Y is for Year and a day: 366 days in a PSC-approved Industrial Wind Farm.
RED ALERT: This week, Wisconsin State Senator, Jeff Plale, (D-South Milwaukee) will introduce a bill which could hand over all siting of wind turbines to the PSC. The PSC approved the siting of industrial wind turbines just 1000 feet from homes in Fond du Lac County.. Residents in those wind farms are now being forced to live with the disastrous results.
Gerry Meyer, who lives in the Forward Energy wind farm near South Byron has been keeping a noise log since the turbines went on line near his house a year ago.
The marker in this picture is the first the Myer family saw of turbine #4, having little idea that it was about to dominate their days and nights and take away the peace and quiet and they had known in their home for 37 years.
After you read this post about what it's like to live in a PSC approved wind farm, please go to the phone and call your legislators and ask them not to support Senator Plale's turbine reform bill. Tell them they need to take a close look at what has happened in Fond du Lac County since the PSC allowed a turbines to be built 1000 feet from Ask them what these setbacks based on?
One Year Later:
What's life like in an 86 turbine PSC approved industrial wind farm? Is it what the wind developers said it would be?
Like the people of Johnsburg and Marshfield, the people of Byron were assured by the wind developers and the PSC that the turbines sited 1000 feet from their homes would not be noisy, certainly not loud enough to keep them up at night.
They were told that shadow flicker would not be a problem, that they would not suffer any negative health effects, that there would be no impact on the wildlife in the area or on their property values for that matter.
A year later it's clear to residents of the Fond du Lac County wind farms that none of what the wind developers and the PSC said is true.
Turbine #4 went on line March 3rd, 2008. Gerry Meyer, who has been keeping a turbine noise long since that day wrote this as the first entry:
"March 3, 2008
Turbine #4 turning slow for the first time. 10:00 pm I went out to check the fire and I looked up in the sky to try and see the jet flying over. It was not a jet, but the turbine."
Turbine #4 is 1560 feet behind the Meyer home. It is one of five turbines they are able to hear from inside the house.To see and hear Tubine #4 in action, click on the image below:
Here is the latest update to the Meyer family noise log:
(To read the entire noise log, click here)
January 1 2009 –
2:20 AM I was awakened by large industrial wind turbine sounds. I went back to sleep.
Yes it was New Years Eve. I had one Cherry Pepsi (no alcohol) some egg rolls and cheese & crackers.
4:10 AM This is the 2nd time tonight I was awakened by industrial wind turbines. I took a sound reading from our patio door, dba 48.9, dbc 74.8. The refrigerator was not running.
7:00 AM Wind S, Very loud jet sound. dba 51.6, dbc 67.0. I am quite tired today from being awake or having disrupted sleep most of the night.
One nap at 10:00 AM, one at 3:00 PM and fell asleep watching TV in the evening. Yes, I strongly believe this is directly due to industrial wind turbines being placed much too close to homes.
10:00 PM Wind SW, dba 51.4, dbc 67.3.
Very loud and I can hear [it] in all rooms of the house. My wife complained about sound upstairs sewing. I hear [it] in the family room while watching TV, even during talking on the TV. Our son was down for Advil for turbine induced headache. He still is awake at 11:30.
11:25 PM Wind SW dba 48.9, dbc 62.7 We hear turbine sound all throughout the house☹ I am hearing turbines 4, 73 and 6.
January 2 –
Last night was very loud with turbine noise as I have written. I was again awakened twice from the sounds or vibration penetrating our house. I was angry before, but now that I am getting woke up at night from the turbines, it just raises the level of anger.
8:35 wind NW, 7 knots, sound is like that of a heavy, fast moving train going by.
10:10 PM Wind NW, Fairly quiet, but very noticeable at 1560’.
January 3 –
6:50 AM Wind E, Not too loud compared to most of the time. Sounds like heavy working motor and audible at 1560’. Today was a fairly quiet day with intermittent loud sound bursts. The sound was covered by the strong winds.
9:45 PM Wind E, strong, but I still hear the turbines over the rain.
January 4 –
6:30 AM Wind, if there is wind, is from the NW. Very calm, light fog and complete silence. I hear or see no turbine turning. I hear an owl hooting and the feet or toes of a squirrel digging into the bark of the icy tree. I don’t’ hear these sound when the turbines are turning.
Where are the Sierra Club, Green Peace or other environmental groups [raising concerns about] the effects on wildlife by the large industrial wind turbines?
Two friends have now told me about not seeing deer since the turbines have been built. We used to see deer on our lane or even in our garden. Now we see zero deer. We used to see 16-20 almost daily. We have seen one since the turbines have been up.
I know from one of the study people that bats were found by the turbines in this area. So tell me why there is not concern for the wildlife in a wind farm, yet of there was going to be a dam or a pipeline environmental groups would be screaming about how wildlife would be affected.
I can hear our dogs feet breaking through the thin layer of ice on top the snow and his toe nails sliding on the ice where there is no snow.The sound level on this quiet morning is dba 30.4. You can see the big difference compared to when the turbines ARE turning.
Before I could get a dbc reading turbine 73 began turning and then 4, 6 & 3a.
I now hear all these with a whooshing sound with dba 46.8, dbc 76.2. 2:40 PM Wind W, 17 knots. Today is the loudest whooshing sound since the turbines have been erected. They can be heard while I work in the dinning room and by my wife upstairs in the sewing room. Loud upstairs.
9:55 PM Wind NW. The sky is filled with turbine sounds especiallyN & W from turbines 4, 3a and 6
January 5 –
5:45 AM Wind SW, Loud jet sound fills the air.
8:15 AM Wind SW. The loud sounds just keep filling the air. My wife told me the ringing in her ears is the worst it has been in days and also has a headache. She was sewing all day yesterday and the turbines were very loud.
1:30 PM Wind SW Turbine 4 & 73 are very loud.
4:35 PM wind SW, 11 knots. Turbine 73 louder than #4. Together they sound like a Chinook helicopter ripping the sky apart.
5:40 PM. I’m sitting at my computer and hearing the deep thump, thump, thump of turbine 73 (2480’ away). It sure affects concentration and makes me sick to my stomach, but so far no headache.
9:00 PM Wind SW, still very loud and as earlier I hear turbines 4, 6, 73. this has been one of themost annoying days since they began turning March 3, 2008.
11:30 PM We hear the turbines in all rooms of the house.
January 6 –
6:25 AM Wind SSE, calm, 13.6 rpms. Sound that of large working motor. Quiet compared to yesterday yet very noticeable at 1560’.
10:20 AM Wind calm, 11 rpms, Whooshing sound, but audible. Light snow and low visibility.
1:20 PM Wind SW, 11 rpms. Fairly quiet.
9:40 PM Wind still. Whooshing sound
January 8 –
6:30 AM Wind W , 7 knots, Sound that of working motor. It was real loud this morning. I was so tired yesterday I took 3 naps and fell asleep watching TV at night. I realize I am not getting to deep sleep due to the low frequency noise emitted from the industrial wind turbines around my house. I used to dream every night often in color. I could dream a few moments after falling asleep. Now it is rare to dream at night at home.
9:40 PM Wind NW, Strong, whooshing sound. Not so loud most of the day.
January 9 –
6:30 AM No turbines turning.
9:35 AM Wind NE, light, 12. 6 rpms. The turbines I can see have snow/ice build up on both sides of one blade.
1:40 PM wind NE, 11 rpms. With this wind direction sound usually is fairly quiet which it is now.
10:05 PM Wind S, 13.3 rpms, whooshing sound, but audible from the house or 1560’. Today was fairly quiet and did not need a nap. I’m sure there is a connection to sound, sleep deprivation and being tired.
January 10 –
6:30 AM Wind N, 8 knots, dba 43.8, dbc 49.3. My wife told me she was awake at 4:00 AM and could not get back to sleep and was a little anxious. That prompted me to check the sound level. The difference between dba and dbc is the problem or low frequency noise issues
4:50 PM Wnd NNW, 11.6 rpms. Rumbling motor sound.
9:50 PM Wind NW Audible motor Humming sound. Fairly quiet day.
January 11 –
6:10 AM No wind, no turbines turning. Dba 30.6. It is so quiet and peaceful. I rarely hear
an owl hoot since the turbines began turning, but it was nice to hear one this morning.
7:30 AM Wind SW, calm, 11 rpms @ 60.24 seconds, not enough to produce electricity.
11:40 AM Wind SW, 11 rpms, not much sound, but not much if any electricity.
4:00 PM Wind SW, 11 rpms, not much sound.
9:50 PM Wind NW slight breeze, turning slow and quietly or motor hum.
January 12 –
5:25 AM Wind calm. Some turbines not turning. Turbine 4 slow at 11 rpms. Fairly quiet.
8:10 AM Wind SW, Many turbines not turning.
9:35 PM Wind N, 7 knots. Turbine 4 not turning,but can hear turbines 6 & 73.
11:15 PM Wind NW, 9 knots. Turbine 4 loud as heard from patio door.
January 13 –
7:45 AM Wind NW, 11 rpms, Turbine 4 stopped, but can hear turbines 6 & 73. 6 is louder and is ¾ mile away.
4:35 PM Wind W, 11 rpms. Slow and quiet.
9:50 PM Wind W, No turbines turning. It is interesting that this is the coldest night of the winter at -10F (-24C) and no electricity is being generated. In summer when air conditioners are running no electricity is
generated because there is not wind. In the 3rd quarter this Invenergy wind farm produced at
a disgusting 17.5% of it’s capacity. When we buy furnaces for our homes we are looking for an
efficiency rating in the 92 to 96% rating. When are our elected and appointed PSC officials going to see what an obscene hoax wind energy is?
January 14 –
5:40 AM Wind NE, 11 rpms, fairly quiet.
4:00 PM Wind W. Very loud jet sound.
9:15 PM Wind NW, 10 knots, dba 46.6, dbc 61.1. Loud jet sound ripping through the sky. Turbine 6 is
Also loud which is ¾ mile away.
January 15 –
6:15 AM Wind NW, 6 knots, dba 43.7, dbc 58.9. Jet sound.
3:30 PM Wind W. Jet sound.
9:30 PM Wind W. Turbine 6 is pounding away at the night sky louder than turbine 4 with loud whooshing sound mixed with the jet flying over sound.
January 16 –
7:10 AM Wind W. Early we heard the turbine sounds from all around our yard.
11:30 AM, Wind SW, Jet sound. Also hear turbines 6 & 73.
4:45 PM Wind SW, 5 Knots, The sky is filled with turbine sounds, especially turbines 4 &73. Also 6, 3a, 74a and 70 are heard. Turbine 70 is one mile away. This is ridiculous, unnecessary and very annoying.
10:05 PM Wind SW, dba 53.2, dbc 75.3. This sound report is from turbine 73 which is 2480’ away. Turbines 73 and 4 are offering a loud jet sound. Very loud.
12:15 AM I heard the thumpingTurbine sound at the computer even over the furnace blower running.
January 17 –
5:30 AM This night was terrible. The first words from my wife this morning were, “I didn’t sleep much last night. I tossed and turned all night”. I agree. I had the same affects. We went to bed at 12:20 AM and at 2:20 AM I was still awake. We could hear the turbines in our bedroom. At 3:20 AM I was woke up by the turbine sounds. At 4:10 AM awake and at 4:35 AM I was woke up again and I didn’t get back to sleep before it was time to get up, but for Invenergy, the PSC and our town officials this is OK. How sad.
6:25 AM Wind S, 11 knots gusts to 14 knots, dba 50.2, dbc 70.7. Very loud jet flying over sounds from turbines 4 & 73.
3:45 PM Wind SW, 14.6 rpms, loud jet sound turbines 4 & 6. 9:10 PM Wind NW, loud jet sound Turbines 4 & 6. 12:00 AM Wind NW, turbines are loud as heard from our patio door. Probably not a good night for sleep.
January 18 –
6:00 AM I was woke up by the turbines at 1:20 and 3:35AM. My wife was awake at 1:35 AM. It was a restless night.
7:15 AM Wind NW, 18.3 rpms, dba 48.9, dbc 70.7. Loud whooshing and jet sound from 4. Even louder jet and thumping or pounding from #6.
10:10 PM Wind NW Jet sound
January 19 –
5:30 AM Wind WNW, 17 rpms. Loud whoosh with a new sound today. There is a vibration sound in the air in sync with the blades passing the tower. I can hear it all over inside the house. It is kind of like if a metal barrel with partially filled with a liquid and a sound was passed through it. I was awake last night several times. At some point at night my wife told me she couldn’t sleep. Sleeping conditions are getting worse.
8:20 AM Wind NW. This new irritating vibration sound continues and is more noticeable in most rooms of the house than outside.
3:10 PM wind NW, 11 rpms. Fairly quiet.
10:10 PM Wind NW Turning slow and fairly quiet yet definitely audible from 1560’ from the turbine.
January 20 –
6:45 AM Wind NW Not too loud this morning.
4:45 PM Wind SW, 11.6 rpms. Hum of a working motor, not too loud but definitely audible from 1560’.
10:05 PM Wind SW, 16 rpms Jet sound. I can also hear turbines 73 and 74a. 74a is 5/8 mile away.
January 21 –
1:15 AM Wind SW. I can hear turbine 4 in our back room and dining room. At this time
we are on our way to Chicago to fly to Miami Beach to meet one of our exchange students and
her parents.
January 22 –
I slept all night and even had dreams☺
8:30 AM Walking on the streets I feel upbeat. I don’t feel the stress that I do at home with constant low frequency noise. Street noise (cars, roof being repaired) are non events here.
1:00 to 4:00 PM Wind NE. We were on the beach by the Atlantic Ocean. After several hours I asked my wife if the sound of the waves is like the wind turbines back home. “No way”, was her response. This is a very pleasant sound. The turbine sound is very annoying and aggravating. There is NO way the two sounds can be
compared to each other.
The next sentence from my wife was, “And the buzzing and ringing inmy ears is gone”. I do not have the crackling in my left ear.
Evening – Very great and peaceful. No loud turbine sound.
January 23 –
7:30 AM Slept great. Many dreams last night. Did not wake up at all. No crackling in my ear. I feel happy and motivated unlike at home.
11:30 AM to 3:45 PM We were on the beach (Atlantic Ocean) The sound of the waves was peaceful, beautiful and relaxing. Wind company sales people compare the sounds of the industrial wind turbines to ocean waves. Tobe blunt and honest that statement is an outrageous lie. There is NO comparison to the two being alike.
January 24 –
7:15 AM Again it was a peaceful night. I slept all night and had many dreams. Afternoon, we did a lot of walking on the street. Those street sounds were a non event.
January 25 –
7:30 AM It was another great sleep night. More dreams.
11:00 AM I went to the beach
for a while. It was hot and the sound of the waves was relaxing and peaceful. No crackling in the ear.
January 26 –
1:30 AM This makes me so angry. We have been away from home for 5 days. It was so beautifully peaceful while we were gone. We just arrived home and of course the first sound we were confronted with when we left the garage was wind turbine sounds. Thumping in the sky. Turbine 6 and maybe 75b. Turbine 4 not turning. 75b is 7/8 mile away.
5:45 AM Wind W Turbine 4 now turning with jet sound.
10:10 AM Wind W, 11 rpms. Audible sound.
10:10 PM Wind NW Slow turning, low jet sound.
January 27 –
6:25 AM Wind NW, 13 rpms, not real loud, but very audible at 1560’ with sound of a large motor under load with intermittent jet sounds. Often the sound is not just at one level. As gusts of wind hit the blades there is more force on them and it gets louder and quieter in a minutes time or in several minutes time.
12:30 PM Wind NW About ½ of the turbines are not turning. Turbine 3, 13 rpms.
3:30 PM Wind ?. No Turbines turning. Yes, it is amazing how peaceful it is when no turbines are turning. Even when they are turning slow they are fairly quiet, yet the low frequency noise must be saturating the air because the turbines are annoying and cause tenseness and anxiety.
5:30 PM Wind SW. No turbines turning. When the turbines are not turning there is a much different peace than when the turbines are turning slow and quiet but audible. Even slow and quiet must still emit low frequency noise that affect the body. It’s difficult to explain this. This afternoon the wind was NW and turning slow and fairly quiet. There still was sound and that caused stress and anxiety and irritability.
At 3:35 as well as now the turbines are not turning and there is a complete peace and well feeling. It is a sense or feeling that is rarely felt or is rarely present since the industrial wind turbines around me began
turning March 3rd of 2008.
This just makes me more angry at the town of Byron planning and zoning, the town board, the counties of Fond du Lac and Dodge, the PSC and any and all legislators that promote this misrepresented form of “green” renewable energy. It is a gigantic hoax.
10:35 Wind SW Turbines are not turning. 5 minutes ago all were turning slow but certainly audible from my sidewalk.
January 28 –
5:25 AM Wind NW 13 rpms. Whoosh sound. 8:10 AM Wind NW 11rpms. Motor humming and whooshing sound.
5:30 PM Wind SW, 17 rpms. Loud jet flying over sound from turbines 4 and 73. 9:35 PM Wind SSW dba 47.4, dbc 74.9. Very loud jet sound from turbines 4, 73 and 6. Pretty much equal sound between from all three. They are 1560’ 2480’ and ¾ mile away respectively. This is the loudest sound in a few weeks. I can hear them in our back room even with the TV on. My wife has been sewing upstairs this evening and has been loudwith turbine noise all evening. This is from 6 to10 PM.
11:15 PM I hear turbine 73 pounding and thumping in the front of the house over the computer motor and the TV with music on.
January 29
5:00 AM I was awoken now and several times during the night. Yes, turbine noise from turbine 73 and probably 4. My wife told me now she was restless all night.
7:20 AM wind calm. 13.3 rpms, Audible motor humming sound. 9:30 PM Wind NW, 18.3 rpms. Loud jet sound from turbines 4, 6 and 75b. 75b is 7/8 mile away.
January 30 –
6:50 AM Wind W Jet sound.
3:35 PM Wind W, 11 rpms, lot motor working hard sound.
6:45 PM Wind W I can hear 4, 6 and 3a with jet sound.
8:45 PM Wind W I can hear 4 and 3a with jet sound.
11:55 PM Wind SW Loud jet sound. I can hear turbines in our back room.
January 31 –
6:00 AM I didn’t sleep well last night due to turbine noise.
7:05 AM I have not been outside yet, but I can hear the turbines thumping from my computer.
7:30 AM Wind SW, 12 knots, loud jet sound.
6:10 PM I can hear turbine 73 from computer and # 4 and 6 from our back room.
2:30 PM Wind SW I went across the road with my snowmobile to the snow near the neighbor’s woods so they could walk with their dog. I was almost straight east of turbine 73 over 1000’ away when I stopped. The snowmobile was running and I had on a DOT approved helmet on (well padded and sound resistant) and I could hear turbine 73. That’s loud.
10:10PM Wind SW LOUD jet sound. I can hear turbines 4, 3a 73 and 6.
February 1 –
6:30 AM Wind SW, Windy. Loud jet sound, strong whooshing of the blades, dba 50.
ALL day – Wind SW with loud jet sound.
9:35 PM Wind SW. Loud jet sounds. I can hear 4, 3a, 6 & 73. They are 1560’, 5/8 mile, ¾ mile and 2480’ away respectively.
11:25 PM I can hear turbine sounds at the computer. My wife was at a hotel in Madison Friday night (this is Sunday). She was with 4 sisters and a niece, all in the same room. She commented that she had no trouble
sleeping and slept through the night. She had no ringing in her ears.
Last night I woke up at 1:20 AM and 4:40 AM. Last night when I went to bed I could hear an unusual vibration or buzzing in the bedroom. I could not pinpoint where it was coming from. I asked my wife, “Don’t
you hear it”? Her response, “I have a buzzing in my ears. I can’t hear it”. Since the turbines began turning she has a buzzing or ringing in her ears constantly when we are at home.
February 2 -
5:25 AM Wind SW, 3 knots, seems calm. Jet sound. I easily hear turbines 4, 6, 73 & 3a.
8:10 AM Wind SW. Jet sound. My wife just commented with frustration, after I told her I was awake twice last night, that when she is away from home she sleeps all night, but just can’t sleep here at home. Low frequency noise from the industrial wind turbines is the problem with just plain turbine noise much of the time.
9:00 PM Wind NW. I can hear turbines 4 &6. That would be very audible as turbine 6 is ¾ mile away.
February 3 –
6:20 AM Wind NW. Loud jet sound.
3:30 PM Wind NW. We were gone all day to a quiet, peaceful place. Now we are home and returned to hear the jet sound of turbines 4 & 3a.
10:30PM I can hear the turbines from the computer, front of the house and the back room.
February 4 –
5:20 AM Wind NW. Loud jet sound.
8:40 AM Wind NW. Jet sound continues. My wife just told me the last two mornings she woke up with a head ache and ringing in her ears.
1:15 PM Wind NW. Jet sound. 4:30 PM No wind, no turbines turning. dba 30.4 What a big difference from the usual 48-51 decibel levels. It is so peaceful. I feel up beat with a smile☺I realize now that even if the turbines are turning slow and quiet there is a tenseness in the air and our quality of life is affected forever. How sad this is allowed to happen.
11:25 PM Wind SW I hear number 4 & 6 providing loud jet sound. I hear at the computer (front of house) and back room.
February 5 –
5:45 AM Wind SW, Loud jet sound. I hear turbines 4, 6 & 73.Turbine 73 is like the sound of a helicopter.
10:30 PM We are near Wetmore, MI in the UP of Michigan snowmobiling. It is perfectly peaceful, not turbine noise or viper acoustical vibration to affect our bodies.
February 6 –
6:15 AM I slept all night and had many dreams. I no longer dream at home due to the interrupted sleep cause by the industrial wind turbines surrounding our house.
10:00 AM I’m waiting on a snowmobile trail for the rest of the group. It is so quiet. I hear the feet moving
and beaks pecking on the trees of nut hatches or chickadees.
11:10 PM Again it is dead silence. It is wonderful how good the body and mind feels when it’s not subjected to the effects of the turbines in an industrial wind farm.
February 7 –
6:30 AM Outside there is complete silence. Again I slept all night without interruption and with many dreams. Some in color. Emotionally I feel much better than at home with the constant low frequency noise.
11:00 PM There is no sound. It is so quiet my ears have a slight hiss, however not crackling or ringing.
February 8 –
6:30 AM Similar to yesterday. Complete silence. This feels so good☺ No industrial wind turbine sounds.
3:45 PM. We arrived home from the UP. Of course the first sound we hear are the wind turbines. Not so loud, however very audible and aggravating.
9:30 PM the sound continues.
February 9 –
5:20 AM Wind SE Whoosh sound.
2:15 PM Sound slightly quiet yet very audible.
8:50 PM Wind S Jet sound.
February 10 –
7:10 AM Wind S Strong wind, but can hear turbine 4 over the sound of the wind.
1:30 PM Wind SW, 12 knots, gusts to 17 knots. Turbines 4 & 73 sound like a helicopter at work.
9:05 PM Wind SW Jet sound from turbines 4 & 73. I woke up last night at 1:20 and 3:40 I’m sure from low frequency noise.
February 11 –
5:20 AM Wind SSE, very audible sound
8:00 AM No turbines turning.
1:45 PM wind NNW, 10 knots. Turbine 4 is shut down for maintenance, however I can hear # 73, 3a & 6 very
loud. The are 2480’, 5/8 mile and ¾ mile away respectively. I was just in South Byron at a friend’s house. Turbine 7 is NE of his house. I could easily hear the loud jet sound.
9:10 PM Wind NW, 15 knots, gusts to 22 knots. Loud jet sound from turbine 4.
February 12 –
7:00 AM Wind W, 12 knots. Jet sound from turbines 4, 6 & 73.
6:25 PM Wind NW, 6 knots, 11 rpms, humming sound, very audible at 1560’. Some of the day turbine 4 was not turning due to maintenance. My wife woke up with a bad headache that lasted all day. I was unmotivated and took 2 naps and just had no ambition. We could hear turbines 6, 3a and 73 most of the time. I would say low frequency noise affected us severely today.
9:15 PM Wind NW Low jet sound. Nauseating feeling. Today was not a good day. During the day there was low wind with turbines running & not running.
9:30 PM Turbines not turning. Peace and quiet.
February 14 –
6:10 AM Wind light. Turning slow, but very audible. 5:20 PM Wind NW fairly calm. Hum but very easily heard from 1560’ away. Not as one person from Renew Wisconsin says, “barely audible from 1000’ “.
9:10 PM Wind NW, Jet sound.
February 15 -
6:35 AM Wind NW, 6 knots, feels calm. Sound is that of a humming motor. 1:35 PM Wind NW Low jet sound.
9:40 PM Wind NW. Fairly low whooshing sound, but certainly audible@ 1560’ away. We have a 22 year old girl from Japan staying with us now. Last night was her first night. The first words she said when she woke up were, “I could hear them last night”. The turbines were actually very quiet. I told her about a 2 on a scale of 10.
February 16 –
5:20 AM Wind NW All the turbines within site are still.
2:15 PM Wind SW, 11 rpms. Quiet. Turning, but audible.
11:00 PM Wind S, 8 knots, 18.3 rpms, dba 55.0, dbc 78.1. Very LOUD jet sound from turbines 4 & 73. I can also hear # 6. We were gone and our 14 year old called to say he could not sleep because of the turbines and had a migraine and upset stomach.
12:15 AM I can hear turbine sound in front and back room and very loud turbine sounds upstairs in our son’s room.
February 17 –
7:05 AM Wind SSW, 18.3 rpms Loud jet sound from turbines 4 & 73 being the loudest with jet sound also from 3a, 74 & 6. I can hear turbine sounds from inside the house as I write this, upstairs and in the back room. The air outside is saturated with turbine sounds.
9:05 PM Wind S, 5 knots, light snow. Jet sound from turbines 4 & 73.
10:10 PM I hear turbine sounds at the computer.
10:10 AM I can hear turbine sounds between words on the TV.
February 18 –
5:20 AM There is darkness and snow so I can not tell wind direction, but I can hear a lot of sound from a whoosh to a jet taking off from a runway.
11:05 AM Wind N, 12 knots, 18.3 rpms, dba 50.2, dbc 66.9. Loud, loud, loud. It sound like we are outside the terminal a O’Hare airport with no exaggeration. This is a horrible day☹ As we left for town my wife said, “Oh my goodness is that (turbine # 4) loud”. She also said she could not hear the garage door opener
because the turbine drowned out it out.
1:20 PM Wind NW, 18.3 rpms. Very loud jet sound. We are leaving to go to Appleton. Just walking to the garage my wife started to get head ache.
12:05 AM Wind NW, 14 knots. Very loud jet sound Turbines 4 & 6 sound like they are tearing the sky apart. I hear the turbines as I write this (in the house). The sound is audible in all parts of the house, upstairs and downstairs.
February 19 –
6:45 AM Wind NW, dba 46.4, dbc 65.5. Very Loud jet sound from turbines 4 & 6.
9:10 AM I just talked to a friend, Ron A., that lives in this wind farm, 4 miles to the west. His TV
reception was bad so Invenergy agreed to put in satellite service. The satellite service
charged two payments at a time plus had to take his statement to Invenergy for reimburse-
ment . This was a hassle so he is doing the best he can with the turbine interrupted, flicker TV
service. His girlfriend used to be a high energy person, but now is unmotivated and has head
aches and other health issues. He also mentioned he no longer sees a red tail hawk that used
to frequent his house/barn/shed area. That is not a surprise because wildlife including large
birds no longer are present near my house.
5:50 PM Wind NW It has been loud with turbine noise all day from loud whooshes to jet sound from turbines 4 & 6. 9:00 PM Wind NW, 11 knots, dba 45.5, dbc 62.6. Loud whooshing sound. We can hear turbine sounds and hum or vibration in the house even with the TV on in the front room and back room. The sound is
especially loud upstairs in the sewing room.
February 20 –
5:00 AM I was woke up at 1:30 & 3:20 AM. I would think by low frequency noise or vibration emitted from the large industrial wind turbines. Of course no dreams. No dreaming is the case every night now.
6:20 AM Wind NW 14.3 rpms. Loud whooshing and I can hear turbines 4 & 6.
3:45 PM No wind. Turbines are not turning except one or two very slowly. The peace, quiet and tranquility is wonderful and relaxing. Thank you God for a break in the action (noise) I feel like going outside and sitting in a lawn chair even though it is below freezing.
10:55 PM Wind S, 3 knots, 15.3 rpms. Motor hum and loud whooshing sound.
February 21 –
7:10 AM Wind NW, 15 rpms. Loud whooshing sound.
12:40 PM Wind N, 13 knots, 18.3 rpms. Loud jet sound from turbine 4.
6:10 PM I was upstairs sewing. Earlier it was relaxing there, but now the thumping sound of the turbines is aggravating and stressful.
9:20 PM Wind NW Loud jet sound.
11:10 PM I can hear the turbines thumping while watching Grease 2 on TV. Wouldn’t you think that is pretty loud?
February 22 –
6:55 AM Wind NW Jet flying over sound from Turbine 4, 3a, 6 & 73.
1:10 PM Wind NW Loud whooshing sound.
9:10 PM Wind NW Jet sound. During late morning/early afternoon I could hear thumping turbine sound while upstairs sewing. 10:15 PM The turbine sounds are loud upstairs where there is not TV to over ride the obnoxious sound.
February 23 –
5:15 AM Wind NNW, calm. Slow turning turbines, but still annoying sound with motor hum and whooshing sound. I had restless sleep last night.
8:50 AM Wind N, calm, 11 rpms. Fairly quiet yet certainly audible from 1560’ away.
1:30 PM Wind ? Sunny and turbines not turning.
9:15 Wind SSW, 11 rpms, whooshing sound.
February 24 –
6:25 AM I have not been outside yet, but I hear the thumping of the industrial wind turbines in our dining room, computer room and family room. Last 2 rooms are opposite ends of the house. In the back room I hear turbine 6 which is ¾ mile away.
6:50 AM Wind SE, 7 knots, dba 51.5, dbc 75.7. Loud jet sound and I hear 4, 3a, 6 & 73. The air is filled with turbine sounds like a vibration. The air is tense.
9:15 PM Wind S. Loud jet sound from turbines 4, 3a, & 73.
10:40 PM We hear turbines in the back room while watching TV.
February 25 –
5:30 AM I did not sleep well at all last night. There were turbine sounds in the bedroom. I felt a little nauseated. I woke up several times and I was just plain restless. Yes, I’m sure this is from the 5 industrial turbines 1560’ to ¾ mile from our house. Wind S, 8 knots, dba 45.8, dbc 71.3. Loud jet sound from 4, 3a, 73 & 6 in order of loudest. Hats off to our town officials who supported this without regard to the health and safety of residents in the name of $$$. This also goes to the county, state and PSC. I believe the DNR had a hand in this as this government organization is co-writer of environmental impact statement. After I wrote this entry my wife was up and told me she did not sleep well. She was up due to the sound and or low frequency noise and read a book for part of the night. She said it was really loud in the back room. I don’t always include my wife’s testimony. She has problems every night sleeping.
11:25 AM Wind S, 12 knots, 18.3 rpms. Misting. Loud jet sound. I just got home from O’Hare (airport) and heard the sound like a low flying, lifting a heavy load helicopter. In the house there is thumping sounds everywhere especially upstairs in the sewing room. Very tense and sickening.
February 26 –
6:30 AM Wind S. Jet sound. My wife said she had a restless night. Our 14 year old son also said he did not sleep well. That is not a surprise as the turbines sounds were loud last night when we went to bed.
9:30 AM wind N 20 knots, gusts to 27. I can hear the turbines over the sound of the strong wind.
9:10 PM I hear turbine thumping coming from the east side of the house. That could be because the air outside is just plain saturated with sound and vibration or because the only turbine east of the house is 7/8 mile away and unusually loud.
11:05 PM. I’m still hearing the thumping sound of the industrial wind turbines from inside our house.
February 27 –
6:50 AM Wind N, 18.3 rpms. Loud jet sound even over the strong wind.
9:40 AM Loud thumping sound upstairs where I am trying to sew even with a portable radio 16” from my foot. Not a relaxing atmosphere while trying to sew.
9:45 PM Wind NE. Loud jet sound.
It was this way all day as well.
February 28 –
6:40 AM Wind N, 8 knots, 11 rpms. Fairly quiet whooshing sound yet certainly audible and having an affect on the body.
10:15 AM Wind N, 11 rpms. Fairly quiet sounds.
5:10 PM Wind N, calm. No turbines turning. For those tuning in to reading my daily diary; When the turbines are not turning there is a whole different feeling than when they are turning slow or at 11 rpms. At 11 rpms there still is low frequency noi8se or a vibration that still affects a person’s body and health and well being. When there is more wind and more rpms the noise is much louder and often over 50 decibels dbA and more important 75 decibels dbC which measure the low frequency sound that often is not heard yet felt by your body. Those times are next to unbearable. The only time there is peace and a good feeling and the mood to smile is when no turbines are turning for a while. Those times are extremely rare in winter. Winter is worse than summer because there are not leaves on the trees to suppress or absorb the sound. Snow is hard and reflects the sound to make conditions worse. Don’t believe the statement, “Snow is an insulator and will absorb the sound”. Snow insulates the ground, but does not absorb sound.
The worst days in winter are after freezing rain is on the trees and ground. On those days the air is filled with loud turbine sounds worse than any other day. While working outside this late afternoon I felt really good and uplifted. I noticed all 86 turbines were not turning.
8:50 PM Wind N, 13.6 rpms. Sound is like that of a motor under a heavy load.