Falmouth Wind #1 post-construction noise survey
MassDEP|May 1, 2012
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced that one of the two turbines sited in Falmouth exceeds noise levels permitted under State law. The letter from the MassDEP confirming the findings of a sound survey as well as the study report can be accessed by clicking on the links at the bottom of this page. An excerpt of the MassDEP letter is provided below.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced that one of the two turbines sited in Falmouth exceeds noise levels permitted under State law. The letter from the MassDEP confirming the findings of a sound survey as well as the study report can be accessed by clicking on the links at the bottom of this page. An excerpt of the MassDEP letter is provided below.
Over the course of four nights, MassDEP conducted sound sampling with Wind #1 operational at five residential locations close to the wind turbines. Data was also collected for background sound without turbine operations. Because the sampling was attended, the study was able to focus directly on sound from the wind tribune without interference from other sound sources.
The results of MassDEP's sampling indicate that sound levels from Wind #1 exceed the 10 dBA threshold that MassDEP defined as acceptable sound at one of the sampling sites (211 Blacksmith Shop Road) under both high and low wind conditions at night. Prior to these results being made available the Falmouth Board of Selectmen (BOS) had already made a determination to cease nighttime operation between 7:00pm and 7:00am for both Wind #1 and Wind #2.
Wind #1 will not be operated during nighttime hours unless and until steps are taken to reduce nighttime sound impact to levels below MassDEP's 10 dBA threshold. Further, Wind #1 will not be operated during the daytime until additional testing is conducted to determine if Wind #1 meets MassDEP's 10 dBA threshold during hours of intended daytime operation.
