Orangeville is my home. We love Orangeville and bought property here because of the quiet rural countryside and abundance of wildlife and recreational opportunities. I am concerned about the negative environmental impacts on the beautiful scenic vistas, wildlife, and the clear-cutting of trees to put high-voltage transmission lines through to connect the turbines.
However, as important as that is to me, I am even more concerned about the potential negative health impacts on myself and my family and my animals. Also on our property values and loss of marketability of property because an industrial wind turbine facility is now being given precedence over the health, safety and welfare of the people. These high-voltage underground and overhead electric lines have no place being put in close proximity to our children, our farms and homes.
We, the people who love Orangeville do not choose to have our homes and recreational areas turned into an industrial zone for any amount of money! We do not choose to suffer from effects of high unbearable amounts of noise and turn our quiet countryside into an unsuitable place to raise our families as a result of now, introducing an industrial park that will intrude into our midst.
Reports from sound analysts place the ambient level of the countryside in places like Orangeville at approximately 25 to 35 decibels. According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation noise policy, human beings find an increase in sound pressure between 5 to 10 decibels to be " intrusive," between 10 to 15 to be "very noticeable," and over 20 decibels to be "very objectionable to intolerable." The DEC noise policy also indicates that sound pressure levels approaching 10 decibels result in a perceived doubling of loudness. Because of people's reactions to an increase in noise, the DEC recommends that in "non-industrial settings" (such as Orangeville's Residential-Agricultural zoning districts) new sources of noise should not be allowed to increase sound pressure by more than 6 decibels above the ambient or existing sound level. The wind company seems to think a noise level of 50 decibels is OK; increasing testimonials from residents of Cohocton, Sheldon, Eagle-Bliss and Tug Hill would seem to show otherwise.
In a critique of a wind energy regulations recently adopted by the Town of Holland, Erie County, New York, attorney Arthur J. Giacalone wrote a document March 28, in which he states in regards to human health impacts, that minimum setbacks of 1,000 feet from residences and 1.5 times the height of the towers from property lines such as in Holland wind laws are minimum setbacks that reflect a willingness to facilitate wind energy projects, not a desire to protect the well being of the residents. The town board in Holland either chose to ignore or did not know about the substantial and growing body of literature from the U.S. and international scientists concerning the potential health hazards associated with the operation of wind turbines near homes, schools and other sensitive receptors, For example:
1.) Dr. Nina Pierpont, a physician from Franklin County, has written extensively about "wind turbine syndrome" explaining the potential health effects associated with the audible and low- frequency noise created by wind turbines, include: chronic sleep problems, increased frequency and severity of headaches; dizziness, unsteadiness and nausea; exhaustion, anxiety, anger, irritability and depression problems with concentration and learning, and tinnitus.
In testimony before The NYS Assembly Energy Committee in 2006, Dr. Pierpont has chronicled a variety of symptoms that appear when wind farm operations start up, and continue until the patient is no longer living near a large-scale industrial wind turbine facility. Dr. Pierpont recommends a minimum of (6,600 feet) 1 mile between industrial-scale turbines and residences, schools etc.
2.) A group of scientists from Portugal, at a 2007 Wind Turbine Noise Conference in Lyon, France, ... expressed the conclusion that in-home infrasound and low-frequency noise generated by wind turbines can lead to severe health problems, specifically vibroacoustic disease involving a thickening and other damaging changes to specific tissues in the heart, lungs, and brain.
3.) A 2007 paper on "Noise Pollution from Wind Turbines" by Davis and Davis, British scientists and health experts, concludes that rural environments are characterized by low or virtually non- existent background noise, particularly at night, making the potential for annoyance and irritation from wind turbine noise particularly significant. ... They confirm findings in other scientific studies, that significant adverse health impacts result from chronic exposure to industrial wind facilities.
It is the duty of the Town Board of Orangeville to fully and objectively exercise due diligence in protecting the health, safety and welfare of the residents of Orangeville. A long, hard look should be taken at the impact of putting a full industrial-scale wind turbine project, complete with all its potential health hazards and negative environmental impacts in the midst, and surrounding our homes and recreational areas.
It would seem that no stone should be left unturned in comprehensively examining the likely adverse impacts of large-scale wind facilities.
Industrial-scale projects must be safely sited.
If the Town of Orangeville is serious about being concerned about the health, safety and welfare of the people, independent contractors (not hired by Invenergy) who are experienced in studying effects of noise on people living in large-scale industrial wind facilities need to be hired. A comprehensive study needs to be done before any consideration to this project is undertaken. What dollar amount do you place on the people of Orangeville's health, safety, welfare and quality of life?
Cathi Orr is a founder of Clear Skies Over Orangeville Rural Preservation Coalition.
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