Wind turbine noise problem in Mars Hill (Houlton, Hope: buy, property tax)

[qhmare]

Originally Posted by DaizyMaine

Chronic exposure to LFN, similar to that produced by wind turbines, appears to specifically target the respiratory system causing various structural abnormalities to develop, but other pathologies also are significantly increased. These include abnormal function of the auditory lobe of the brain (Rev. Port. Pneumol. 2006, 12: 369-274), immune system impairment (Aviat. Space Environ. Med. 1999 3: A141-A144), cancers of the lung, especially squamous cell carcinoma (Rev. Port. Pneumol. 2006, 12: 539-544) and induction of epileptic seizures (Aviat. Space Environ. Med. 1999, 3: A122-A127).[/i][/b]July 4, 2007 by J.P. Michaud, Hays in Ellis County Environmental Awareness

We've been trying to decide if we are going to move or stay here... I think this alone is enough to make that decision for me! With a family member having lung cancer this hits just a little too close to home. (No, we're not smokers).
qhmare

[DaizyMaine]

Kelly,
No one is attacking you and as I said everyone is entitled to their opinion. Just trying to provide some insight, some facts, some personal experience to those who base their opinions on one place and one person. Noticing a noise when you are relaxed and enjoying yourself outdoors is much different than what you expect to hear when you want to unwind. Numbers are great, but can you hear them when you lay down at night to go to sleep? Maybe you should get a tent and sleeping bag and spend a night or two camped outside these homes where the levels are high. A little personal perspective on what it would be like to listen to that 24/7. Also, don't forget who hired and paid for the company that did the noise study. Not saying it's fraudulent, but a little unethical and makes you wonder where the loyalty lies.

[DaizyMaine]

My understanding of correcting for ambient sound is not as simple as subtraction of one reading from another. There is a formula for determining what the noise reading is without background sounds. Without doing your homework, I wouldn't post stuff like that, it makes you look stupid. And again, it goes back to finding out what is really going on and doing a little investigating to form a valid opinion with some substance. I quote an explanation from a noise control site........

"Figure 2.2 is a graph used to estimate the amount of background noise influencing a measurement, and the corresponding decibel level to be subtracted from the total measurement to determine the decibel level of the noise source being monitored.

[IMG][/IMG]

Figure 2.2 is useful in calculating the effect background noise has on the total noise level being monitored. The background noise must be more than ten decibels below the noise level of the source being monitored to have confidence in the accuracy of the measurement. In certain instances, when a single noise source is analyzed along with other noise sources, Figure 2.2 can be used to isolate the noise source being monitored and calculate its individual noise level. This is done by measuring and recording the total noise level of all sources. Next, the noise source to be isolated is turned off and a noise level reading is taken with all the other existing noise sources in operation. Total noise level is then subtracted from the background noise level. If, for example, the total noise level is 84 dBA, then falls to 80 dBA when the isolated source is turned off, Figure 2.2 can be used to attribute an 82 dBA noise level to that source in the absence of background noise."

You can visit the site at NPC Library: An Introduction to Sound Basics

[GoldenCrow]

The data on wind noise can be hard to understand for those of us who are not sound engineers But if you're from a community where there's a large industrial wind energy development in the works (like me), you should take some time to understand sound issues and encourage your elected officials to write zoning laws that will adequately protect residents.

Don't believe the wind company salesmen who say that wind turbines don't make noise. They do, and there's plenty of research available to prove it. This impact from noise can be avoided with proper setbacks (distance from a property line / residence).

The bottom line is that Mars Hill town government did not adequately protect its citizens and allowed these turbines to be built too close to homes. This is a failure that can be avoided, and I really appreciate hearing from the people of Mars Hill about their personal experiences. It's a small consolation, but maybe it will help other communities make better decisions about siting.

Interestingly, the noise from wind turbines has been proven to be worse at night. If you're interested, take a look a this paper published in the "Journal of Sound and Vibration," an international journal which publishes new research on sound. This paper takes an in-depth look at the issue. Here's a piece from the Abstract:

Since the start of the operation of a 30MW, 17 turbine wind park, residents living 500m (1640 feet) and more from the park have reacted strongly to the noise; residents up to 1900m (over a mile) distance expressed annoyance.

This is a link to the paper:
http://www.nowap.co.uk/docs/windnoise.pdf

[JustSayNo]

Nice posts, links, and data guys. You all are absolutely correct, IMHO, that personal, objective, and close research is the only way an individual can form an opinion. Reading a few lines of propagnda, from both pro and against wind, does not make for detailed research. You guys have really made this issue important not only for Maine but for all the targeted areas in the US.

Thanks for keeping up with it, and sharing your findings with all of the people whom are interested

[paullicker]

I thought that the brand NEW wind mills make NO noise and move slowly to avoid killing birds & bats, at least the ones I saw in vermont on rt. 9. Makes no sense, but beats living next to a coal or nuke plant.

[DavidoftheNorth]

By Kevin Miller
Friday, July 13, 2007 - Bangor Daily News

MARS HILL - Members of the Land Use Regulation Commission had a chance to see and hear some of the positives and negatives of wind energy on Thursday as they toured the Mars Hill wind farm in central Aroostook County...
LURC members tour wind farm in Mars Hill to gain perspective

[kellysmith]

DaisyMaize,
Thanks again for the sarcastic slam. Your arrogance is outstanding. Site any statistic you can find..call anyone who disagrees with you ignorant. Next time check your statistics. Unfortunately the quote you post (for those of us intelligent enough to interpete) describes the cause of subtracting ambient noise (or background noise..I'll dumb it down for you.) Problem is because of the logorithmic scale used for Decibel readings...like the Richter scale for measuring earthquakes it's not a one to one ratio, but an exponential ratio..remember that in third grade..doubt it!! (Did you get past third grade...doubt it...how do you like the personal attacks??)
The graph you quote states that the actual noise is not simply subtracted. Do the math of the example you quote. Simple subtraction gives 4 decibels but the actual noise was 2 decibels...again read slowly and carefully the study you quote. So thanks for pointing out my error...so 12 decibels was too much of a level to attribute to the wind farm. Next time try to find an argument to quote that actually supports your position rather than diminishes it!!!!..your turn...call me stupid or selfish...or whatever you like. I will just make up my own mind...and it's almost fun pointing out your hipocracy!

[DaizyMaine]

Kelly you are way too touchy! Threre was no sarcasm or personal attack intended, you posted inaccurate data with a simple subtraction chart of your own making. There is way too much information to be sifted through out there to confuse it with inaccurate information in any form. Let me rephrase, that is not smart to do. No one discredits your opinion, there are as many opinions as there are people and they all matter. No one is questioning your intelligence or your right and responsibility to yourself and your world to be involved in what affects us all. Chill girl.

However, I am confused. Does anyone else understand this conversion chart or am I being numb? Because and I quote "If, for example, the total noise level is 84 dBA, then falls to 80 dBA when the isolated source is turned off, Figure 2.2 can be used to attribute an 82 dBA noise level to that source in the absence of background noise."

So although as Kelly suggests that with a total noise level of 40 dba and when the isolated source is turned off (the windmills) it falls to 34 she attributes a (a 6 in her original calculations) but following the chart a 1 dba level to the windmills. Is this how your figure it, Kelly? I don't want to misquote you.

The way I see the chart is that with a 6 dba difference the source only drops a little over 1 dba to 39 in the abscence of background noise. Can someone else offer their interpretation of this data? I really don't like thinking I may not even have the intelligence of a third grader.

[GoldenCrow]

Island family abandons home because of wind farm
July 13, 2007 by Darrell Cole in Amherst Daily News

Moderator cut: copyright

The Amherst Daily News, Nova Scotia: News | Island family abandons home because of wind farm