Environmental Compliance Alliance
262 East Lake Road Phone 585.554.5451
Rushville, NY 14544 Email barehill@aol.com
Richard H. Bolton, President
April 25, 2007
Dr. F. Jeffrey Goldthwait
10141 Lake Hollow Rd.
Cohocton, NY 14826
Subject: Reassessment of Noise and Shadow Flicker for Dutch Hill and Cohocton Wind Projects
Dear Dr. Goldthwait,
I have just returned from testifying at a Public Service Commission hearing in Charleston, West Virginia so I apologize for not responding to you sooner. Per your request I have re-evaluated the Cohocton and Dutch Hill Power Projects in terms of noise and shadow flicker.
My conclusions remain consistent, or perhaps even more emphatic, that the noise analysis and shadow flicker analysis for these projects is wholly inadequate and does not demonstrate necessary and proficient consideration of environmental changes that may impact residents. Emerging information, such as at the Mars Hills, Vt. project indicates that noise analyses, which generally follow the same methodology as in Cohocton, were insufficient resulting in widespread citizen complaints and intervention by government during construction of the wind farm.
To reiterate my objections, the noise analyses demonstrably did not assess the realistic background noises in the project areas The Cadna predictive noise modeling software specifically does not account for common atmospheric effects likely in Cohocton and is explicitly designed to conform to an ISO standard that is not to be used for non-terrestrial noise sources.
The shadow flicker studies incorrectly applied restrictive criteria to the WindPro software that greatly understates the true impact of shadow flicker in the project areas.
As you know the Lead Agency may not rely solely on studies submitted by the project sponsor. Those reports are likely biased toward an outcome favorable to the sponsor. Sufficient doubts exist that the Lead Agency in my opinion is mandated to seek an impartial reassessment of noise and shadow flicker for both projects.
If I can be of any further assistance in this matter please let me know.
Sincerely,
Richard H. Bolton
Cc: Pat McAllister, Esq., Cohocton Town Attorney
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