Marion Trieste, Alliance for Clean Energy New York
From the ACENY website...
"NEW REPORT FINDS NO EVIDENCE OF IMPACTS ON
PROPERTY VALUES FROM WIND FARM
Suggests property value effects should take on less importance in siting proceedings"
Larisa Washburn, program associate of Environmental Advocates of New York. “This study sheds light on a common concern in communities deciding whether or not to build a wind farm and shows that property values are not impacted.”
"The report finds there to be no measurable effect on values. These findings held even when concentrating on homes that were within a mile of the turbines"
http://www.aceny.org/pdfs/misc/Property%20Value%20Study%20Press%20Release5_24_06.pdf
Mrs. Trieste, thank you for your response to my letter. The response was posted on the yeswindcohocton.blogspot.com (included below). To ground our dialog in reference to the term paper rather than opinion, I will provide quotes from the report. I find your suggestion that I am "interpreting" fasinating considering I am quoting and using data from the report itself.
1. We agree that no property was analyzed within 3/4 mile. However, you then stating that Mr. Hoen talked to owners and “feeling there is no impact” does not warrant further discussion in a scientific study. Further, it's irresponsible to do so to cover this deficiency. Mr. Hoen writes on page 40/41, “Distance: This study contains homes only as close as 0.75 miles or 4000 feet to the turbines. HVTL studies have found effects exist only inside 500 feet (Des-Rosiers, 2002). Future studies should find communities with homes closer than 0.75 miles, and preferably as close as 500 feet if they exist.”
Mr. Hoen's words - not mine.
2. I’m sorry, this is correct, 38 of the 43 were at 2 or more miles, and the average distance (DIS_TO_WNDMILS) was 3.50 miles. We agree 5 were at 1 mile (I did not state differently). Are you stating Mr. Hoen's data is incorrect? Mr Hoen writes on page 56 (I have removed confusing data Mean/Min/Max)
"Table VIII: Description of Viewshed Variables
VIEWSHED VARIABLES Mean MinimumMaximum Frequency
DIS_TO_WNDMILS 3.50
VIEW 43
VIEW1MILE 5
VIEW2MILE 15
VIEW3MILE 6
VIEW4MILE 11
VIEW5MILE 6 "
Again, Mr. Hoen's data - not an "interpretation"
I’m also somewhat concerned that you stated that 50% (140 of 280) of the homes analyzed sold prior to the implementation of the wind turbines. Please expand on this point.
3. There is no confusion on vista. I fully understand the difference in vista and turbine view. I did not state vista was "intentionally" left out - simply that the value of vista is specifically addressed and it is not included, period. Mr. Hoen writes on page 41: “Vista: This study does not include a separate measurement for “vista” (or good view) in its analysis. For example, Haughton (2004) finds that homes with a high percentage of "vista" represented in their value (such as might be found in homes on the coast) might be affected differently by wind development."
Again, Mr. Hoen's words, not mine.
Mrs. Trieste, I’m sure you stand by the paper’s own words and data. I remain of the position that these three clearly addressed items make it highly irresponsible for the author or your organization to make any conclusion about properties close to wind turbines. Where's the "concentration on homes within 1 mile"???
Further, I wholeheartedly agree when you write in your response (and I quote) “…that there might be an effect inside of 3,000 feet that exists that the study did not discern. What size the effect might be, if it exists, seems to be the important question” It’s not clear if these are Mr. Hoen’s words or yours --- either case, you make the very point of my original letter that this study does not offer any evidence for those closest to the turbines.
Mrs. Trieste, I am calling on you to be fair to the good citizens of Cohocton and other towns in which you speak with authority. You have a responsbility to tell those closest to the wind turbines "there might be an effect inside 3,000 feet; this seems to be the important question". If you can state so here - you should say so in public.
Setbacks being proposed of 500-1,500 feet to residential structures --- right where your study has no data. I realize ACENY's board of directors consists of wind developers(Horizon, PPM, AWS Truewind) but this lack of disclosure and "spin" should greatly concern all property owners closest to proposed wind projects in New York.
Sincerely,
Jim Lince
Cohocton, NY
[Response posted on YESWINDCOHOCTON.BLOGSPOT.COM]
Response to posting of James Lince on Cohocton Wind Watch Blog
Printed with permission from Marion Trieste ACENY
Lince reply LTE
I appreciate the time you have taken to review Mr. Hoen’s study, but respectfully disagree with your conclusions. Going back to Mr. Hoen’s study, the homes in the community surrounding the wind farm did not show evidence of a decline in property values. That said, I would be glad to correct your interpretations of the Hoen study by answering each of your questions in your letter dated Aug. 2, 2006.
1. No property was analyzed within 4,000 feet (3/4 mile) of a turbine. In addition, the average distance of a property with any view of a turbine was 3.5 miles.
Ans: The study is very clear about this, and states that there might be an effect inside of 3,000 feet that exists that the study did not discern. What size the effect might be, if it exists, seems to be the important question. The study used all houses that sold during the study period, it did not choose which ones to study. Why the houses inside 3,000 feet did not sell seems as an important question. Have you talked to the folks that live inside of 3,000 feet? Mr. Hoen has, and they do not feel impacted. I suggest you go to Fenner and talk to them if you don’t believe Mr. Hoen’s account.
2. Out of the 280 properties analyzed only 43 had any view of a turbine. 38 of these 43 were 2 miles or more (up to 5.99 miles) away from the nearest turbine.
Ans: This is not correct. The study states that 5 homes were inside of 1 mile that had a view and the rest were between 1 and 5.99 miles. Regarding the number of homes with a view, the model does not need or want all, or a large percentage of home to have a view. In fact, if all homes had a view it would not be able to control for those without a view. Having 43 homes out of 280 that had a view, half of which sold before the wind farm was put up means that 30% of the homes that sold after the wind farm was put up (43 out of 140) had a view. This seems like a large percentage to me.
3. The concept of “vista” or value of a view shed was specifically mentioned and excluded as a variable in the study (no value for view from a property).
Ans: It seems you are confused about what the study concluded. The author makes an important distinction between view (of turbines) and vista (a nice view). Mr. Hoen recommends a variable for vista be included in future studies because it might influence the results of the variable for view (of turbines). It was not excluded intentionally as you suggest. The author suggests that the close in effects would most likely not have been influenced by vista. He goes on to suggest that homes further from the wind farm that can both see the wind farm and have a nice vista might be mixing their results. But homes close in that can see the wind farm do not necessarily have a nice vista. Either way, if the effects were strongly negative in regards to view from the wind farm, they would have shown up, as other variables, such as number of acres did.
I hope I answered all of your questions to your satisfaction.
Marion Trieste
Alliance for Clean Energy New York
July 30, 2006
Dear Mrs. Trieste,
You were a panel member at the YESWindCohocton Forum on July 26th, 2006.
You stated in regards to a question about property values that the study completed by student Ben Hoen was evidence that property values did not go down as a result of wind turbine projects.Mrs. Trieste are you aware of the following issues (among many) regarding this study?
1. No property was analyzed within 4,000 feet (3/4 mile) of a turbine. In addition, the average distance of a property with any view of a turbine was 3.5 miles.
2. Out of the 280 properties analyzed only 43 had any view of a turbine. 38 of these 43 were 2 miles or more (up to 5.99 miles) away from the nearest turbine.
3. The concept of “vista” or value of a view shed was specifically mentioned and excluded as a variable in the study (no value for view from a property).
You may believe it is responsible for you to continue to cite Hoen’s thesis as “fact based” assurance to a community. I suggest that the responsible and ethical position would be to provide disclosure. This would avoid property owners closest to these proposed projects relying on your statements as proof that their property values will not be impacted.Obviously those closest to these turbines have the most concern. These citizens deserve responsible answers from those who represent themselves as having researched and detailed factual knowledge of the issues with industrial wind power.
Sincerely,
James G. Lince
Cohocton, NY
No comments:
Post a Comment