Dream Home Taken Away by Industrial Wind Turbines

Dear Editor,

My name is Jessica. I am 27 years old and live in Sheldon, NY. I am writing because the American public needs to understand the harsh impacts industrial wind turbines are having on residents living near these immense machines. As residents in the Town of Sheldon, we are now stuck living with at least ten 420-foot tall spinning industrial wind turbines within 1.5 miles of our home.

My husband and I bought our dream home and horse farm in the summer of 2006. We were married on the property. The home was perfect for us, and we looked forward to raising a family here.

My career as a health care professional is high stress and constant chaos. Although I love my career, I really looked forward to returning to the peace and quiet our country home provided every day. Tragically, our solitude has been shattered, and tranquil days and nights are no longer a reality here.

My husband and I first learned of wind turbines only months after purchasing our home. We didn't worry much about it at the time because wind turbine talk seemed to be only rumors, and we believed no solid plan was in place. We were wrong.

Summer of 2008 was the initial construction phase. The increased traffic began with heavy equipment, and endless stone and cement trucks. Next was the parade of large tractor trailers carrying the bases, blades, and motors, with their accompanying entourage of several flag vehicles each. The construction traffic began in the early morning and continued through dusk every day for months. The continuous daytime noise on the road and in the nearby once-quiet fields became exhausting.

The road noise has quieted, and the workers are gone - just the spinning machines remain. The increased traffic over the summer was an annoyance, but now the ugly sticks on the hill are ruining my life. The turbines began spinning a few weeks back. Since then the light pollution in our night skies is horrible, and the noise is driving me crazy!

The noise is so loud and annoying it is no longer enjoyable to spend time outside. I do not even enjoy riding my horses for any length of time anymore. The loud noise creates anxiety and stress which is resulting in tension headaches, nausea and dizziness.

The negative effects of the noise created by the wind turbines varies depending on the time of day and the speed of the wind. During the day, if the wind is low, a "swishing" noise is heard from three turbines located within 1.5 miles to the west. If the wind is stronger, the "swishing" becomes louder and is accompanied by a jet engine type "roar". The noise can be heard in the house when the windows are closed. I can't imagine what it's going to be like when we want to open our windows this summer!

The night view of the many blinking red lights which now obscure our once serene, star-lit skies is like looking at blinking Christmas tree lights. The lights often catch my attention even when I'm focused on other tasks.

As if the noise and flashing lights wasn't bad enough, the newest addition is the presence of shadow flicker. As the sun gets lower in the sky every evening, a "flicker" is created in our bedroom, the computer room, the living room, and the family room. I am unable to rest, read, or even watch television during this time. The shadow flicker creates headaches and eye pain. I am unable to remain in those rooms (the majority of the house) during shadow flicker hours.

People often will pull over in front of our house and stick their heads out of their car windows. I am sure they do not hear the full effect. I invite anyone to come to our house during a strong wind period and just sit in the yard. Only then will anyone truly feel the full effect. And even then, you can leave. You won't have to try and sleep there at night.

Our dream home has been taken away from us, and we had no power to say no. A feeling of hopelessness continues to consume me. I now pay a mortgage on a "damaged" house. We do not have the option of turning the noise off when it becomes a nuisance, or when we want to go to sleep at night. Our neighbors have taken different sides, and the entire town is divided. Trust in our small town has been destroyed by greed and inconsideration for one's neighbors.

Please listen to my plea! Please don't do what my town has done! Research industrial wind turbines. Talk to others. Remember - wind turbine companies are in it to make a huge profit. The ones getting paid by Big Wind LLC's are the ones saying wind farms are wonderful. Listen to the stories of uncompensated residents, like us, who are now stuck living next to turbines, and whose lives have been ruined by these things.

Sadly submitted by Jessica, Sheldon, NY