
26. Nancy Ritter, Madison
27. Beth Hornung, Madison
28. Alfred Meyer, Madison
29. Steve Haines, Arcadia
30. Jerome Daniels, Kansasville
31. William Schmidt, Schmidt Electric, Platteville
32. Guy Leavitt, Blair-Taylor School District, Blair
33. Tony Dryak, Taylor
34. John Beyerl, Colby
35. Daniel Hager, DePere
36. Doug Sutter, Luxemburg
37. Darrel Christoph, Kindle-Lite Holsteins, Green Bay

Appearances Against
1. Bill Skewes, WI Utilities Assoc., Madison
2. Chuck DeNardo, WE Energies, Milwaukee
3. Kevin Schnack, Northern States Power, Eau Claire
4. Dan Dasho, Shawano Municipal Utility, Shawano
5. Robert Deaxlie, Deaxlie Electric, Auburndale
6. Tom Krull, Madison Gas & Electric, Madison
7. R.J. Pirlot, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, Madison
8. Dr. John Ryder, Oregon
9. David Jenkins, WI Electric Cooperative Assoc., Madison

Appearances for Information Only
1. Douglas Reinemann, University of WI, Madison
2. Scot Cullen, WI Public Service Commission, Madison
3. Mark Cook, WI Public Service Commission, Madison
4. Diek Reims, WI Public Service Commission, Madison
5. Marjorie Lundquist, Milwaukee

Registrations For
1. Sen. Fred Risser, Senate District 26, Madison
2. Loraine Dryak, Alma Center
3. Dan Kleiber, Waterloo
4. Vicki Coughlin, WI Women for Agriculture, Watertown
5. Mike Burbach, Burbach's Dairy, Mineral Point
6. James Kooiker, Randolph
7. Greg Eckels, Ross Soil Service, Mineral Point
8. Rev. Sue Moline Larson, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in WI, Madison
9. Paul Mleziua, Denmark
10. Ryan Weiskircher, Ross Soil Service, Shullsburg
11. Lori Lemmenes, Waupun
12. Roy Lemmenes, Waupun
13. Lyle Sell, Strum
14. Allen Mayer, Chili
15. Richard Keller, WI Farmers Union
16. Dennis Bries, Johnson Creek
17. Jim Sulzer, Agrivolt Midwest LLC, Sussex
18. Michael Wiericks, Casco
19. Bill Hildebrandt
20. Scott Srnka, Algoma
21. Susan Webster, Madison
22. Rick Paye, Casco
23. Gary LeRoy, LeRoy Sales Service, New Franken
24. Joan Neubauer, Hortonville
25. Chris Jadin, United Vision Dairy, LLC, Casco
26. James Bohman, Stratford
27. Diane Bohman, Stratford
28. John Haen, Luxemburg
29. Dan Schilling, Madison
30. Margaret Hager, Cascade
31. Ted Pejager, Cambria
32. Tammy Hardyman, Mineral Point
33. Steve Hardyman, Mineral Point
34. David Quarne, Quarne Farms, Blair
35. Larry Thompson, Blair
36. Tim Leix, Leix Farms, Montfort
37. Tom Bollant, Bollant Farms Inc., Fennimore
38. Steve Bollant, Bollant Farms Inc., Montfort
39. Emma Czarapata, Madison
40. Donald Leix, Leix Farms Inc., Montfort
41. Jerry Gander, Big Gain Inc., Richland
42. Eddie Thompson, Blair
43. Byron Krueger, Melrose
44. James Dietsche, Dietsche's Dairy, Loyal
45. Rawdy James, New Providence Farms, Livingston
46. Dan Becker, Spencer
47. Bernard Kleiber, Whitewater
48. Nancy Kleiber, Whitewater
49. Clay Bernick, Spencer
50. Lynn Breedlove, Survival Coalition, Madison
51. Donald Clark, Black River Falls
52. Sarah Coyle, Madison
53. Paul Zimmerman, WI Farm Bureau, Madison
54. Tom Rotering, Fountain City
55. Charles Rotering, Foundtain City
56. Gene Sowieth, E.R. Home Inspection Service, Monona
57. Dale Dalebroux, Luxemburg
58. Richard Ledvina, Ledvina Farm, Luxemburg
59. Nancy Ledvina, Richard Ledvina Farm, Luxemburg
60. Matthew Haew, Luxemburg
61. Alan Mazna, Denmark
62. Jackie Mazna, Denmark
63. David Gauger, Denmark
64. Terry Allen, DePere
65. Scott Allen, DePere
66. Lori Jensen, Green Bay
67. Russell Allen, DePere
68. Dean Weichmann

Registrations Against
1. Steven Schott, WI Public Service Corp, Green Bay
2. Roger O'Neil, Xcel Energy, Sparta
3. Jim Hough, WI Coalition for Civil Justice, Madison
4. Pat Schillinger, Neenah
5. Martin Jacobi, Madison Gas & Electric Co., Madison
6. Kenyon Kies, WI Utility Investors, Madison
7. Jon Lundgren, WE Energies, Milwaukee
8. Greg Blum, Control WI Electric Coop, Iola
9. Shannon Clark, Soldiers Grove
10. Steven Healy, Pierce Pepin Coop Services, River Falls
11. Todd Howard, Chippewa Valley Electric Coop, Cornell
12. Ken Petersen, Barron Electric Coop, Barron
13. James Hathaway, Menomonie
14. Lori Mikunda, Jump River Electric Coop, Ladysmith
15. David Oelkers, Riverland Energy, Arcadia
16. Brian Rude, Dairyland Power Coop, LaCrosse
17. Byron Nolde, Abrams
18. Mark Nelson, East Central Energy, Foxboro
19. Marilee Opresik, Price Electric Coop, Phillips
20. Scott Meske, Municipal Electric Utilities of WI, Sun Prairie
21. James Morrison, WI Public Service, Green Bay
22. Robert Strzuk, IBEW Local 2150, Oak Creek
23. Mike Pyne, IBEW Local 965, Portage
24. Rich Hackner, Rural Energy Management Council, Oregon
25. Dale Termunde, American Equipment Manufacturers, Winfield, IL 60190
26. John Luehrsen, Eau Claire Energy Corp., Altoona
27. Charles Spargo, Adams-Columbia Electric Coop, Friendship
28. Keith Weyh, Adams-Columbia Electric Coop, Portage
29. Stanley Dybevik, Rock Co. Electric Coop, Brodhead
30. Beata Kalies, WI Electric Cooperative Assn., Madison
31. Robert Fick, Alliant Energy, Portage
32. Paul Breunig, Sun Prairie
33. William Johnson, Alliant Energy, Portage

Brett Healy

Committee Clerk