Maine Officials Say Turbines Are Too Loud

[phantom power]

Last month I wrote about property owners driven to distraction by the noise of nearby wind turbines — including in the island town of Vinalhaven, Me.

In that case, a group of residents within earshot of the newly installed Fox Islands Wind Project complained that the noise of the turbines exceeded state guidelines, and that their lives were being made insufferable as a result.

Last week, in a letter to the wind farm’s developers, Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection concluded that the turbines do, under certain conditions, exceed state noise limits of 45 decibels. The agency further ordered the developer, within the next 60 days, to come up with a new operational plan to ensure that the turbines are in compliance at all times.

“The Department views the compliance issues identified at this facility as a serious matter,” wrote James Cassida, director for the agency’s division of land resource regulation.

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/01/maine-officials-say-turbines-are-too-loud/

[efhmc]

1. Are these turbines different than the others?. There are

huge wind farms in West Texas. There are complaints about unsightliness but not noise.

[phantom power]

2. There are certainly dozens, if not hundreds, of turbine designs "out there"

Based on my reading, noise appears to be a problem only at pretty close range. Within a few hundred yards or so.

[efhmc]

4. Probably why no problem in Texas.

Those farms are not close to populated areas and the wind makes so much noise itself, it probably should be cited.

[joshcryer]

14. The sites also don't have transmission grids to them.

So they aren't part of the overall grid, yet. They're trying to remedy that.

But yes those wind farms in Texas benefit from the "oil man mentality." Oil rigs aren't exactly quiet, either, but they sit out in the middle of a field away from people, no one is going to care.

[femrap]

12. It's unfortunate that certain

people are selling their land to put the turbines on....right next to their neighbor's house.

That's just not right. Put them out in the middle of nowhere. Like between W's ears.

[joshcryer]

15. They are more likely to lease the land.

By leasing the land they make huge profits, and since once a turbine is built, it can't exactly be moved very easily, the leases pay for quite a few years.

Like txlibdem pointed out, Texas in particular likes wind because the land owners have the whole "big oil" mentality. Oil rigs were also leased on land, so land owners would get paid for the oil being pumped through their land, likewise they're wanting to get paid for wind producing electricity on their land.

[Kolesar]

3. And it is normally quiet on a windy day?

:sarcasm:
They are complaining about 45 dB. That is way below hazardous levels.

[NNadir]

6. Well, if one's READING LEVEL is high, one catches the word "exceeds." If one understands

science one also understands that decibels are a logarithmic scale which has some, um, implications.

Of course the worst sound that they are likely to hear is when one of the blades flies off and crashes, or, as often happens, when the whole unit crashes to the ground.



And then they'll be the construction crews to dismantle the things when they burn out: Cape Wind ratepayers have just learned that on top of their already ridiculously expensive electricity rates for that affectation of environmentalism, the decomissioning cost of those heaps of junk after their 25 year life time will be $70 million bucks.

[Name removed]

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[GliderGuider]

10. A quick trip to the Wiki says you might be wrong

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_from_noise

More recent studies have suggested that noise levels of 50 dB(A) at night may also increase the risk of myocardial infarction by chronically elevating cortisol production

the lower threshold for noise producing sleep disturbance is 45 dB(A) or lower.<28>

In the workplace, noise pollution is generally a problem once the noise level is greater than 55 dB(A). Selected studies show that approximately 35 to 40% of workers in office settings find noise levels from 55 to 60 dB(A) to be extremely irritating.<30> In fact, the noise standard in Germany for mentally stressful tasks is set at 55 dB(A).<37> However, if the noise is source is continuous, the threshold level for tolerable noise levels amongst office workers actually becomes lower than 55 dB(A).<30>

Keep in mind that the noise from turbines is continuous. All day, all night...

And here's an interesting discussion on the exact nature of wind turbine noise, how the numbers get fudged by the manufacturers and installers, and why people who live near them bitch so much: http://www.windturbinesyndrome.com/news/2010/why-wellfleet-will-get-wind-turbine-syndrome/

[joshcryer]

16. Yep, the verdict is still out on wind for noise.

I was dismissive of it but it can cause a lot of issues.

[valerief]

5. Hell, thunder cars are too loud, too, and they're everywhere. nt

[ProgressiveProfessor]

9. They are also illegal, same with motorcyles with loud pipes

[valerief]

11. Well, we're a country with laws but no enforcement, so they're still everywhere. nt

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. For MCs they are selectively enforced as a means of harassment

I keep stock pipes on my pipe. The noisy ones add nothing but noise in most cases.

[joshcryer]

17. Good for you! I know several hog owners who completely rip their pipes up.

Just so they can be "heard."

It is true that enforcement only happens if people complain, though. And I am not one to complain to police about my friends. :/

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. This should not have surprised anyone

One can argue visual blight. Its harder to argue measured data

[Laelth]

18. Wind Power BLOWS. Nice idea, but it doesn't work.

And the costs (of all kinds) outweigh the benefits.

-Laelth