Ann Wirtz and Jason Wirtz, 324 Oakview Circle, Oakfield, WI, on behalf of themselves and their children, Joshua, Kayla, Annalise, and Megan, requested that the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin order Invenergy LLC to compensate them for injuries sustained as a result of the operations of the Forward Wind Energy Center (the "FWEC"). Invenergy filed this response before the PSC and ultimately, the PSC ruled against the Wirtz family claiming it did not have the authority to hear personal injury and property damage claims. .
Noise
Impact on People
Wisconsin
The WindAction Group (www.windAction.org)
Facts, analysis, exposure to industrial wind energy's real impacts
Attorney Edward S. Marion submitted this letter to Wisconsin's State Health Officer and Administrator, Dr. Seth Foldy. The letter, prepared on behalf of Brown County Citizens for Responsible Wind Energy, Inc., provides the Wisconsin Department of Public Health ('DPH') with evidence that wind turbine noise is a threat to human health and asks the DPH to conduct a formal epidemiological study of the health effects of wind turbine noise from existing wind farms in Wisconsin.
These remarks were presented by Dr. Michael Nissenbaum at a press conference held at the Vermont legislature. Dr. Nissenbaum has been documenting the adverse health effects of industrial turbines on residents living near the Mars Hill Maine towers.
This report outlines the acoustic and visual impacts of the Wolfe Island Wind Project on residents 2 miles (3.2 km) across the St. Lawrence River along the Tibbetts Point Road, Cape Vincent.
Growth in transportation networks, resource extraction, motorized recreation and urban development is responsible for chronic noise exposure in most terrestrial areas, including remote wilderness sites. Increased noise levels reduce the distance and area over which acoustic signals can be perceived by animals. Here, we review a broad range of findings that indicate the potential severity of this threat to diverse taxa, and recent studies that document substantial changes in foraging and anti-predator behavior, reproductive success, density and community structure in response to noise. Effective management of protected areas must include noise assessment, and research is needed to further quantify the ecological consequences of chronic noise exposure in terrestrial environments.
Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects, An Expert Panel Review (A/CanWEA Panel Review) was prepared for and sponsored by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA). In response, an analysis was conducted by The Society for Wind Vigilance of the A/CanWEA Panel Review. Details of the analysis are explained in this report. For convenience the remainder of the analysis and critique is done in a tabulated format of point - counterpoint. The volume of material necessitated this approach and hopefully will enhance the clarity of the critique being put forward. The method utilized was to excerpt each of the claims and place it in the context of authoritative and contrary information. In addition an effort has been made to identify the errors of omission as well as those of commission.
On December 10, 2009, Attorney Rufus Brown made this filing to the Maine Board of Environmental Protection in the appeal of the Record Hill Wind Project. ...As part of this filing, Attorney Brown submits newly discovered evidence of correspondence between Dora Mills, M.D., Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control ("MCDC") and the Maine DEP, which he states suggests "the review input from MCDC in the Record Hill permitting process was tainted with a political agenda rather than being from an objective evaluation for the protection of public health."
This letter, prepared by acoustics expert Malcolm Swinbanks, addresses three separate issues relating to wind turbines. First, an unresolved issue relating to low-frequency sound generation by wind-turbines. Second, further well-established characteristics of low-frequency noise. Third, the present status of permitted noise levels and setbacks. An excerpt of this letter is provided below. The full letter, as submitted to the State of Michigan, can be accessed by clicking on the link(s) at the bottom of this page.
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.
In response to sound studies from commercial wind developers, a series of background noise surveys were conducted in Cape Vincent, NY between May and July 2008. The survey approach included sampling at night under stable atmospheric conditions and systematically selecting monitoring stations at 1.6 km intervals. Stable conditions occurred in 67% of nights and in 30% of those nights, wind velocities represented worse-case conditions where ground level winds were less than 2 m/s and hub-height winds were greater than wind turbine cut-in speed, 4 m/s. The median A-weighted L90a,9hr sound pressure level was 25.7 and 26.7 dBA. C-weighted SPLs from the two mobile surveys were 40.0 dBC and 43.9 dBC. Assuming 45 dBA background noise, developers of the St. Lawrence Wind Farm predicted noise impacts would not exceed local and New York guidelines. However, assuming worse-case conditions using 25.6 dBA background noise, nearly all residences within range of the St Lawrence Wind Farm exceeded New York guidelines and more than half would have noise levels considered "objectionable" to "intolerable".
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.
On March 27, 2009, the residents of Mars Hill living within 3600 feet of First Wind's wind energy facility filed a civil complaint in Maine Superior Court seeking relief from the "significant harm" caused by the First Wind and others by the construction and operation of the site. The full complaint can be accessed by clicking on the link below.
These meeting notes detail the thinking of Dr. Dora Mills, State of Maine Public Health Director and Staff of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection regarding wind turbine noise. At the time of this meeting, attendee Andrew Fisk of Maine DEP had notified First Wind that their wind facility in Mars Hill ME was operating in compliance with the permit he had issued. Dr. Mills was preparing to present information on turbine noise before the Maine Medical Association meeting later in the month. All attendees were discussing how to proceed with two other wind projects proposed in the State. Both proposed projects use RSE to model the preconstruction noise levels.
At its monthly meeting held Tuesday, March 3, 2009, the Medical Staff of Northern Maine Medical Center unanimously approved the release of the following statement: