The Human Cost - Stop Project Nova

The Human Cost: Stories From Our Community

This project isn't just about zoning codes and tax revenues. It's about people. It's about the families who built their lives here and the seniors who rely on the stability of our community. These are the real stories and the real costs that are being ignored.

The Front Line: A "Forever Home" Traded for a Concrete Wall

For the homeowners in Caledonia and Oak Creek who invested in their "forever home," this project represents a profound betrayal. They face the loss of a quiet, rural way of life, replaced by an industrial landscape with tangible threats:

Threatened Water Supply: Residents on private wells face a direct threat. We know this land was a "necessary buffer to prevent further well contamination" from the power plant's coal ash. Any new development threatens to disrupt the bedrock and poison the only source of water for many families.
The View: Instead of fields and trees, their view will be a massive, windowless concrete wall.
The Noise: The constant, 24/7 low-frequency hum from industrial cooling systems is a well-documented nuisance that has been described as "torture" by residents in other communities like Chandler, Arizona.
The Value: Their property values are projected to drop by 5-10%, robbing them of their largest financial asset, as seen in Prince William County, VA.

The Hidden Tax on Fixed Incomes

For elderly couples and families on a fixed income, the financial consequences are devastating. The promised "benefits" of this project come directly out of their pockets, threatening their financial security.

A 5-15% increase in We Energies bills means an extra $100-$325 a year. For many, that's the difference that makes a simple pleasure, like a Friday night fish fry with friends, an unaffordable luxury. It's a direct hit on their quality of life, forcing them to choose between essentials and community connection.

The Broken Promise: Why We Pay While They Profit

Let's be clear: this project will not bring significant revenue to our community. As your ally Valerie stated, it is a structure designed to bring massive profits to the "developer and their secret client," while residents are left to subsidize the true costs through a well-worn playbook.

Step 1: The Lure

The developer promises jobs and a massive boost to the tax base, creating hype and political pressure for approval.

Step 2: The Giveaways

The village grants the anonymous corporation huge, long-term tax breaks and exemptions, meaning they pay little to no property or sales tax for decades.

Step 3: The Hidden Bill

The massive infrastructure needed—new roads, water mains, and electrical substations—is paid for by taxpayer-funded bonds. Our property taxes go up to pay off the debt for infrastructure that primarily serves the tax-exempt corporation.

The Result: The Promised Revenue Never Comes.

The community is left with all the negative impacts—noise, traffic, strained resources—while shouldering the cost of the project's infrastructure. The "revenue" flows directly to the developer and their anonymous client, not into our community.