LIFE IN A WIND FARM

Good day.
 
As Communications Director for The Society for Wind Vigilance, I wish to draw your attention to the website  www.windvigilance.com .
The Society for Wind Vigilance www.windvigilance.com is an International federation of Physicians, Engineers and other Professionals  concerned about the world-wide reporting of adverse health effects from too-close industrial wind turbines.The Society is calling for a full, clinical  study into these health issues, mitigation of the problems now existing and a moratorium on wind development until these actions have been completed.
 
One of the most significent concerns surrounding  industrial wind turbine placement is their impact on human health when placed to close to peoples' homes.
 
Society member, Dr. Michael Nissenbaum of Maine, is conducting a controlled study of the group living near Mars Hill. Early results indicate that as reported , serious health issues remain. 

Universal authoritative guidelines must be reached by independent, third-party researchers in order to guarantee transparency, legitimacy and protection of human health.
 
Please feel free to contact me for further information. I thank you  for your time
 
Beth Harrington
 
Beth Harrington
Communications
windvigilance.com


6/28/10
 
Posted: 12:00 AM
Proud to be NIMBY trying to stop Industrial Wind
Not in my backyard.
 
I’ve given a lot of thought to that phrase lately, because I’ve been called a NIMBY.
People who want to stop average American citizens from exercising their right to “have a say” love to throw out the NIMBY tag, thinking it will shame those citizens into silence or make them look selfish; thereby turning public opinion against them.
 
That’s not how I see it.
 
It’s inherent in human nature and instinctive to every living creature to preserve home and family. In fact, if we don’t do that, we are considered unfit parents, bad neighbors or irresponsible citizens.
 
Most people are overwhelmed with raising families, tending homes and working to pay for those families and mortgages. We simply do not have the time to tackle every issue that needs tending, or address every wrong that needs righting. Our worlds usually revolve around that which affects us directly.
 
When something looms on our horizon, something with great impact to our economy, environment and way of life, it is natural for us to take notice. When we do, those of us who cherish our homes and treasure our freedoms do what is instinctive.
 
We stand up, dust ourselves off, and start working to affect change. We take a stand to protect our home turf from something we believe is misguided and dangerous. Those at the “top” are wearing blinders, or they hope we are.
 
So I’m proudly stepping up to the plate and — in true NIMBY fashion — I’m going to do my best to keep the largest Industrial Wind proposal in Maine from forever altering the Highland Mountains and the Bigelow Preserve experience.
 
Because I’m a NIMBY — doing what’s right.
 
Visit www.highlandmts.org for information about Industrial Wind.
Karen Bessey Pease
Lexington Twp.






The Johnsburg Survey

In May of 2008 in Johnsburg, Wisconsin, 88 industrial scale wind turbines officially went on line. When asked about their experiences with living with turbines sited so close to homes, residents made it clear they are having problems living with the results of the PSC approved siting.

On May 18, 2008, after nearly a year of construction, the Blue Sky/ Green Field wind plant officially went on line. It consists of 88 industrial-scale turbines in the Johnsburg area of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Each turbine is nearly forty stories tall.

Residents of the Johnsburg, WI area who live within one half mile of at least one wind turbine were sent survey questions about the impact of the turbines on their lives. Forty six per cent returned the survey, many with additional comments.

Here is a summary of the 219 responses that were received.

A. If you could do it over, would you have turbines on your property or near your home?

60% said NO, including 30% of those currently hosting a turbine.

B. What problems have you encountered?

1. TV, radio reception – 57% (124) now have a problem with TV or radio reception

2. Shadow Flicker - 52 % (113) stated they have a problem with shadow flicker

3. Noise – 50 % (108) stated yes, noise is a problem

4. Look of the landscape – 49% (108) dislike the new views

5. Cell phone reception – 30% (66) now have cell phone reception problems

6. Construction concerns – 21% (47) cited problems during the installation

7. Impact on plants and animals – 11% (25) indicated problems

C. Would you approve an expansion for more turbines in your area? (Phase II)

63% said NO, including 26% of the respondents that indicated they already host a turbine.

D. How far should a turbine be placed from a home?

62% indicate a setback should be 1/2 mile or more; only (22%) support the Wisconsin Public Service Commission setback of 1,000 ft.

E. When asked about building or buying a home,

71% said not closer than 1/2 mile to a turbine.

F. What Health problems does your family experience that you attribute to the turbines?

33% indicated at least one of the following problems: Sleep Loss; Headaches; Nausea; Stress; or Seizures, with 25% stating their sleep was disturbed at least once per week.

G. In addition to these impacts on humans,

30% indicated negative effects on pets, farm animals or wildlife.

H. How do you think the wind farm has affected your property value?

58% stated their property lost value. Estimates of loss ranged from 10% to 60%.

Comments also received from those responding:

#1: I know we need alternate energy sources, but we were told they (turbines) were not noisy and they are extremely noisy.

#2: Very noisy, cannot open my windows in the spring, summer or fall.

#3: Noise is loud – you can’t hear birds in the morning or turkey gobbling. Can’t sleep with windows open. Cannot hear deer coming down trail when hunting. My home was here first!

#4: Usually they (turbines) sound like  a prop plane flying over ready to land. In a rainstorm they moan and groan. If it’s windy they sound like distant thunder.

This used to be God’s country, now it looks like the “Twilight Zone” day and night. In order to receive ‘green’ energy from the wind farm, we have to pay an extra $1 per day. That’s $365 per year. This energy is on the grid and being used in southeastern Wisconsin, not here where we are inconvenienced.

#5: Ringing in my ears – it stops when I leave the area, comes back as soon as I come back in the area. My neighbors complained of it also. We can’t leave the windows open at night in warm weather because of the loud roaring or airplane noise from the turbines. When it’s windy they get louder yet. We also can’t sit outside in the summer.

#6: Rumbling at times when windy, can’t sleep. They should be put in an area where they can be uniform and not scattered around.

They should be put on a ledge where land is not disturbed. The water ways were real bad last year. Water was rerouted and there is constant ground work being done.

#7: I built in the country for peace and quiet. I do not have the “quiet of the night” anymore.

I do not hear bullfrogs, owls, or mourning doves and we live in a semi-wooded area.

I believe in wind energy, but not in a populated area. I signed a document to allow a wind mill to within 1000 feet of my home – I screwed up! I have a different opinion now!

#8: The quiet country life that we had is now gone. Stone quarries and salvage yards are only allowed to operate from 7:00 till 5:00 weekdays, till noon on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays. Why not the windmills – they are a business too?

People are not even able to build on their own property because the town board will not allow them to build closer than 1000 feet from the windmill!

People in this area no longer have any say in what happens on their own property and this is wrong. How do we get green out of a pile of scrap iron that is inefficient and a large eye sore in large areas compared to coal plants in a small area creating large amounts of energy that are still required when the windmills are not operating? And Flight for Life can not land due to wind turbulence!

#9: I think land owners and homeowners should do their homework before jumping at the almighty $Dollar. They (turbines) are an eyesore for the nice community we used to have.

My advice, don’t go through it, you’ll be sorry. In summer I cannot open windows due to the noise. People come to visit and they cannot believe people have to put up with them (turbines).

#10: Takes away from our beautiful sunrises and sunsets. We have to close windows. (to sleep)

#11: Flicker wakes you up in the morning whenever it is sunny. Very upset with the Shadow Flicker.

They say we are too far away from the windmills to qualify for the “blind program” but we still get shadow flicker all the time.

I video- taped it, gave it to them, and it still doesn’t matter. Very unhappy with the service.

#12: Dogs run in circles when flickering.

#13: The flicker causes heart rhythm problems – tachycardia. There are no quiet times outside unless the wind stops. WE Energy at times keeps the blades turning for appearance sake even though the unit is off the grid and not generating power. I would much rather have another nuclear power plant. {Note: one nuclear submarine would supply the power that the entire Johnsburg project does.)

#14: All our radios have severe static since they (turbines) went up and turned on. The “Holy Land” has lost its beauty. We are concerned about wells and water going bad.

#15: We had Monarch butterflies for 5 years. Now we have not had Monarch butterflies the first year. It (turbine) ruins the beautiful sunset.

#16: They (turbines) should not be closer than 2 miles to house.

#17: If the state is mandating the building of these units (turbines), why are there none on state property?

#18: Siting should be from property line and further from homes.

#19: They are too close to residences. We believe WE Energy was not honest with homeowners and farmers. Wondering what plans are for more in towns of Taycheedah, Calumet, and Marshfield.

#20: These things suck, put them (turbines) in an open area away from homes.

#21: Flight for Life not being able to land within ¼ mile of a wind turbine during daylight and not at all at night is a huge concern…learned about this through talking to other residents.

#22: We will be lucky if we are able to sell our house.

#23: Who will buy our home now? Why can’t someone help us now before the next 40 turbines go up in the same area? Farmers signed a contract under the table – we had no say in anything.

We can’t build a shed – it was too big so they say- but they can approve of these damn, good-for –nothing wind farms. Closed windows – still can hear them damn things. Tell people to fight back before it’s too late.

#24: I’d go where I don’t have to look at them! I am mad that our whole 75 acres is under lease, instead of the 40 (acres) I thought it was. I was upset people were so eager to sign the contract without lawyers… Get a lawyer. (Editor’s Note: Husband is upset but does not want to go public – they host turbines)

#25: What happens in years to come with underground wires? Stray voltage? That is awful to deal with – we had it here years ago.

#26: I built my house in the country because I like the view - rolling hills not turbines.

#27: My neighbor and I were good friends for over 27 years. Now that he has 2 turbines on his land, he ignores me completely and we never talk. He won’t even wave anymore. I noticed approximately 10 less species of birds in the summer of ’08. This winter I had fewer wood peckers, cardinals, blue jays, juncos, and no finches at my bird feeder.

#28: Our area used to get along well; lots of neighbors and relatives not talking now.

# 29: As a licensed WI Real Estate Agent I sold 2.95 acres (3 parcels) with lake views for $12,000. The three had listed for $86,700. The seller was forced to sell at the low figure (caused by the presence of the turbines) for personal health reasons.

#30: In 2006 prior to the installation of the turbines we attempted to sell our home and had two interested buyers who had viewed it twice. I had to disclose the town decision to allow windmills in our area and one party said they did not want to live around turbines and the other party stopped calling. We still have not sold. (2009)

Wind Turbine Concerns  - Jan 31, 2009

Gone are the good old days of country living.  The days when a cooling breeze rustled thru the trees, bird songs could be enjoyed and the horizon was natural.   Gone are the silent evenings with a sky full of twinkling stars.  In a wind farm area these are fading memories.  The current and future fact is that we are in and subject to the impact of a wind farm.
 
The existence of these wind turbines is a life long, life altering condition.  Many of the people these things affect will not outlive their presence – even if they choose to remain on their properties for the rest of their life.  The turbines are affecting us adversely in many ways.  These affects are inescapable and omni present.

The most obvious is the visual affect.  One cannot miss these giants. We are subjected to constant motion.  This is an unrelenting distraction in all directions indoors and out. This is amplified by our beveled glass windows.  Rotor flicker is annoying.  It varies with the time of day and changing seasons.  Occasionally it occurs at night, especially during or near a full moon.  Flashing lights do not add to our nighttime ambiances, especially as the rotors turn – more motion.  This light reflecting off our pond is another added aggravation.  The first night the lights were on I thought I had a squad car in my back yard.

There are also audio repercussions.  We hear the constant pulse of the swishing blades, the whistle of the tips at times, the mechanical noises as they adjust to the changes in wind speed and direction, a noise that can only be described as big rocks tumbling in a big metal box.  Other strange noises also come from the towers.  We also suffer to endure the signal breakup in our radios and televisions – another big aggravation.  Every 1.4 seconds we hear interference that sounds like the old dripping water torture situation.

Only on rare days when the turbines aren’t disturbing us do we realize that we are missing hearing the songs and sounds of the birds, wind in the trees and etc.

Our local environment is also suffering.  For the first time in 25 years we did not have wild ducks and geese on our pond.  We missed watching them mate, raise their young, mature, and leave.  Egret and heron sightings were also way down.

This past summer was unbearable because of mosquitoes.  We not only had fewer waterfowl, we also did not have insect eating bats.  My bat houses are empty.  I have read that a bat can consume up to 600 mosquitoes an hour.  Other articles report that air pressure changes caused by rotor rotation ruptures the lungs of bats.  We miss our bats and what they did for us.  Our enjoyment of our backyard, pond-edge-camping spot has been affected negatively.

Our pets are spooked by the towers and refuse to leave the house when the turbines are turning.

Road traffic has picked up.  Service and security people are now cruising our quiet road.  During construction the traffic was at times unbelievable and the roads show it. It remains to be seen what the ravages of winter weather will do to these damaged roads.

In conclusion, you cannot convince me that having this giant flailing cyclops have not affected my properties’ value.  If the truth were known who, would relish the good life of country living with these new neighbors.  These things greatly reduce my enjoyment of my property and the good life of country living.

Larry and Carol Lamont
Resident of Marshfield Township
Fond du Lac County


Concerns Regarding Life in a Wind Farm                           
Feb. 8, 2009
 
First, wind farm are not agricultural, they are industrial.  They should be zoned and taxed as such.  They do not belong in or near a residential area.
 
I am troubled by what I have read in the “Report Number 061608-1 Post Construction Noise Survey” prepared by engineers hired by a power company to justify themselves. The report indicates that the calculated values reflect “the increase to the ambient levels”. I would be more interested in receiving the actual noise and energy levels. Page four also reports that no “whoosh - whoosh” sound was heard. The reporter must have been deaf or has had the good luck of being present at a rare quiet run-time, or he was way up-wind. These noises are loud enough to be heard inside at times. At this time, the report has lost most of its credibility as far as I am concerned.
 
I am beginning to doubt everything the report states.  I am starting to think this group was hired to give the power company the information they wanted to hear. Also that selected tests from selected sites were used to generate the report. Some people say they saw equipment at spots not indicated in the report.  Much of the report, appendix C, contains mostly useless information because of the lack of wind speed and sound level information.
 
Most of the residences in our area are skeptical of what the power company now reports primary because of what they have and not said in the past. They promoted the project by reporting the “polished good” and the “least” favorable information was neglected.  They waved money in front of landowners These landowners are now having some regrets about the project due to the adverse effects it is having on their lives.     
 
I am further concerned that the internal service manuals used by the power companies recommends that employees stay at least 1,300 feet away from a tower, yet they build towers 1,000 feet from a residence.
 
Another concern is that Flight for Life Helicopters will not respond to areas within a wind farm.  Injured individuals will have to be transported to designated landing zones.
 
I am also concerned about my health.  The sound/feeling leave me irritated and wrestles at times. My sleep has been affected.  I wonder about the long term effect of low frequency noise and wind turbine syndrome. 
 
With what I have said, I wonder what good this project is. Are the power companies making a lot of money? These things would never have been built if large government subsitudesies were not given the power companies.   At 3-4 million dollars a tower they are a terrible investment.
 
I see nothing good for me personally.  Thy have spoiled what I have tried to create in the past
35 years in restoring a pre-civil war homestead to be my Shangri-La.
                                                                                                                   
Larry and Carol Lamont
Resident of Marshfield Township
Fond du Lac County
 
Interview with Ann and Jason Wirtz
By Lynda Barry
 
N1157 Hwy YY
Oakfield, WI 53065
902 960 5246
Dodge County, Wisconsin
Evening of May 2, 2009

Ann and Jason Wirtz bought their house on June 1st, 1996. It’s a pretty Wisconsin farmhouse near the Town of Oakfield in Dodge County. It’s the kind of place that had people stopping by to ask if the family would consider selling it.

“They’d just pull into our driveway,” says Ann. “There were people who said if we ever decided to sell it, we should call them.”  

Although turn-of-the-century house needed a lot of work when they bought it, they didn’t mind. The Wirtz family planned to stay. They both grew up in the area and wanted to raise their children there.

“I thought we were going to live here for the rest of our lives.” says Ann, a mother of four. “I thought one of our kids was going to live here after us.”

This was before 86 industrial wind turbines went up around their home as part of the Forward Energy wind project which began operation in March of 2008.  The closest turbine is to the Wirtz home is less than 1300 feet from their door.

 “Last night it was whining,” said Ann. “It wasn’t just the whoosh whoosh whoosh or the roaring. It was a high pitched whine. And I don’t just hear them, I can feel them.”
She describes feeling like a beat in her head. A pulse that matches the turbine’s rhythm.
“Last night was really bad,” she said.

She says she knows which nights are going to be loud by which way the turbine blades are facing, and her family dreads the nights when the wind is out of the west. “That’s when they are the loudest.”

 Jason said he found out there was a wind farm planned for his area from a neighbor he ran into at the post office. “He asked me if I knew anything about the turbines coming in. I didn’t.” Jason came home and mentioned it to Ann.

 “When I first heard about it I wasn’t that alarmed.” says Ann, “People were saying how bad they could be, but I just didn’t believe them at first.”

She assumed the turbines would be sited much further away from her home, unaware of the controversy over the setbacks approved by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin which allows turbines to be sited close as 1000 feet to the homes of people like the Wirtzes.

“All those orange flags they put in were way back there. I was thinking it wouldn’t be too bad. And then when that access road started coming in so close I said, ‘what the heck is going on?’

Meanwhile, Jason had been attending town meetings and learning more about the project. The more he learned, the more worried he became. Five months before the turbines went up, the Wirtz family decided to sell their house.  

They called people who had let them know they’d be interested in buying it. “When they found out about the turbines,” said Ann, “They weren’t interested anymore.”

Wirtz family prepared the house to put on the market. In November of 2007, the home, sitting on eight acres, was appraised for $320,000.  But this once sought-after property could find no buyers. “As soon as people found out about the wind farm coming in,” says Ann.  “That was it. And once they started building the roads to the turbines, forget it. They’d ask what that road was for, we’d tell them and we’d never hear from them again.”

After the turbines went up, interested buyers stopped showing up altogether.

“We tried to find another realtor,” said Ann,  “They’d ask ‘is it near the wind turbines?’ and when they found out it was, they wouldn’t even bother to come out to the house to look at it. One realtor told me it wasn’t worth her marketing dollars to even list it because if it was in the wind farm she knew she couldn’t sell it. I mean have you ever heard of a real estate agent turning down a chance to sell a house?”
 
Another realtor said they would have to price it well under $200,000 to get anyone to even look at it. “At that price we were going to be $50,000 worse than when we started, “ said Ann. “And that didn’t include the 12 years of work we put into the place.”

But the Wirtzes were increasingly anxious to get away from the turbines. While Jason, who works nights, wasn’t having much trouble with the turbine noise, it was keeping Ann and her children from sleeping well at night. They were tired all the time. They were also getting frequent headaches.

And there was trouble with their animals as well. The Wirtz family raise alpaca and have a breeding herd. Ann says the Alpaca became jumpy the first day the turbines went on line. “Normally they are so calm. But the day the towers started up, they seemed to panic. They were on their back legs right away.”

Ann says the herd had always been docile and healthy, with no breeding problems. Since the wind farm started up, their temperament has changed and none of the females have been able to carry a pregnancy to full term. “ They’re nervous all the time now. I can’t prove anything but I do know my animals. And I really felt something was wrong. All the years we’ve had them we’ve never had a problem.”

At night herd shelters in the large metal shed behind the Wirtz home. When the turbines are loud, Ann says the sound echoes inside the shed and the metal vibrates and hums. “The noise in here gets just unbelievable. When the tin starts to vibrate in here, they can’t stand it. I have to find them a better home. This is torture for them.”

The same turbine noise has driven Ann out of her own bedroom “I can’t stand to be in that room anymore. I don’t sleep at all. My sleep has been terrible.” Instead she sleeps on the couch where a fan on their pellet stove helps counter the turbine noise. “My number one complaint is how tired I am all the time,” says Ann, “I never had that before, ever.”

Says Jason, “We don’t have air conditioning, we didn’t want it and we didn’t need it. In the summer we just opened the windows and let cross breezes cool the house. But the first summer with the turbine noise we had to shut the windows and turn on the fan. We couldn’t stand it.”

After one of the children was recently diagnosed with a severe stress-related illness, the Wirtzes decided they’d had enough. They decided the health of their family was more important than keeping their home, and they are abandoning it.

 “Now, after all the trouble we’ve had living here” said Ann, “ If a family showed up and wanted to buy the place and they had kids, I don’t think I could sell it to them. Knowing what I know about living here, I just don’t think I could put another family through this.”

   They are now looking for a place in a nearby village. “We were born and raised in the country but we’re thinking of moving to Oakfield because they aren’t going to plop a 400 foot turbine in the middle of the village, says Jason. “And I know I’m going to have to drive by this place every day on my way to work.  It’s going to make me sick to see it, but I can’t stay here anymore.”

Ann adds, “I say we move near whoever it is that decides on the setbacks because you know they’ll never have a turbine by their place”

Jason and Ann sit at the dining room table and point out the elaborate woodwork they’d stripped and re-finished by hand. Jason holds a picture of the farmhouse from happier times. Earlier that day they’d met with the people at the bank to let them know they were giving up their home.

Jason says, “At least we’re young enough to start over. My mom, she doesn’t have much money and now she has turbines around her house. She said, ‘This house was my retirement,’ Her and my dad put everything into that house.  Now I don’t know what she’s going to do.” Jason says, “ The quality of life we had here is just gone. I grew up here and I loved it here. But I don’t anymore. ”

An article from Farm Country - October 2009, about a farmer who signed up for Wind Turbines. 
Click here to read the full article that was sent to us.