My Falmouth Wind I Experiment
My “Falmouth Experiment” began March 2, 2011 when wind speed controls were imposed on Wind I. July 11 is the next Wind Information presentation to Selectmen. It should prove informational.
NASA – [Aeroacoutics of Large Wind Turbines] -
“at the one-third-octave band spectra at lower frequencies, the highest levels (low-frequencies) are shown to be associated with the highest wind speeds and the highest power outputs.”
I asked neighbors whether this restriction has helped. The neighbors, the very ones that have complained veraciously, and those that only mention annoyance as a shared sentiment with a poor weather forecast, have all agreed. It has been better.
The Board of Selectmen, by their restriction on Wind I, unknowingly reduced the highest levels of low frequency imposed on neighbors. The neighbor’s reaction, despite conclusions made by HMMH and the Vestas representative at the June meeting, supports NASA’s determination.
The result of a simple layman’s experiment shows a connect between NASAʼs determination and residents irritation instances. On a personal note, I recorded zero (0) pressure headaches when wind speeds curtailed the operation of Wind I.
My experiment has provided me a possible explanation for my headaches but another pain remains. At the June Wind Information meeting, the state’s Executive Officer of Energy and Environmental Affairs appeared, representing the Patrick administration. Mr. Clark voiced Governor Patrick’s commitment to wind, and said Falmouth’s approach was “right in line” with the administration’s policy, and promised that “the state will continue to be involved and provide leadership as needed going forward.”
Why then Mr. Clark, is it left to a citizen to investigate and derive an answer to his turbine induced headaches? Where is your involvement and leadership Governor Patrick? This smacks of the disconnect between bureaucratic agency mission objectives (i.e. public protection) and the citizen. What the EPA and MA Public Health agencies should be investigating are the experiences and maladies of the Falmouth folks effected by these machines. They are not! Frankly, no one is! They, the whole lot including Falmouth, instead choose to review evidentiary material. Much of which was relied upon to get us into this mess. Don’t they realize there’s a wind petri dish right here in Falmouth? Hello?
Convincing regulators (i.e. Boards of Selectmen, Health and Planning) that Low Frequency and Infrasound from wind turbines is inadequately regulated is the hurdle, especially when the Governor’s wind agenda strategy coaxes his bureaucracy to expedite things for the wind industry. The citizen is left with the heavy lifting to prove ill harm.
Convincing OUR regulators is the elephant in the room when, currently, they ‘aren’t on duty’ to investigate, they’re not present, as government agencies, to answer citizen questions because the truth may slow wind agenda progress or, at worst, they’ll have to admit a mistake. Please – Get over yourselves and get on with honest, transparent, protective moratorium measures!
