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Impact on People and Massachusetts
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In his "open letter" of December 2011, Gordon Deane described Fairhaven Wind as the private part of a "partnership" with the town of Fairhaven. Sumul Shah, Jim Sweeney and Deane have been operating a sound nuisance illegally ever since, depriving residence of sleep, the peaceful enjoyment of their homes, and their property value. It is time to reassess this so-called partnership.
Also filed under [
Noise]
The turbines have been on most days and nights for just over a year. The DEP tested only nine nights out of 365.
On four out of those nine nights, the turbines were found to produce sound levels 10 decibels above ambient. Almost half.
Also filed under [
Noise]
State testing shows that the two industrial turbines on Arsene Street in Fairhaven at times violate state noise regulations.
It doesn't happen all the time and testing is not finished, but this news is certainly enough for town officials to take notice — and to take action.
Also filed under [
Noise]
The complaints eventually reached the state level, prompting DEP sound tests. Eventually, both wind turbines were shut down at nighttime. ..."There is no energy technology out there of any real consequence that doesn't have environmental and social impacts that need to be carefully studied and addressed. Just by using a renewable fuel, does not eliminate that responsibility, that challenge."
Also filed under [
Energy Policy]
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's wind energy agenda has led Commonwealth communities into expensive capital expenditures. Now, agencies, under his watch, fortify his agenda and turn theirs back on the community. Falmouth is left windburned and forced to fix itself.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy]
This much is clear: many people who live near these towers believe that the structures are adversely affecting their health. Local officials do not need Falmouth's experiences to understand that there is virtually nothing that will placate people when they believe that their health, and their property values, are suffering. Better to clear the air ahead of time before trying to harness the wind.
Also filed under [
Impact on Landscape]
This piece was written by Mark J. Cool, a resident of Falmouth, Massachusetts. Mark lives 1500 feet from one of the two wind turbines installed by the town. He provides a detailed look at the history and impacts of the decision to site the towers so close to where people live.
These problems were predicted before their construction, but wind developers persuaded future neighbors that there would not be any problems. Now, as more turbines are built near residential areas, post-installation problems are emerging, causing precisely the problems that wind turbine opponents said would happen.
In this piece by Steve Ryack and Bill Lattrell, two members of the Heath (Massachusetts) Renewable Energy Committee, explain the research and analysis conducted by the committee in recommending turbines be limited to 100 feet in height.
Several longtime residents complain of headaches and dramatic reductions in quality of life.
"My quiet, peaceful, serene world and home has been turned into a reality of grief, unending noise, annoyance and constant dealing with those in charge to help us," said Michael Fairneny of Florida.
The Massachusetts Departments of Public Health and Environmental Protection continue endorsing noise guideline and noise sampling protocol tools which, both agencies admit, do not adequately address, nor properly mitigate the unique noise characteristics associated with Industrial Wind Turbines (June 30, 2011 letter from MassDEP to Falmouth Selectmen & Health Agent).
Also filed under [
Noise]
If you don't have a suitable site for a wind turbine, it is folly to investigate which unsuitable site might be the best. ...Cramming one wind turbine into an inappropriate space on shore is not going to do anything meaningful toward the creation of a renewable energy future.
Also filed under [
Noise]
Many in Falmouth town government have been inclined to ‘down-play' the devastating health plight of local residents. Town official chose to promote the turbines for their financial and ‘green' benefit. The required night time curtailment protocol has nullified those expected benefits. The justification from Town Hall for the turbines has dramatically changed. The benefit has mistakenly become a liability. Simply stating the town's case -- "it's just not possible to afford not to operate them."
The privately owned WEBB/ NOTUS/TELEDYNE turbine, identicle to the other 2, runs unabated, 24/7 full time and without investigation or much mention in the news. It gets just as many complaints. It has driven me out of my home and others out of their jobs in the tech park. Unfortunately, I know why they skate through untouched. Money talks loudest in Falmouth.
Mr. Greenberg has portrayed me as anti-windmill, and I am not. ...If I had been aware of the wind turbine before it was built, I would not have had any views to bring forward since I have had no experience with them. At that time, I was a member of the ignorant majority, but now it is a different story.
Also filed under [
Noise]
The testing is little more than a bit of performance art, designed to appease those who are ignorant about the ill health effects caused by these industrial monstrosities. The most these noise measurements can show is that turbines comply with a law crafted in 1962 for the purpose of measuring things like the noise created by cars rushing past a residential neighborhood on a new highway.
Also filed under [
Noise]
The noise effect is called a random assault because as the turbine moves around with the wind the homes to the side of the turbines are the most affected. If the wind blows from one direction for several days, those homes to the sides of the turbines become "hot spots."
Falmouth selectmen, according to a recent article in the Cape Cod Times, continue to "sympathize" with the desperate plight of wind turbine abutters ...But the board of selectmen is sticking to its so-called "statement of principles," a shockingly callous and misguided policy statement that proclaims that the board intends to earn enough revenue from the wind turbine to pay the electric bills of the wastewater treatment plant and the debt service on the machines.
The facts are, that in no other place are turbines like these as close to as many homes. They do make noise and obviously they do have an impact on property values. If the wind is blowing in your direction you will hear a constant jet plane sound ...Whenyou see those 400-foot towers with their spinning blades above your roof you can think about the loss of home equity town officials have cost you.
Also filed under [
Noise|
Zoning/Planning]
The following letter was published by Dr. Pierpont in the Massachusetts newspaper, South Coast Today, responding to a letter written by a Fairhaven, MA, resident named Donald Mulcare, titled "Pierpont's wind syndrome study isn't applicable to Fairhaven" (2/23/12).