12/23/09 Learning the hard way about trust, wind industry siting standards and turbine noise.
Hard lessons from the Fox Islands Wind Project
Amongst the participants were many of us who are neighbors of the turbines. Although our group overwhelmingly supported the project, we now live with the daily presence of turbine noise, 24/7.
As one of the Fox Islands Wind Neighbors (FIWN) recently noted, "We support the windmills, but not the noise." The noise is as constant as the wind, building in intensity according to wind speed and direction.
It can be a low rumbling, whooshing, grinding background noise that one can just hear above the sound of the trees or it can build to an in-your-face noise, like jet engines roaring combined with a grinding and pulsating sound that echoes in your head, keeps you awake at night, and beats on your house like a drum.
As neighbors of the wind turbines, we find ourselves in the midst of an unexpected, unwanted life crisis. When GE flipped the switch and the turbines began to turn, island life as we knew it evaporated.
As I watched the first rotation of the giant blades from our deck, my sense of wonder was replaced by disbelief and utter shock as the turbine noise revved up and up, past the sound of our babbling brook, to levels unimagined.
It was not supposed to be this way!
During informational meetings, on the Fox Islands Wind website, in private conversations, and with personal correspondence, we were all told that ambient noise from the surrounding area would cover the sound of the turbines. This was our expectation. The Fox Islands Wind August 31 cover letter to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) explained, "When the turbines are generating higher sound levels, background noise will be higher as well, masking the sound of the turbines."
On the Fox Islands Wind Web site FAQ we read, "The blades passing through the air can make a ‘whooshing' sound and mechanical parts or unusual wind currents can produce a steady ‘hum' or ‘whine.' However, ambient noise is usually louder than any noise produced by wind turbines and modern wind turbines are significantly quieter than older models."
Our immediate experience was the reverse.
Since that moment of realization, we have been on a steep learning curve. Our days are filled with e-mail correspondence with neighbors and George Baker, of Fox Islands Wind, research on the noise pollution and health risks associated with turbine noise, research on the impact of low-frequency noise, research on technological solutions, research on the impact of turbine noise on domestic and wild animals, research on state sound regulations, conversations with the press, neighborhood meetings, meetings with the electric cooperative and FIW, a meeting with the DEP, multiple letters to our State Representative, Hannah Pingree, letters to Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, letters to the Vinalhaven Land Trust board members, e-mails to possible sound consultants, debates with neighbors as to how we will pay for a sound consultant, letters to the DEP where we are beginning to know everyone's name, and the list goes on.
We have been to the town office to copy tax maps and get the addresses of year-round and summer residents who live near the turbines. We have driven all over the island with sound meters, determining that the turbine sound can travel more than a mile in certain areas and noticing whose homes are impacted.
We have spoken with people in town to spread the word. We have invited people to our homes to listen for themselves. We have learned and explained under which conditions the turbines are loudest and why. We have developed data sheets so we can keep daily noise observation records. We have worked to find the words and sounds to describe the noise, each perfecting our own imitation, some better than others.
We have learned to count windmill rpm and discovered that above 15 rpm the noise is tough to take. We have read lengthy amendments and studied sound protocols.
We have learned about state sound regulations and found that the 45 decibel limit that is designated as "quiet" in Maine, is truly a cruel joke. On our quiet cove, we now know that 45 decibels is loud.
We have studied spreadsheets, yearly wind speed records, and have worked to determine how much Fox Islands Wind can slow the turbines down and still cover the cost of the windmills. We are scrambling.
We do not want to leave the homes we have built with our own hands, the gardens we have planted, the memories that are so much a part us, and the dreams we hold for the future. We are not looking for financial gain. We are desperate to gain back what has been taken from us.
From where we are sitting, it seems that the industry standard for turbine noise in rural areas is absolutely wrong! I cannot speak for all the Fox Islands Wind Neighbors on this, but my husband and I feel that, on a local level, well-meaning individuals made a critical miscalculation.
Depending on wind speed, wind direction, etc., we estimate that households within a mile to a mile-and-a-half radius of the turbines are impacted by the sound.
This is a very serious issue that affects many homeowners on Vinalhaven and could also, due to diminishing property values, affect the tax base of the town. In an island community, such as Vinalhaven, where people sincerely care about and support one another, we are in the position where economic gain in the form of reduced electrical rates/wind turbine debt could be pitted against community well-being.
How willing will the Fox Islands Wind Cooperative and the community be to share the burden of this major miscalculation? Rather than bringing us together, the noise from the turbines has the potential to tear our community apart.
As I type, a computer is whirring away in our basement, sending wind speed data and noise level data to sound technicians in Boston. FIW is taking sound measurements, as required by the DEP, and it is our joint hope that they will be able to make adjustments to windmills in order to reduce the noise.
Along with our neighbors, we are recording daily noise observations which sound specialists can use as a means to determine under which conditions the noise is most disturbing. We are eager participants in doing whatever we can to rectify the situation. We feel fortunate that Fox Islands Wind is controlled by the Fox Islands Electric Cooperative and that they are eager to work with us to find an answer.
However, it is very clear to us, that life as we know it on Vinalhaven has changed irrevocably.
We understand that our best hope is to come to a reasonable compromise. We are working with FIW to find a balance between the level of noise that is tolerable and the turbine speed necessary to produce electricity.
This is a far cry from what we were told and what we expected. One has to wonder if wind turbine technology is truly ready to be implemented in rural areas. Community based wind power is a very good idea, a smart answer to our energy dilemma. The numbers actually work. It is just that our life-for us, and for our neighbors-does not.
Ironically, for households within earshot of the turbines, the GE windmills fly in the face of island sustainability. Some islanders who lived close to the turbines were given the choice of either selling their homes or land to FIW at the assessed value or living with the turbine noise.
Most chose to sell rather than live with the noise.
Others are trying to stay where they are with hopes that GE specialists and FIW sound specialists will find technological solutions.
The Island Institute website states, "The Institute's perspective is fundamentally ecological. It understands that all life is intimately linked with its environment; that people are therefore an inextricable part of the ecosystem of the Gulf of Maine, that there is an interdependent web of existence more evident on islands than in other communities and landscapes."
As is, there are some year-round families on Vinalhaven who feel their existence is being marginalized and the noise issue minimized.
Before any other island community takes the step towards wind power, come to Vinalhaven and see for yourselves the consequences of those actions. Come to our meetings.
Come stand on our porches, listen to the nonstop roaring, thumping, whooshing, grinding sounds of the turbines, and compare it to the quiet you currently experience. Watch how our community struggles with this issue and see how we resolve it.
Look at the compromises we make and decide if those trade-offs are worth it for you and your neighbors. For many islanders, a cohesive, caring community and good quality of life are of critical importance. Don't let the wind blow it away.
The BPRC Research Nerd
in Wind farm health effects, Wisconsin wind farm, landowner wind turbine, sign wind farm lease, wind contract, wind developer contract, wind farm noise, wind farm property value, wind shadow flicker, wind turbine, wind turbine loss of property value, wind turbine noise
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12/21/09 WAIT! THEY ARE LOUD! Now What? How to live with 400 foot tall spinning machines that sound like a jet engine---
Listen to complete interview here http://archives.weru.org/voices/weekend-voices-121909
12/18/09 Getting a Second Opinion: Doctors respond to Wind Industry claim of "No Health Problems"
The following is a response to a report financed by the two most powerful wind industry lobbyists in North America. The report claims there are no negative health effects associated with industrial scale wind turbines.
RESPONSE FROM
Robert Y. McMurtry MD Ontario, Canada
Michael A. Nissenbaum MD Maine, USA
16 December 2009
Studies commissioned by Wind Energy Associations containing paid for results should not be considered independent. No original research was conducted, based on review of the literature a clean bill of health has been awarded. It is a low order of scientific evidence. It has not been peer reviewed.
The evidence may also be of questionable veracity since the recent revelations of evidence of the altering of scientific papers by Hayes McKenzie(UK). Just this week it has been reported that these very noise issues were suppressed in the UK to enable wind turbines to be placed closer to human habitation.
The most egregious finding was the absence of any need for further study. This conclusion is opposite from that decided by the Government of Japan who has recently announced the launch a 4-year epidemiological study into their “Wind Turbine Disease”.
The Maine Medical Association passed a motion asking their government for health studies as well. In France a recent court ruling ordered that wind turbines should be shut down at night in one area.
The weakness of the CanWEA/AWEA white paper is that it admits there may be annoyance -but then goes on to say that annoyance is not a pathological entity. Here, they are wrong, because if annoyance leads to sleep disturbance (and it does) then sleep disturbance leads to a whole range of health issues.
“Annoyance is the measured outcome of a community’s response to survey questions on various environmental and other factors, such as noise exposure. Although annoyance in individuals is sometimes measured in the laboratory, field evaluations of community annoyance are most useful for predicting the consequences of planned actions involving highways, airports, road traffic, railroads, or other noise sources. Factors directly affecting annoyance from noise include interference with communication and sleep disturbance, which have been discussed in earlier sections. Other less direct effects are disruption of one’s peace of mind, the enjoyment of one’s property, and the enjoyment of solitude……This represents a degradation of health in accordance with the WHO’s definition of health, meaning total physical and mental well-being, as well as the absence of disease” ~ Dr. Alice H. Suter, 1991, “Noise and Its Effects”
http://www.nonoise.org/library/suter/suter.htm#annoyance
Furthermore, if ‘annoyance’ leads to psychiatric complaints, those in turn are significant. Substitute disturbance or distress for the word annoyance, and things look different.
Were people/victims interviewed regarding their health complaints? What literature was studied?
In this study it was stated by Dr. Robert McCunney that the existing peer-reviewed literature generally examined exposure to sounds from homes or residential areas that are about one kilometer or further away from wind turbines. That is a substantially greater distance than 550 meters as set out by the Ontario Government.
What does ‘directly make people sick’ mean? The presence of industrial wind turbines is having a direct effect on peoples’ health, well-being and quality of life. The symptoms reported are consistent around the world from Japan to New York State to Australia to France to Ontario.
What is the frame of reference in using the word ‘minority’ which is referenced? Is this a minority within 1000ft., 2000ft. or 10,000ft.?
What minority of people around the globe suffering annoyance, chronic sleep disturbance (and all its negative health effects), and loss of happiness/quality of life is acceptable – 5%, 30%, 49.9%?
Competing claims remain: Hundreds of people, documented internationally, genuinely suffer from adverse health effects from the close proximity of wind turbines while the wind industry denies the problems are related.
One side wants an independent 3rd party epidemiological study done the other side does not.
12/17/09 ON WISCONSIN! Badgers helping badgers. AND it turns out they are a lot louder than a refrigerator.
Click on image to watch video Grassroots Effort Shares Experiences with Wind Farms
Channel 2 WBAY
[CLICK HERE TO WATCH AT SOURCE]
By Matt Smith
TRANSCRIPT:
As Governor Jim Doyle continues his push to achieve what he calls energy independence, a big part of that could come from wind power and new wind farms across the state.
Fond du Lac County has somewhat become the poster child for the cause -- a new wave of energy sweeping through Wisconsin.
"We have no issue with wind turbines per se, but we have a big issue with how they're currently being sited in parts of Wisconsin," Ron Dietrich of the Calumet County Citizens for Responsible Energy said.
A grassroots effort which started several years ago in Calumet County is sharing its story with neighbors, trying to inform them about their experience with wind farms and their impact.
"We're not talking so much the people placing the turbines on their property. It's surrounding residence who don't have turbines on their property could suffer 25 to 40 percent loss of their property value," Diedrich said.
Former state senator Bob Welch is a consultant for the group.
"This is a cause that is really about local control and about community involvement in their destiny, and it's about property rights, it's about what our best choices are for energy," said Welch, of The Welch Group.
One of the latest proposals making its way through the state's Public Service Commission centers in southern Brown County. If approved, the project would erect about 100 turbines throughout Wrightstown, Morrison, Hollandtown, and Glenmore, generating about 150 megawatts.
It's proposals like this that bring out residents and questions.
"Is the agenda green? Is it for corporate? Is it a state agenda? Politics? I'm sure it's all wrapped up in there somewhere," Jason Schmechel of Wrightstown said.
"As I understand, these things have a major impact on people's personal life, and I just want to hear the pros and cons," Chris Hibbard from Hilbert said.
Any opinion is welcome here, organizers say. They just hope to start the conversation -- politics and corporations aside, just neighbor to neighbor.
NOTE FROM THE BPWI RESEARCH NERD: It's the Wisconsin way.
Not at all happy with wind energy
KCWY13
Chevrons’ wind farm officially opened Monday and the new turbines are creating quite a buzz… literally.
Bright flashing lights, broken internet signals and increased noise are some of the complaints from local homeowners.Some feel their once peaceful property has been destroyed. Many can’t understand why the wind farms had to be constructed near their homes.
“It wasn’t fair to us we haven’t gotten anything for the decrease in our property value, so we’re stuck,” says resident Tammy Clark.
When I spoke with Monte McKillip, a Chevron representative, he said the company is trying it’s best to address residents’ concerns. Chevron is working on replacing the current lights used to warn aircrafts of the turbine towers, with less intense and intense and obtrusive bulbs.
NOTE FROM THE BPWI RESEARCH NERD: Click HERE to watch a video at the Chevron website about this wind farm. Nearby homes are not shown or mentioned.
The turbines went on line December 14, 2009.
12/16/09 More than a feeling: Wind turbine noise, loss of sleep, human health and the word "annoyance"
"As a society, our history is filled with failures to recognize the agents that cause disease; once the causes have been recognized, we have responded reluctantly, slowly, and often inadequately."
"Despite the evidence about the many medical, social, and economic effects of noise, as a society, we continue to suffer from the same inertia, the same reluctance to change, and the same denial of the obvious that the anti-tobacco lobby faced a couple of decades ago. This inertia and denial are similar to those that delayed appropriate action on lead, mercury, and asbestos."
"Now we seem unable to make the connection between noise and disease, despite the evidence, and despite the fact, which we all recognize, that our cities are becoming increasingly more polluted with noise.
Noise makers and the businesses that support them are as reluctant as smokers to give up their bad habits."From "Noise Pollution, a Modern Plague" Southern Medical Journal 2007
The two most powerful wind industry lobbyists in North America recently released a report claiming that there are no negative health effects associated with industrial scale wind turbines. [Click here to read it]
Wind farm residents in our state who are living with a 1000 foot setback who know their health and quality of life have been compromised by wind turbine noise and shadow-flicker will wonder how that conclusion could have been reached.
It's interesting to note that this report is about those who live over half a mile (one kilometer) or more from wind turbines.
"[Dr. Robert McCunney, an author of the study] said the existing peer-reviewed literature generally examined exposure to sounds from homes or residential areas that are about one kilometre away or further from wind turbines."
The half-mile setback has been identified as the distance beyond which problems with wind turbine noise and shadow flicker are not a major problem. It's the setback many Wisconsin communites are asking for and developers are refusing.
The half mile setback this report is based on is considered too restrictive by the wind industry and vehemently opposed by the very people who funded this study.
Last week the London Times recognized the connection between wind turbine noise and negative health impacts when they reported on an intentional cover up of recommendations to lower wind turbine noise levels to protect public health. [Click here to read the story]
"Civil servants have suppressed warnings that wind turbines can generate noise damaging people’s health for several square miles around."- London Times, 12/13/09
Noise which interferes with sleep is clearly tied to negative human health impacts in this peer-reviewed report authored by Louis Hagler, MD and Lisa Goines, RN which appeared in Southern Medical Journal. (Available to the public on the MedScape website )
Wind farm residents will find this document especially interesting as it supports their complaints about living with turbine noise. The specific health effects described here will be familiar to many wind farm residents.
Here are some excerpts :
"Noise represents an important public health problem that can lead to hearing loss, sleep disruption, cardiovascular disease, social handicaps, reduced productivity, impaired teaching and learning, absenteeism, increased drug use, and accidents.
It can impair the ability to enjoy one's property and leisure time and increases the frequency of antisocial behavior. Noise adversely affects general health and well-being in the same way as does chronic stress.
Sleep Disturbances
Uninterrupted sleep is known to be a prerequisite for good physiologic and mental functioning in healthy individuals. Environmental noise is one of the major causes of disturbed sleep.
When sleep disruption becomes chronic, the results are mood changes, decrements in performance, and other long-term effects on health and well-being.
Much recent research has focused on noise from aircraft, roadways, and trains. It is known, for example, that continuous noise in excess of 30 dB disturbs sleep. For intermittent noise, the probability of being awakened increases with the number of noise events per night.
The primary sleep disturbances are difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, waking too early, and alterations in sleep stages and depth, especially a reduction in REM sleep.
Apart from various effects on sleep itself, noise during sleep causes increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, increased pulse amplitude, vasoconstriction, changes in respiration, cardiac arrhythmias, and increased body movement. For each of these, the threshold and response relationships may be different.
Some of these effects (waking, for example) diminish with repeated exposure; others, particularly cardiovascular responses, do not.
Decreased alertness leading to accidents, injuries, and death has also been attributed to lack of sleep and disrupted circadian rhythms. Secondary effects (so-called after effects) measured the following day include fatigue, depressed mood and well-being, and decreased performance.
Long-term psychosocial effects have been related to nocturnal noise. Noise annoyance during the night increases total noise annoyance for the following 24 hours. Particularly sensitive groups include the elderly, shift workers, persons vulnerable to physical or mental disorders, and those with sleep disorders.
Other factors that influence the problem of night-time noise include its occurrence in residential areas with low background noise levels and combinations of noise and vibration such as produced by trains or heavy trucks. Low frequency sound is more disturbing, even at very low sound pressure levels; these low frequency components appear to have a significant detrimental effect on health."
NOTE FROM THE BPWI RESEARCH NERD: This peer-reviewed report notes that a continuous noise in excess of 30 dB disturbs sleep. The wind turbine noise limit currently used in Wisconsin is 50dB.