Windmills on Ice Mountain - Gamesa Wind Turbines

[150thBucktailCo.I]

OK.. I had a couple extra minutes so I jumped back on the internet and got some info off the http://www.blairco.org website.


http://www.blairco.org/election/2006Gen ... urnout.pdf (Tyrone is at the bottom)


On the Nov. 7, 2006 General Elections, of the 7 Tyrone precincts, only 3 precincts had a 50% or higher turnout. Tyrone 6 was highest with almost 60% turnout, while Tyrone 3 was a tick under 35% for the lowest.

3211 was the total number of registered voters for that election. Approximate 61% of Tyrone's population. *

1551 was the total number of actual voters for that election. Approximate 30% of Tyrone's population. *

About 48% for a STATE/FEDERAL election by registered voters.

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http://www.blairco.org/election/2007Gen ... urnout.pdf

For the November 6, 2007 Municipal Elections, of the 7 Tyrone precincts, only 2 precincts had a 30% or higher voter turnout. Tyrone 1 had the highest at 32% turnout, while Tyrone 3 had the lowest at 17.5%.

3193 was the total number of registered voters for that election. Approximate 61% of Tyrone's population. *

827 was the total number of actual voters for that election. Approximate 16% of Tyrone's population. *

About 26% for a LOCAL election by registered voters.

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My point, what is the percentage of residents opinions that will count? If you are trying to get the opinion of 50% of Tyrone's population on local matters, it appears they don't really care. Good luck. Good luck getting 50% of registered voters, for that matter.

If you can get 200 residents (approx. 24% of actual voters on LOCAL issues) to sign your petition, in my opinion, that should be sufficient for Mr. Latchford and any other council-person to make their decision based on the public tone. But if you can get more for that... all the better.


Out of curiousity, who the heck represents Tyrone 3 on Boro Council?


* = Based on an approximation of 5,200 for the Boro population

[zapatista]

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From what I've gleaned from reading Bill's entries, Gamesa likes to give decision makers, like Borough Council, tours of it's facilities.

I think it'd be very useful for opposition groups like Juniata Audubon to host the same kind of tours.

It would provide a perfect opportunity to point out problem area's in current installations, inconsistencies in Gamesa's information, etc.

More importantly, it would place decision makers in a venue that's likely to set them at ease and make them more conducive to hearing the downside of windmill farms.

It would also help you (the opposition) get a feel for where the votes are falling and determine what issues Council considers important.
When funds and manpower are low - that kind of information is critical in helping decide where your energy and resources can be most effectively deployed.

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[My2Cents]

Within the past two days, Bill Latchford's part one and part two desertation on what he now thinks of these windmills, has been plastered all over the front page of Thursday and Fridays Tyrone Daily Herald !!! The ordinary citizen reading that would automatically assume that all that is wrong with these things is the "noise." Reading that, one is also led to believe that this is or will be taken care of by the owners. They are also being led to believe that, if it were not for the noise... hey, everything else is just peachy !!!
You folks know what you are doing.. you know the facts and we all know what is in store if they vote these in, etc.... even though some of you are not from the borough (16686), can someone speak to the people in this town. I'm wondering if there were some way to have a town meeting somewhere, present the facts, in order to get the towns attention so they will understand more of what is involved here ??? People STILL do not know.... some are starting to hear... some are starting to hear, yet, go on their merry way uncaring. Some think these things "look so pretty in the sky line".... they have no clue !!! Front page articles are also needed... surly, it shouldn't matter if you're a 16686'er to do this we're all neighbors and this will effect us all. If Gamesa can come in here and give their talks why can't we. Also, not have someone put a label on it as a protest or activist type thing... that's terrible to have a lable like that put on someone. Personally, I resent that label... I do not consider myself or anyone else on this board an activist or protester... we are ordinary citizens who are against these windmills and we are only voicing facts and opinions. That kind of labeling can be very degrading... that kind of stuff doesn't happen around here in our little town !!! Those labels belong in the big cities.
The people should be told, they need an explaination as to how much is involved here.... how much deforestation will be involved, how it will most definately effect nature and life as we know it around our town today. Is there anything we can do... is there anyone who could take this on ??

[My2Cents]

Thanks for the " figures" Bucktail.... a hundred names on a petition ( or more ) doesn't make it seem so bad !!! Thanks to you also Zap for above post !!!

[My2Cents]

Oh... I wish I could do something.... :ahh:

[sandstone]

Chairman Giffin and Task Force Members: 09/26/2007
Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to speak.
My name is Wendy Todd. I am a resident of Mars Hill and a lifelong citizen of the state
of Maine. I live approximately 2600 feet from multiple turbines located at the Mars Hill
Wind Facility. To date, I have attended two of the task force meetings and have tried to
keep up with most of the reading material. Today I am here representing a number of
families who are my neighbors and friends. They are experiencing the same things that
my family and I are experiencing, with respect to the wind turbines.
My husband Perrin and my three children moved back to Aroostook County after living
is Southern Maine for approx 14 years. We moved back because we wanted to raise our
children in a known, safe, nurturing environment. You see, Mars Hill is my hometown.
It is a small town, with a reasonably good sense of community. It has a great school
system – but most of all it is where my family lives. My parents own a farm on the
Canadian border that lies on the Northeast side of Mars Hill Mountain. My grandfather
purchased the farm in 1914 and farmed potatoes for 46 years before my parents continued
the tradition of farming in 1960. In my opinion it is some of the prettiest acreage in
Aroostook and I was very happy to come home to it, in fact…it was my dream.
The turbines however, have changed most of that as the land that was once known for its
remote nature, wildlife and solitude is now home to an industrial power plant. For
anyone to say that a wind turbine facility has a low impact on the local environment… is
irresponsible. Yet the industry and the media surrounding it seem insistent on making
light of the problems that exist. The problems are real and they are hurting families
emotionally, physically and economically.
1.) Many are worried about how the turbines have affected their property value and what
they planned to leave to their children. Some families have given up their dreams of
building homes because the turbines have changed the very nature of the land and how
they planned to use it. The construction phase drove much of the wildlife from the area
and it has been very slow to recover. We wonder if the wildlife population and
characteristics will ever be the same.
2.) Noise and shadow flicker create anger and frustration as they invade our homes and
land. The noise keeps many residents from a proper night sleep, resulting in more
frustration, anger and stress. It has lead to time missed at work for some and sleep aids
for others. Most of these families have resorted to sleeping with the house shut up tight,
curtains drawn with fans running or other white noise sources at their bedsides. Sleep
deprivation and stress has led to a number of other issues that are of concern. One
resident has started on anti-depressants, three residents are experiencing increased
migraines and another family has separated. These families attribute the blame of these
issues on the surrounding turbines. Recent studies correlate the noise and vibrations
associated with living too close to turbines to a number of health issues that range from
ringing in the ears to vibro-acoustic disease. Other determined health issues include
2
an increased risk of seizures for those who are prone to seizures, an increased frequency
and intensity of migraines, stress headaches and inner ear problems.
Unfortunately for us, the very mountain that has provided the wind facility with a class 3-
wind resource often acts like a fence protecting us from the upper level winds that push
the turbines. There are many times when winds are high on the ridgeline but are near
calm at our homes. The noise and vibrations from the turbines penetrate our homes. At
times there is no escape from it. It doesn’t matter which room you go to, there is no
escape from the noise. The noise ranges from the sound of a high range jet to a fleet of
planes that are approaching but never arrive. When it’s really bad it takes on a repetitive,
pulsating, thumping noise that can go on for hours or even days. It has been described as
a freight train that never arrives, sneakers in a dryer, a washing machine agitating, a giant
heartbeat, a submariner describes it as a large ship passing overhead.
If the wind turbines are spinning we hear them. Yes, there are days when the turbines are
rotating and very little noise is emitted. There are days when we can’t hear them at all
inside our homes. Those are generally days when the turbines are spinning less than 15
rotations per minute (rpm’s). A visiting engineer from GE said that the turbines do not
start generating power until the turbines reach 17 to 18 RPM. The turbines need
consistent wind speeds of 4 ½ meters per second - so… on most days when they are not
making noise they are not making power either.
People think that we are crazy. They drive out around the mountain stop and listen and
wonder why anyone would complain about noise emissions. But, believe me when we
are having noise problems you can most assuredly hear the justification of our complaint.
We have had people come into our yard get out of their vehicles and have watched their
mouth drop. We have had company stop in mid conversation inside our home to ask,
“What is that noise?” or say “I can’t believe you can hear those like that inside your
house.”
Visiting a wind facility, or sitting at the end of someone’s driveway once or twice for 2, 3
or even 10 minutes to listen does not make that person an expert on turbine noise. To be
an informed witness could take days or weeks for one to know and experience what we
are living. Not until an individual has been in a home and has heard turbine noise
emissions of 45 decibels or higher does that individual have any right to judge how
turbine noise truly affects the lives of people. Even noise experts should be talking to
residents who are living next to turbines to ensure they are collecting data that is relevant
to the burdensome noise emissions heard by those who live closest to them. Let us tell
the sound experts when we are having a noise issue.
3
Nick Archer, our Regional Director with the DEP thought we were all crazy, too. But he
finally made it to our homes and heard what we were talking about. I don’t believe he
has ever heard a 50+decibel day but he has heard close to that on more than one occasion
and has made statements like these. “This is a problem.” “ We need to figure out what is
going on with these things before we go putting anymore of them up.” “I thought you
were crazy at first but you are not crazy.” “The quality of life behind the mountain is
changed.” Did he say these things just to appease us? I don’t believe so.
Because of the complaints from residents around the mountain the DEP started an
investigation into the noise levels being emitted from the Mars Hill wind facility. The
wind company agreed to do a sound study and is working with the DEP to determine
compliance. Maine state law allows projects to emit 45 dBa of noise at protected
locations like ours, (quiet areas) up to 500 feet from sleeping quarters. For some reason,
the Maine DEP granted the UPC/Evergreen project a 5-decibel variance, thus allowing
the turbines a noise ceiling of 50 dBa at protected locations. Resource Systems
Engineering (RSE) conducted the first round of sound tests in May of 2007. The May
study revealed two locations on the North end of the mountain with readings over 50
decibels.
Presently, the DEP is reviewing that May study along with a series of questions posed by
the Mountain Landowners Association of Mars Hill. The study has been in their
possession since the end of June and again the residents whose lives are being affected by
the noise are being asked to be patient. I want everyone here to understand, it has
become extremely disheartening to be asked to live with noise that UPC/Evergreen stated
would never exist. It is frustrating to know that the turbines are being allowed to
continue operations with no restrictions even though the study shows that they are over
the limit that the permit allows.
Nick Archer our Regional Director of the DEP stated at a meeting with our group that
“anything over the permit level would be out of compliance, whether its out by 1dBa or
more, out of compliance is out of compliance”. The study shows that the turbines are
over the DEP’s limit yet it seems that things are no longer that clear cut. The World
Health Organization says, “Where noise is continuous, the equivalent sound pressure
level should not exceed 30 dBA indoors, if negative effects on sleep are to be avoided.”
http://www.who.int/docstore/peh/noise/Commnoise4.htm
I understand the Governor’s desire for wanting wind to work in Maine, but surely it is not
to the detriment of people who live and pay taxes here. Many were for the Mars Hill
wind turbine project but we were misled as a community and as a state we are still being
misled.
4
The wind company that came to Mars Hill misrepresented facts and spoke in half-truths.
The town manager and town council of Mars Hill believed them and based their decisions
on this information and the project moved forward. Most people truly believed that the
benefits to the town, county, state, country and world were well worth any negative
impact from the visual aspect of the turbines. Visual impact was the biggest negative
impact that was ever talked about.
Maine Site Law & Regulations – Section 484 states that “the developer is responsible for
fitting a development harmoniously into the existing natural environment and to
demonstrate that the development will not unreasonably affect existing land uses.”
Now, of course, it is to late for the truth. The turbines are there and most likely will
remain. But this task force can help other communities protect themselves. Information
is power and the people of Maine and the nation have a right to all the facts.
What am I talking about…?
Statement:
The wind company said it would create hundreds of local jobs that would be filled by
local businesses whenever possible.
Reality:
Most of the construction jobs went to contractors outside of Aroostook County.
Statement:
When asked how much electricity would be created and where it would go the answer
was “At full capacity the plant will generate 50 megawatts, enough to power
approximately 50,000 average Maine homes and at 40% capacity it would supply
electricity for 24,000 – 25,000 homes. All the electricity from the Mars Hill “wind farm”
will be used in the region, most likely by Aroostook County homes and businesses.
Reality:
Now we know that any given wind facility has an efficiency rating somewhere between
25% and 35%. The electricity generated from the Mars Hill facility goes to Canada.
Statement:
They said that the facility would likely help to stabilize electric prices. “Electricity cost
from wind power is very competitive and sometimes lower than most other sources of
fuel-based power. The more wind power that can be generated in Aroostook County and
Maine the more you can count on the possibility of more stable or even lower electric
bills in the future.”
Reality:
The truth is that our electric bills went up approximately 40% this year and are due to go
up again.
5

[sandstone]

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I think it'd be very useful for opposition groups like Juniata Audubon to host the same kind of tours.


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Juniata Valley Audubon's already made 2 presentations to Borough Council, given them binders full of information, had several articles mentioning Juniata Valley Audubon's objections, and spoken out forcefully in several forums regarding Ice Mountain.

The board of directors of Juniata Valley Audubon believes that it has given the council members all the information that they need. Ice Mountain's scientific certification as a "unique" County Natural Heritage Area "of exceptional conservation value", an Important Bird Area, and major migratory route for golden eagles are well-established and accepted by all parties.

The problem is not in the validity of the information that Juniata Valley Audubon's provided. As a matter of fact, I challenge anyone to find fault with any of the information that Juniata Valley Audubon's provided. The problem is that, as Council VP Latchford's said on many occasions, not everyone shares Juniata Valley Audubon's values, in this case, valuing Ice Mountain's natural heritage.

Also keep in mind that Gamesa's reps are paid to do their lobbying, while Juniata Valley Audubon is an all-volunteer organization. Currently Juniata Valley Audubon is working on wetlands and riparian protection in response to the new Wal-Mart SuperCenter at Pinecroft and opposing the proposed Kettle Creek Development on Brush Mountain, in addition to Juniata Valley Audubon's cooperative work with the DEP on Canoe Lake monitoring, with the Pennsylvania Game Commission on monitoring SGL 166 and SGL 322, and with the DCNR in monitoring Canoe Creek State Park.

As has become established, it is doubtful that anything that Juniata Valley Aububon could do at this stage would be of much value, since borough residents' opinions will be the deciding factor.

[Something to say]

Want a petition... I have written one.. I can post or email... and we can all distribute to stores, churches, and/or take to events which we frequent. Lemme know.

[anne onimous1]

I say let's print 5200 copies of Wendy Todd's letter and dispense them to the citizens of Tyrone. Why should the council VP be the only one who's voice reaches the masses?

[Something to say]

Copy it and send it to the Herald?

[anne onimous1]

Sounds good. That way it could get to all of the subscribers....word travels fast in a small town ( for those who don't subscribe )

[zapatista]

Juniata Valley Audubon's already made 2 presentations to Borough Council, given them binders full of information, had several articles mentioning Juniata Valley Audubon's objections, and spoken out forcefully in several forums regarding Ice Mountain.

...keep in mind that Gamesa's reps are paid to do their lobbying, while Juniata Valley Audubon is an all-volunteer organization. Currently Juniata Valley Audubon is working on wetlands and riparian protection in response to the new Wal-Mart SuperCenter at Pinecroft and opposing the proposed Kettle Creek Development on Brush Mountain, in addition to Juniata Valley Audubon's cooperative work with the DEP on Canoe Lake monitoring, with the Pennsylvania Game Commission on monitoring SGL 166 and SGL 322, and with the DCNR in monitoring Canoe Creek State Park.

Juniata Audubon was only used as an example "because" they are the most visible and organized opposition group.

Clearly, they've already gone above and beyond, despite the fact that their resources are stretched.

That's precisely why this kind of technique could be useful for them or any other group.

It's not just about disseminating information, it's about gaining information.

You need to get into the heads of the people who are making the decisions to help determine where your energy and resources are best spent.

In this kind of struggle, it's ill considered not to use every tool at your disposal.

.

[anne onimous1]

150thBucktail.Co1...I must say, you are a wealth of knowledge.

[anne onimous1]

I would think that the council should invite the Juniata Audubon to come and speak.....If they are being opened minded about the issue....I am so tired of reading Latchford's rantings....He doesn't know if he's coming or going...Just my opinion...

[anne onimous1]

:nuts: