Following Canada’s Wind Technology Roadmap and Health Canada’s Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study

Carmen Krogh, BScPharm
Brett Horner, BA CMA
November 10, 2014

On November 6 2014 Health Canada posted on their website “Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study: Summary of Results”.

We have been contacted by individuals from around the world who have expressed  concern over content and the quality of this Health Canada web posting

“Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study: Summary of Results” states:

“WTN annoyance was found to be statistically related to several self-reporting health effects including, but not limited to, blood pressure, migraines, tinnitus, dizziness, scores on the PSQI, and perceived stress” as well as related to “measured hair cortisol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure.”

These findings are additional evidence which support the health effects “conclusively demonstrated from exposure to wind turbine noise” identified by Health Canada and disclosed by the Honourable Rona Ambrose in a June 30, 2009 letter.

In the upcoming weeks and months, it is our intention to release a series of commentaries and disclose information on the “Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study: Summary of Results” and the Health Canada Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study.

In the meantime we have compiled the following relevant information to help inform those interested in Health Canada’s Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study.

read further here: https://mothersagainstturbines.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/industry-led-government-supported_november-10-2014_release-final-1.pdf

On Thursday Health Canada released Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study: Summary of Results. Media headlines in reporting on the release were largely along the lines of CBC’s ignorant Wind turbine noise not linked to health problems, Health Canada finds, with some exceptions, including the Toronto Star’s No definitive link between wind turbines and poor health, says Health Canada study, It seems to me the discussion now will be whether it is industrial wind turbines making people unwell, or people like me arguing that’s possible that harms people.

The Star’s introductory paragraphs do, I think, introduce the topic well:

Living near towering wind turbines can be extremely annoying but there is no connection between exposure to the wind turbine noise and health effects, says a new comprehensive Health Canada study.

Noise from wind turbines did not have any measurable effect on illness and chronic disease, stress and quality of sleep, the study found. But the louder the noise from the turbines, the more people got annoyed by different aspects — from the noise to the aircraft warning lights atop the turbines to the way they caused shadows to flicker.

But Health Canada said the study on its own cannot provide definitive answers and more research may be needed. It also pointed out that annoyance isn’t trivial — those who were annoyed were more likely to report other health issues.

From Health Canada’s release:

Annoyance is defined as a long-term response (approximately 12 months) of being “very or extremely annoyed” as determined by means of surveys. Reference to the last year or so is intended to distinguish a long term response from one’s annoyance on any given day. The relationship between noise and community annoyance is stronger than any other self-reported measure, including complaints and reported sleep disturbance.

and…

• WTN [wind turbine noise] annoyance was found to be statistically related to several self-reported health effects including, but not limited to, blood pressure, migraines, tinnitus, dizziness, scores on the PSQI, and perceived stress.

• WTN annoyance was found to be statistically related to measured hair cortisol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) took out a full page ad in the November issue of Downeast Magazine to thank its benefactors. The list includes:

Wind Developers: First Wind, Emera Maine, Patriot Renewables, Brookfield Renewables (NH)

Contractors: Cianbro, Reed & Reed, James Sewell Co., Sargent Corp. 

Law Firms: Verrill Dana, Pierce Atwood, Preti Flaherty

Scenic Consultant: Terrence J. DeWan & Associates

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t condemn these companies for donating to TNC and I don’t condemn TNC for accepting their money.

But I do condemn the wind developers for having TNC testify in support of their projects without disclosing that there is a financial relationship between TNC and the developers, their contractors and the law firms retained by the developers.

Citizens’ Task Force on Wind Power – Maine

. In Ontario 40 families have abandoned their homes to get away from the effects of wind turbines.”

First of its kind ruling; similar to Michigan situation

In what appears to be the first of its kind ruling in the United States, the Board of Health in Brown County, Wisconsin, where Green Bay is located, has declared a local industrial wind plant to be a human health hazard. The specific facility consists of eight 500-foot high, 2.5 megawatt industrial wind turbines.

The board made its finding with a 4-0 vote (three members were not present) at an Oct. 14 meeting after it had wrestled with health complaints about the wind plant for more than four years. Ultimately, the board’s ruling was based on a year-long survey which documented health complaints and demonstrated that infrasound and low-frequency noise emanating from the turbines was detectable inside homes within a 6.2-mile radius of the industrial wind plant.

Jay Tibbetts, a physician and a member of the Brown County Board of Health, said the board based its position that the turbines constitute a health hazard on the weight of evidence.

“I can tell you that we are absolutely not an anti-wind energy board,” Tibbetts said. “We worked on this for four and a half years before making this decision. Three families have moved out. I knew all of them. We also know that this isn’t only happening here. In Ontario 40 families have abandoned their homes to get away from the effects of wind turbines.”

read  more: CAPCON, Michigan Capitol Confidential, By JACK SPENCER | Nov. 8, 2014

http://youtu.be/93pe12VMkpo