Wanna go? It should be an interesting discussion about the new World Health Organization Community Noise Guidelines which passed comment about the impacts of noise from industrial wind turbines. Dr. David Michaud lead researcher for the Health Canada Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study 2014 is to be a keynote speaker.
*NEW* WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region
In 2018 the World Health Organization (WHO) released the Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Regions including a conditional recommendation for wind turbine noise that is based on Lden. The Guideline Development Group only considered the wind turbine noise science base published up to 2015. There has been a rapid growth in research in the past 5 years so it is important to test the validity of the WHO recommendation against the totality of research published to date. David Michaud of Health Canada will be the principal speaker in a Forum chaired by Andy McKenzie of Hayes McKenzie and all attendees will have an opportunity to voice their opinions.
Infrasound is found within our natural environment but it is the emissions generated by sources such as industrial wind turbines that are raising concerns. There are growing reports of adverse health symptoms from residents whose homes are adjacent to electrical generation complexes powered by the wind. The following letter points out negative health effects arising from exposure to man- made sources of infrasound were known and studied prior to current day rapid expansion of wind powered installations.
I congratulate Seneca County for being selected to participate in one of the largest experiments to determine the effects of infrasound on human organ systems. With large numbers of massive wind turbines planned in this densely populated county, medical effects on internal organs can be analyzed.
The size of the proposed wind turbines ensures the generation of low-frequency infrasound. The proximity of wind turbines to schools guarantees that as children age, internal organ deterioration can be compared to child control groups from similar demographic locations lacking wind turbines. After 10, 20 and 30 years, researchers can evaluate effects on human internal organs from infrasound. This is important, because western scientific research and medical literature has little written concerning short, or long-term infrasound effects on human organs such as lung, heart and kidney.
However, infrasound effects on internal organ tissue have been studied by numerous researchers in the former Soviet Union. They found that infrasound waves cause significant changes to heart tissue and other internal organs.
In the 1990s, European investigators studied internal organs in animal subjects and human workers exposed to infrasound. They found significant changes in lung tissue and heart pericardium. The authors also were concerned with potential damage to internal kidney structures.
In January 2018, German researchers presented results concerning infrasound effect on cardiac tissue contractility. They found cardiac tissue exposed to infrasound decreased tissue contractility by 25 percent.
Seneca County wind farm companies state that wind farm sound levels will only approach 55dbA. That information is misleading concerning infrasound. The“A” designation is a filtration formula including only audible sound between 20Hz and 20,000Hz. Infrasound is defined as occurring between 0-20Hz and is not identified with the dbA formula.
With multitude turbines planned, decibel level determination may be problematic. Overlapping sound wave energies add together, similar to overlapping ripples on water from multiple stones dropped simultaneously. Some waves cancel out. Other waves enlarge. Wind turbine numbers become directly proportional to infrasound wave energy multiplication. Also, infrasound waves are stable, traveling great distances.
For those interested in their own personal research on infrasound effects, information was obtained for this letter from the PubMed website (Key words: infrasound AND heart, or infrasound AND physiological effects) and the Wikipedia website. Soviet research, translated from Cyrillic, was obtained from the archives at The National Library of Medicineat the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The project has been on the horizon for a decade and a half: six wind turbines erected in Lake Erie, in the first freshwater wind project in North America.
But fervor over the issue is revving up now among boaters, as the developer, the nonprofit Lake Erie Energy Development Co., works through stipulations with the state.
The Lake Erie Marine Trades Association — made up of boat dealers, clubs and other enthusiasts — opposes the $126 million, 20.7-megawatt project dubbed Icebreaker, planned for 8 miles north of Cleveland. So does the nonprofit Lake Erie Foundation.
Both LEEDCo. and its opponents point to hundreds of pages of documents they say prove their points.
The fight is not so much over the six turbines up for state approval right now – but for the wind farm it could precipitate: thousands of spinning blades the Lake Erie Foundation fears will desecrate Lake Erie.
LEEDCo. CEO Lorry Wagner says there are “currently no plans” for more turbines. “You can have all the dreams and aspirations you want, but until you climb that first hill and see what’s out there, you better focus on that first hill.”
But Icebreaker is a pilot project, with a $40 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. LEEDCo. has partnered with Norway-based Fred Olsen Renewables, and its website says “we can build an industry and supply chain in Northeast Ohio that will creation 8,000 new good paying jobs and pump nearly $14 billion into our economy by 2030… as the industry grows here.”
An expansion would require more studies and more approvals.
Said foundation board member John Lipaj: “You cannot treat this as a six-turbine stand-alone project. We have to be realistic and treat it for what it is.”……
MBIA urges boaters to voice their opposition to wind turbines in the Great Lakes
April 9, 2019
The Michigan Boating Industries Association, along with environmental groups, boating associations, and property owners are urging boaters to raise their voice in opposition of the proposed Icebreaker wind power turbines in Lake Erie.
Nicki Polan, executive director of MBIA says: “MBIA is not opposed to alternative sources of energy. But, regarding wind farms in our Great Lakes, we find far too many unanswered questions and documented risks to the health and aesthetics of these unique and often times fragile bodies of water. We stand opposed to plans such as the one being considered in Ohio now and we encourage all boaters and boating businesses to join us in communicating this to Ohio.”
Michigan borders on four of the five Great Lakes including a large portion of Lake Erie. Many Michigan residents’ boat on Lake Erie, and many Michigan businesses and citizens live and work along its shores.
Only 2.5% of the world’s water is fresh water, and 20% of that is coming from the Great Lakes.
“Building wind turbines in Lake Erie will threaten clean water, boating access, one of the world’s best perch and walleye fisheries, bird migration, the safety and health of coastal residents, and so much more,” said Polan.
The initial goal of the Icebreaker plan is to place 6 wind turbines, with a final goal of 1,200 wind turbines in Lake Erie, costing an estimated $24 billion.
“Wind power has proved to be very high cost with low return,” said MBIA Board Member Jim Coburn of Coburn & Associated in Macomb, Mich. “Many wind turbine projects in the U.S. and overseas have been abandoned because of this. Why this is even being considered in our Great Lakes is beyond me.”
The case against turbines is extensive, including the fact that exploding and burning turbines can be commonplace. Each turbine contains over 400 gallons of industrial lubricants in their gearboxes.Gearbox seals are known to fail and will leak oil into the waters below. But when they burn there is no way to reach and extinguish them. As the 300-foot turbine blades burn, they create toxic emissions polluting the air and waters below.
You are invited to live the life of an experience you will always remember.
You are invited to bring your family, your grandchildren (young children) and your pets to spend an all expense paid week (bring your computers to enable you to continue to work) in the “green” area of industrial wind turbine business contracts.
Experience first hand shadow flicker, low frequency vibration, infrasound, children covering their ears because the noise hurts, computers that work but only when not impacted by turbine activity. Sleeping in the basement is optional.
Enjoy the night sky. Red blinking lights that penetrate your lodging, the backyard and the skies for tens of kilometres in the distance (because turbines are sooooo tall you can see them very very far) is one of the most unnatural scenes at night in rural Ontario. As a preview please watch the video to see the view from the USA over Lake Erie to Ontario. The night sky daily looks like a runway, but it is the shoreline littered with turbines. I hope you enjoy the view.
News 5 Cleveland published on Apr 19, 2017
Taste sediment-filled water which has been approved for consumption and usage. Clean potable water can be purchased for a costly amount.
Experience what so many people in rural Ontario are forced to live with daily.
Experience what will happen to the people of North Stormont when you choose to approve the Nation Rise Wind project knowing the outcome.
Please note you will not be allowed to leave the premises to sleep in your vehicle should the vibrations become unbearable.
You are encouraged to purchase your lodging at a fire-sale price as property values in industrial wind turbine areas are greatly reduced.
We, the impacted people, hope you will enjoy your stay and the experience of what we live with daily. We look forward to your offers of purchase.
Please advise me of dates available before June 1, 2019 and I will make your arrangements.
Following June 1, 2019 there will be a one year waiting period for the construction of the Nation Rise Wind project IF allowed to proceed. Accommodations will be equitable to those presently offered.
Animals dying, sick men, two farmers on the verge of financial asphyxiation … Since the installation of a wind farm in 2012 in Nozay, between Nantes and Rennes, state services are clueless in the face of effects secondary as alarming as unexplained. A situation that preoccupies the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Nozay (Loire-Atlantique), report
In a steady whirring, the blades of wind turbines crack the air, a hundred meters overhanging pastures. The west wind blows and the sky comes alive on this winter Wednesday, around Nozay (Loire-Atlantique), along the N137, which connects Nantes to Rennes. At the foot of eight turbines running at full speed, prefectural orders pile up, nailed to wooden posts. ” It’s sure our story is a crazy story ,” sighs, looking right into the eyes, a local farmer. On the side of the prefecture of Loire-Atlantique, it concedes, through the voice of its secretary general, Serge Boulanger, ” [ we ] are in front of an atypical situation, for which we must find explanations “.
This ” crazy story “ today affects dozens of inhabitants of four neighboring municipalities (Nozay, Abbaretz, Puceul, Saffré) and strikes two farms mainly [ 1 ] , installed around wind turbines. ” We are going to burst in every sense of the term, financially or at the level of our health “, alarmed the farmer Céline Bouvet, 44 years old, as determined as exhausted by five years of a Kafkaesque fight led to his side. counterpart Didier Potiron, 50 years old. Neither is described as ” anti-wind “ . They even declined all the offers of service of collective opponents.
” The chronological coincidence with the construction work and then the start-up of the wind turbine is disturbing enough to justify further investigations “
NextEra Energy is on the receiving end of a proposed class action lawsuit in which a Nebraska homeowner alleges the electricity provider’s wind turbines placed near residential communities are a “nuisance” and effectively deprive homeowners of the use and enjoyment of their property.
Huge blaze engulfed 11 000 hectares in French River Provincial Park, July 2018. Fire investigation confirms origin point but clears Pattern Energy of Provincial offence.
Massive blaze sparked by off road construction for Henvey Wind that occurred in July 2018 linked to vehicle used for Pattern Energy project.
BREAKING NEWS: Ontario fire investigators clear wind developer Pattern Energy and workers on Henvey Inlet wind farm, after off road construction vehicle ignited 11,000 hecatare blaze that destroyed large chunk of French River provincial park last summer. @CBCNews@CBCSudburypic.twitter.com/Hi7lKWQxsx
Investigation into Parry Sound Wildland Fire Concludes
February 22, 2019 2:00 P.M.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has completed its extensive investigation into the Parry Sound 33 wildland fire.
The ministry’s team of investigators found that the fire originated at the location of a disabled vehicle in a remote area of Henvey Inlet. Assistance was sought from a forensic fire expert.
While the investigation was able to determine the origin of the fire, no provincial offence under the Forest Fires Prevention Act was found to have been committed.
Background: The introduction of industrial wind turbines into quiet rural en-vironments in Ontario, Canada has resulted in complaints about environmental noise and adverse health effects. Ontario has a process whereby residents can report noise to government. Official government records of Incident Reports/Complaints submitted by residents living near operating wind turbine installations were obtained through a Freedom of Information request. This article presents an evaluation of this process while commenting on the significance of Incident Reports/Complaints. Methods: Government records of Incident Reports/Complaints were analysed. Peer reviewed publications, conference presentations, judicial proceedings, government resources, and other sources were evaluated and considered in context with the topic under discussion. Objectives: The purpose of this article is to present the role and significance of Incident Reports/Complaints and discuss the value of these when assessing outcomes related to the introduction of wind turbines into a quiet rural environment. Results: Government records document 4574 Incident Reports/Complaints received by Ontario’s hotline (2006- 2016). There was no ministry response to over 50% of more than 3000 submitted formal complaints (2006-2014). Another 30% were noted as “deferred” response. Only 1% of the reports received a priority response. Provincial Officers noted in summary reports that people were reporting health effects such as: headache, sleep deprivation, annoyance, and ringing or pressure sensation in the head and ears. Health effects were reported many times including those occurring among children. Discussion: In the case of wind power installations, Incident Reports/Complaints are an important source of information for evaluating outcomes of introducing a new noise source into a quiet rural environment and are a form of public health surveillance. These reports can highlight risks to a healthy community living environment, act as an early warning system, and aid in evaluation of government policy initiatives. They may also be used before legal tribunals in public or private actions.
Cite this paper
Krogh, C. M. , Wilson, E. J. and Harrington, M. E. (2019). Wind Turbine Incident/Complaint Reports in Ontario, Canada: A Review—Why Are They Important?. Open Access Library Journal, 6, e5200. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1105200.
“This is a slow-moving disaster happening and something has to be done. It’s been seven months and it is imperative a health hazard investigation is done before anything else can be done. Get boots on the ground, collect and test the sediments and get it done.”
At a Water Wells First community meeting recently, the members continued to express their frustration with the government’s lack of action to make good on a Doug Ford promise to hold a full health hazard investigation into well contamination in the area of the North Kent Wind Farm in Chatham and Dover townships and dropping property values.
WWF spokesperson Jessica Brooks said frustration with the situation continues to rise.
“After our community meeting, Water Wells First members continue to be disappointed and frustrated with the lack of action by the provincial government in regards to a Health Hazard Investigation,” Brooks said in a release. “We are demanding that the government act in the best interest of the health and safety for the people of Chatham-Kent by identifying black shale as a pollutant in drinking water. Any testing done by the municipality will be inadequate and pointless until this health hazard investigation is launched.”
Brooks noted the closest WWF has come to hearing any news is the announcement about a review by the Ontario Medical Officer of Health of the work of the Ministry of the Environment did during the summer of 2017.
“This is a pointless investigation as the ministry was only using lab results collected by the polluter; the wind company,” Brooks added. “Concerned citizens are encouraged to write Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Infrastructure Monty McNaughton, Minister of the Environment Rod Phillips and Minister of Health Christine Elliott asking that they take our concerns for groundwater seriously and launch a Health Hazard Investigation.”
The sediment in the wells, now known to contain black shale, has never been collected by the MOE or the turbine company for testing. Black shale is known to contain toxic heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, lead and uranium. What worries the residents is how much of the shale, if any, is safe to drink, as the particles found in the water range in size and the smallest cannot be filtered out.
Also of concern to WWF members is news that Dr. David Colby, the medical officer of health for Chatham-Kent, has submitted an abstract on Wind Turbines and Groundwater Contamination for presentation at a Wind Turbine Noise 2019 conference in June in Lisbon, Portugal.
Colby has publicly said the wind turbines aren’t responsible for the well contamination, and the sediment, while “aesthetically unpleasing,” is safe to drink. He, however, has not collected or tested the sediment in the contaminated wells.
Questions that WWF members have for Colby is what does his article report on, is he representing the municipality in his capacity as Medical Officer of Health and who is paying for his trip?
Brooks said she asked Colby for the article but was told it wasn’t completed as of yet.
Reduced property values are also a concern for residents near the wind farm projects. Brooks said those people who had their wells tested before construction of the turbines have applied to MPAC, the provincial corporation that assesses property values, for reassessment. The results have been reduced taxes due to well issues, and Brooks said even people in proximity to the wind farms have a lower assessment.
“We were told that is something that would never happen, but it has. Just being in proximity to a wind turbine devalues your property,” Brooks said. “And the number keeps going up. Just from the people who have talked to me about contamination, the unofficial count is 40 families, and that’s not counting the people out there who aren’t going to complain because they rent or they don’t want their property devalued….
NextEra Energy is on the receiving end of a proposed class action lawsuit in which a Nebraska homeowner alleges the electricity provider’s wind turbines placed near residential communities are a “nuisance” and effectively deprive homeowners of the use and enjoyment of their property.
Mothers Against Wind Turbines Inc. 