Robert Rand, an acoustician from Boulder, Colorado, supplied the BOCC with a copy of a professional review of the sound study conducted by Epsilon and submitted to the county in October 2016. In his review, Rand cited 12 instances where the study contained either errors or omissions. For example, Rand’s review states, "The Epsilon Report does not assess for noise disturbance, despite apparent neighbor complaints of noise disturbance. Noise disturbance is prohibited by the County Ordinance No. 02-1, Section 3(e) and Section 4(a).”

Impact on People Colorado

An El Paso County commissioner said Thursday that safety and health concerns regarding the Nextera wind farm in Calhan may never be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. ..."I had to move away because I was sick," said Jeff Wolfe. 

Impact on People Noise Colorado

Jeff Wolfe, who lives close to NextEra Energy's Golden West wind farm, said he's experienced nausea, dizziness and migraines since it began operating in fall 2015. He attributes the symptoms to the low-frequency sound waves, known as infrasound, emitted by the 145 windmills. "This is poisoning people. It's poisoning animals," said Wolfe.

Impact on People Noise Colorado

The wind farm in eastern El Paso County continues to raise concerns for people who live nearby. Thursday, county commissioners got to hear those concerns.

Impact on People Lighting Colorado

NextEra's Golden West Wind Energy Center sited in El Paso County, Colorado was required under the County permit to conduct a noise impact study after the project was placed in service in October 2015. Acoustician Robert Rand was asked by residents living near the turbines to review the noise impact study as prepared by NextEra consultant, Epsilon Associates. Mr. Rand's report, included here, identified several material errors with Epsilon's report and also found that the project appears to be operating outside the noise limits permitted by the County and the State. The Golden West Wind Energy Center consists 145 1.72-megawatt GE turbines for a total installed capacity of 249.4-megawatts Mr. Rand's executive summary is provided below. The full report can be accessed by clicking the document icon on this page. 

Impact on People Noise Colorado

A meeting next week will give locals the chance to learn more about a controversial wind farm near Calhan.

Impact on People Lighting Colorado

“The routes unnecessarily destroy wilderness-quality lands in Northwest Colorado and eastern Nevada, as well as greater sage grouse habitat. Readily available alternative routes could have minimized or eliminated these impacts by following highways and designated utility corridors.”

Transmission Colorado Nevada Wyoming

Calhan residents expressed their complaints towards wind turbines at a county meeting on Tuesday. KRDO NewsChannel 13 was at that meeting to hear several passionate pleas from those who say they are fed up.

Impact on Wildlife Impact on People Colorado

Residents living within the Golden West Wind Energy Center’s footprint in Calhan, Colorado, have reported negative physical and psychological effects from the turbines since it became fully operational in October 2015. The center consists of 145 453-foot tall industrial wind turbines, connected to an electrical substation in Falcon by 29 miles of overhead transmission lines.

Noise Colorado

In a statement, Alex Daue, assistant director for energy and climate for the Wilderness Society, said the two newly approved routes “unnecessarily destroy wilderness-quality lands in northwest Colorado and eastern Nevada, as well as greater sage-grouse habitat. Readily available alternative routes could have minimized or eliminated these impacts by following highways and designated utility corridors.”

Transmission Colorado Wyoming

Xcel Energy needed to move forward on Rush Creek, which will be the largest wind project ever in the state, this year instead of next to avoid forfeiting $125 million out of the $443 million in federal tax credits the project is seeking.

General Colorado

On the western edge of the Great Plains, Colorado abuts some of the windiest regions of the country.

General Colorado

Settlement also advances date Pawnee-Daniels Park transmission line will be functioning

General Colorado

“I have lived on this property for six years, and I have never had a stillborn (foal or colt) in my entire life,” she said. “The first one I have ever had was after they put in the turbines and turned them on. The turbines have changed our entire ecosystem.” 

Impact on Wildlife Colorado

Prior to October 2015, Ann-Marie McLaughlin said her 36-acre property in Calhan, Colorado, was teeming with prairie dogs. However, that all changed when the Golden West Wind Energy Center became fully operational last October.

Impact on Wildlife Colorado

The Rush Creek Wind Project would cross 96,200 acres in six eastern plains counties and generate 600 MW of power. The project also requires a 150-foot-wide right of way for a 90-miles transmission line.

Taxes & Subsidies Colorado

"If Xcel Energy owns this wind farm, they get to charge a 10 percent return on investment," Huntley said, "and they charge it back to ratepayers. If they own this facility, there will be an impact on rates that all customers share," including Boulder's — particularly if the city's bid to municipalize fails.

General Colorado

Sandy Wolfe, another resident living within the wind farm project’s footprint, said she has experienced many physical ailments since the turbines became operational, and noticed that her animals were experiencing some of the same ones. “My dog Hank was so strong, and everybody was amazed at how strong and agile and competent he still was,” she said. “When I started having nosebleeds in September, he did, too. Mine subsided because I started sleeping in my truck, ...Wolfe said Hank died this past winter. He was one of three dogs that has died since September, she said.

Noise Colorado

El Paso County residents accusing NextEra of negative effects from the wind farm say they've had headaches, nausea and dizziness because of the turbines, inaudible, low-frequency sound waves known as infrasound, and a phenomenon that occurs near windmills called shadow flicker.

Impact on People Colorado

Calhan resident Kory Feick becomes nauseous from the spinning motion of the wind turbines that surround her property on three sides. The nausea is so severe that she has a hard time going outside.

Impact on People Colorado