The WHO Regional Office for Europe launched these updated Night noise guidelines for Europe. The guidelines provide ground-breaking evidence on how exposure to night noise can damage people's health, and recommends guideline levels to protect health. The new limit is an annual average night exposure not exceeding 40 decibels (dB), corresponding to the sound from a quiet street in a residential area. Sleepers that are exposed to higher levels over the year can suffer mild health effects, such as sleep disturbance and insomnia. Long-term average exposure to levels above 55 dB, similar to the noise from a busy street, can trigger elevated blood pressure and heart attacks. One in five Europeans is regularly exposed to such noise levels. A summary of the findings is provided below. Click on the link to access the full document.

This affidavit by Dr. Michael Nissenbaum was submitted in support of an appeal filed with Maine's Board of Environmental Protection. The aggrieved parties are opposing the final order permitting the Record Hill wind energy facility issued by Maine's Department of Environmental Protection on August 20, 2009. The proposed project will include 22 industrial scale turbines sited in Roxbury, Maine. Dr. Nissenbaum asserts that turbines can cause adverse effects on human health.

This report appeared in this month's edition of Advance for Audiologists, a trade magazine for professional audiologists.

This community based surveillance activity was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Robert McMurtry, the Former Dean of Medicine at the University of Western Ontario. The health survey revealed that out of 76 respondents, 53 people now living near different wind power facilities in Ontario reported that industrial wind turbines were having a significant negative impact on their lives. The adverse effects range from headaches and sleep disturbance to tinnitus (ringing in the ear) and depression. The abstract of his report is posted below. The full report, complete with responses from participants can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

This report by Frits van den Berg appeared in the Summer 2009 issue of Echoes, the newsletter of the Acoustical Society of America.

This report centers on the effects of industrial wind turbine noise on sleep as this is the particular area of expertise of the author. It was prepared by Dr. Christopher Hanning who founded, and until retirement, ran the Leicester Sleep Disorders Service, one of the longest standing and largest services in the United Kingdom.

This letter was prepared in response to the March 13, 2009 recommendations of the Clayton Wind Law Committee, a committee established by the Town Board. The comments contained are limited to the town’s consideration of limits on the development of utility-scale, industrial wind turbines, especially as part of a multi-turbine wind farm. NY Attorney Gary Abraham submitted the letter on behalf of Environmentally Concerned Citizens Organization (ECCO).

In late February 2009 the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) received a request from the Office of Energy Security (OES) in the Minnesota Department of Commerce, for a “white paper” evaluating possible health effects associated with low frequency vibrations and sound arising from large wind energy conversion systems (LWECS). MDH agreed to evaluate health impacts from wind turbine noise and low frequency vibrations. In discussion with OES, MDH also proposed to examine experiences and policies of other states and countries. Below are the Introduction and Conclusions of the white paper released in May 2009. The full report can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

This suit was filed against the Village of Libertyville (IL) and DPR Investments LLC shortly after a business-scale wind turbine was erected and became operational within 600 feet of residential properties. The Entegrity 50 kilowatt, 120-foot turbine is owned by DPR Investments doing business as Aldridge Electric Company. Complaints of noise, shadow flicker and blade flicker were heard right after the turbine started turning. On July 24, 2009, the Court issued a compromise ruling stating that the turbine was affecting neighboring residents and restricted the turbine hours of operation to weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (see: http://www.windaction.org/news/22373 )

Paul D. Schomer of Schomer & Associates Inc., was invited by the residents of Cape Vincent, NY to evaluate the pre-construction noise studies conducted Hessler and Associates. Dr. Schomer is chairman of the International Organization for Standardization working group on environmental noise and chairman of the American National Standards committee on noise, among other leadership roles in noise measurement. His findings contradict the studies done by Hessler Associates Inc. The executive summary of his report is reproduced on this page. His full report can be accessed by clicking on the link below.