Better Plan, Wisconsin

Got Turbine Noise? Is it louder than the developers told you it would be? What happens when you call 'customer care' to complain?

This email interchange is between a resident of the Cedar Ridge Wind Farm near the towns of Eden and Empire in Fond du Lac County Wisconsin. We are grateful to Daniel Haas for sharing it with us and allowing us to post it here.

Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 7:49 AM
To: CustomerCare
Subject: Cedar Ridge Farm Complaint

I contacted you on March 11, 2009.

I explained my complaints and concerns regarding the wind turbines.

You e-mailed back and said the local administrator would be in contact with me shortly.

Well it's been over a month, you must really be busy or you just don't give a s--- about the people who have to live in this nightmare.

I will wait patiently for the local administrator to contact me. I was told the only way to get a response from you people was a lawsuit but I guess that is an option.

Again I will wait for some response!

Thank you

Daniel Haas

From: Morrell, Manny
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 9:27 AM
Subject: RE: Cedar Ridge Farm Complaint

Dear Mr. Haas,

I understand your frustrations.

I apologize if we have not been in better contact with you recently, however we do have it in our records that our engineer contacted your residence on March 19th to discuss.

He should have discussed that at that time we were waiting on results of a noise study.

He should have also discussed that you would need to document the shadow flicker and call us the next time it happened so that it could be verified.

The results of the noise study have been finalized and according to the study, we meet the requirements that the average level of noise from the turbine remain under 50dBA.

To give you some perspective, the noise level of a typical television is 50 dBA, a car traveling at 30 mph 30 feet away from you is 60dBA, and a food processor on high or idling gas powered lawn mower is about 85dBA.

In regards to shadow flicker, we are aware that some residences are experiencing short periods of shadow flicker during certain times of the year.

We will be addressing this issue to eligible residences with shades that block out the shadow flicker during these times.

We will be finalizing the actual requirements next week on eligibility.

For now, we ask that you document dates and times that you are experiencing shadow flicker and please call us during that time so that we may come verify what the impacts are and discuss possible resolution.

The number to call to schedule verification of shadow flicker is 920-477-5048.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to call me directly at the number below.


Sincerely

Manny Morrell
Site Manager
Alliant Energy

Cedar Ridge Wind Farm
W3473 Hwy 45
Eden, WI 53019
T: 920.477.5017

From: dan
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 10:57 AM
To: 'Morrell, Manny'
Subject: RE: Cedar Ridge Farm Complaint

First of all, Your engineer never contacted me at all.

If he was at my residence I would know about it.

Also there was never a noise study done at my residence.

I really do not know much about noise levels but what is the noise level of a commercial jet coming through the middle of your house at 2:00 am in the morning.

I really am getting tired of the misinformation given to anyone with a complaint. There are different noise levels and you only talk about one.

The low level noise that I am concerned about is extremely loud and actually shakes the whole house.

It wakes the whole family up at night. It also spooks our horses so bad that we can't even ride them on our trails anymore. Our dogs won't even come out of there kennel because there afraid of the noise.

As for the shadow flicker it is terrible. It effects all of my 100 acres. Yes all 100 acres. That is my home.

You do not understand my frustrations and I am sick and tired of being lied to by you.

I am currently working on a diary to keep track of all the problems we are having and also a log of all the lies from the Town, Developer, and you.

If you would like to do a noise study at my residence I would be up to that.

I have a list of Engineers, Doctors and professors who could help you with your study to determine what noise levels should be studied as well as the health and wellness effects of each.

I would appreciate a response to the e-mail.

Thank you, Daniel J Haas