Last night we went to Perry to present results of a detailed noise analysis I completed for the Dairy Hills Wind Farm west of Perry. A pdf of that report is attached, please use it as you wish.
This is the 3rd town's public comment meeting I've attended as part of the SEQR mandatory hearings - Prattsburgh, Cohocton and now Perry.
There is a common and strong theme among the towns, and probably common to all of NY and the Northeast, if not the U.S. and worldwide:
1) The wind companies are accused of "coming in the back door" and doing back-room deals before the public becomes aware. If wind turbines are so good why is this so?
2) The wind company gets the Town to pass a windmill zoning law to permit industrial turbines. In the law is a 50 dBA noise limit at the property line, or residence.
3) SEQR review is required prior to enacting this local town law and should require an EIS, but either the Town does not do a SEQR at all (Cohocton Law #1 and also Perry, Law #1 for 2006) or declares "No Environmental Harm" and no EIS is required. Nothing is ever submitted to show the derivation of the 50 dBA noise number. Actually this noise level is widely found in urban areas and is much to high for rural areas (source: EPA).
4) The public wants to have town referendums and don't want it left to the Town Boards to decide the fate of the Town.
5) Environmental concerns are largely centered on a) Noise b) Aesthetics c)bird injuries.
Some environmental effects are unknown at this time - the extent of bird injuries in specific migratory zones, unique to each town; noise and/or flicker effects on dairy cattle and long-term human health.
6)PILOT payments are vaguely calculated, underpaid and probably not sustainable.
7) Pro-wind speakers almost always have not done any research of their own but merely repeat the prevailing propaganda.
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