Here is a reprint of an email about ice throw at Green Mountain Power's Searsburg wind energy facility in Searsburg Vermont. The email was written by John Zimmerman to an American Wind Energy Association listserv in 2000. Mr. Zimmerman managed the development of the Searsburg facility

Please note that anything of lighter color or crossed out is the recommendation from the township attorney. The markup reflects the attorney's view that any environmental clauses can be challenged in the courts and the township should not take on the liability of being an "expert" in intrepreting the studies presented to them by the developer or citizen.

Dr, Kenneth Jaffe's response to the health and safety content of a June 2006 presentation by the NY State Department of State (DOS) in Delware County, NY.

The DOS presentation, which included a discussion of the impact of industrial turbine projects on communities and individuals, is intended to guide local officials in the process of writing regulations. Dr. Jaffe's response addresses what he believes are substantive misstatements, mischaracterizations, biased emphasis and faulty data contained in the DOS presentation.

During a recent roundtable discussion concerning wind power projects at the Delaware County Historical Society a participant affiliated with two local wind development companies stated that there were three issues where the health and safety impacts were predictable and avoidable---- ice throws, noise, and flicker. Since the statement was made in the presence of planners who are advising towns in the process of writing regulations to protect the health and safety of residents, I felt that a fuller discussion of the known science of these issues was important, and have prepared this report to that end.

Editor's Note: Dr. Jaffe's presentation to the Town of Meredith Planning Board on the proposed industrial wind plant vis-a-vis Meredith's 'vision' is available via the link below.

Editor's note: This short document prepared by personnel at the Wind Application Engineering Group of GE Energy provides some insight into the risks of ice throw. The content of this document confirms that ice fragments can be thrown large distances from the turbines.

This short GE Energy document explains the risk of ice build-up on the turbines and any mitigation. Note, the document acknowledges the risk of ice-shedding as well as ice-throw. An excerpt is included below. The full document can be accessed by clicking on the link.

These guidelines have been developed by the Energy Office, Michigan Dept. of Labor and Economic Growth to assist local governments to develop siting requirements for wind energy systems. These guidelines are not intended to apply in urban areas that already have height, noise, setback and other requirements that can be applied to wind energy systems. These guidelines have been developed with the intention of striking an appropriate balance between the need for clean, renewable energy resources and the necessity to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. The guidelines represent recommended zoning language for local governments to use if they amend their zoning ordinance to address wind energy systems. The Energy Office, DLEG has no authority to issue regulations related to siting wind energy systems.

"Suffering from migraines and sick of suburban life, real estate agent Dawn Deel fled the outskirts of Detroit three years ago to build a new life in Golden Township, Oceana County, on Lake Michigan's eastern shore.....

Deel, however, now has a different sort of headache. Alternative-energy companies Michigan Wind Energy and Machinaw Power plan to build dozens of wind turbines-290 ft tall white steel pinwheels- across the county."

Glenn Schleede's (10/26/05) letter (False Claims in Time 'War of the Winds' article) is available in 'Opinions'.