Windmills on Ice Mountain - Gamesa Wind Turbines

[jayestewart]

If you want to see bad comments in a forum go to http://www.TCPalm.com and look at what is allowed to go on their forums in St. Lucie County. I agree that folks have had a pretty hearty discussion about Gamesa and windmills. We are starting to get pressure in our county to put these on our beaches so I am going to use some of these websites down here to share information. One of the websites though was pegged as being made with photoshop or some similar program so I am not sure about the validity of the pictures in some of the websites.

Here is a prime example of what I am talking about.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/jan/12/ ... years-eve/

[sandstone]

It's a wear-down-tactic, Sandstone. Undoubtedly.

The more publicity Gamesa can get, the more wind energy is viewed as "good efficient alternative energy", and the more they are able to influence (or BS, take your pick) the public into thinking the Gamesa actions are positive regardless of the little negative issues that go along with their windplants that have arisen... will eventually and probably allow Gamesa to be able to put more pressure on Logan Township leaders to cave to their advances. Or next election cycle they'll try to get their candidates/supporters elected into Logan offices, if they cannot manipulate the 5 who are currently there now.

You've been proven right on your predictions so far, so the scenario you describe wouldn't surprise me.

I too was wondering about this. I was thinking, if the council does vote NO for these things coming in here... can Gamesa sit back and wait for the next election of officers, while in the meantime dishing out more propaganda to our public ?? Is there anyway to tell them NO means NO... bye ??!!

This is the sad plight of the conservationist: All conservation victories are temporary. However, when a developer wins, the land is permanently (for human lifetimes) altered.

[sandstone]

On September 19th, 2006 Juniata Valley Audubon hosted a presentation titled
"Wind Energy Development in the Appalachians: Promises and Problems"

It was presented by Dan Boone. His resume and a link to the document is provided below.

A professional botanist, wildlife ecologist and natural resources policy analyst, Dan Boone has 30 years of experience in studying plants, wildlife and their habitat throughout the Appalachian region. He began his career as a wildlife biologist with the US Fish & Wildlife Service in the Migratory Bird and Habitat Research Lab in Laurel, MD. Mr. Boone later served as botanist and then Coordinator of the Maryland Department of Natural Resource’s Heritage Program, and as a Forest Ecologist with The Wilderness Society, focusing on the identification and protection of the state’s and region’s biological diversity. He now is a consultant working on issues related to species and habitat protection. Mr. Boone served on the Environmental Working Group of the Virginia Wind Energy Collaborative. He recently co-authored a report entitled “A Landscape Classification System: Addressing Environmental Issues Associated with Utility-Scale Wind Energy Development In Virginia”, which is available for downloading from http://www.VAwind.org . He has been actively engaged with issues and concerns regarding utility-scale wind energy development for 4 years.

Please click here: http://ricks-bricks.com/boone2.pdf

[My2Cents]

On September 19th, 2006 Juniata Valley Audubon hosted a presentation titled
"Wind Energy Development in the Appalachians: Promises and Problems"
..................................................................
It was presented by Dan Boone. His resume and a link to the document is provided below.
http://www.VAwind.org .
He has been actively engaged with issues and concerns regarding utility-scale wind energy development for 4 years.[/b][/i]
Please click here: http://ricks-bricks.com/boone2.pdf

Thanks for above sites sandstone... both are very informative !! Something like this is what all of the folks in our community need to see. I would still venture to guess that YES, more people are paying attention... but, this whole concept is still not fully understood by many. Pg#42 on "ricks-bricks" is mind boggling !!! Still, I cannot understand how people can allow this to happen It would be so much simpler to enlarge the nuclear power plants, that are already set up in Pennsylvania, then hook on to them. In the end, in would cost us less, and it will actually be generating clean efficent energy....AND.... over time, utility bills will decrease.

[sandstone]

On September 19th, 2006 Juniata Valley Audubon hosted a presentation titled
"Wind Energy Development in the Appalachians: Promises and Problems"
..................................................................
It was presented by Dan Boone. His resume and a link to the document is provided below.
http://www.VAwind.org .
He has been actively engaged with issues and concerns regarding utility-scale wind energy development for 4 years.[/b][/i]
Please click here: http://ricks-bricks.com/boone2.pdf

Thanks for above sites sandstone... both are very informative !! Something like this is what all of the folks in our community need to see. I would still venture to guess that YES, more people are paying attention... but, this whole concept is still not fully understood by many. Pg#42 on "ricks-bricks" is mind boggling !!! Still, I cannot understand how people can allow this to happen It would be so much simpler to enlarge the nuclear power plants, that are already set up in Pennsylvania, then hook on to them. In the end, in would cost us less, and it will actually be generating clean efficent energy....AND.... over time, utility bills will decrease.

You are correct. This whole mess stems from Americans' irrational fear of nuclear power. France, Sweden, and Finland all get more than 75% of their electricity from nuclear power. The US gets only 20% from nuclear power. Vermont, considered a very "green" state, gets 80% of its electricity from nuclear power.

You're also correct about adding capacity to existing nuclear power plants. PennFuture's goal of obtaining 10% of Pennsylvania's electricity from industrial windplants would require the sacrifice of 500 miles of ridgetop to site 4,000 industrial-scale turbines. The same amount of electricity could be generated by simply increasing the capacity of each of Pennsylvania's 5 nuclear plants by 20%.

[Ice Man]

News
Residents fed up with noisy wind farm

January 10, 2008 in WJAC-TV

The Alleghenies have been a hotbed for wind energy, but not without a lot of controversy over the turbines residents see and potential turbines they could see soon. Now neighbors of one local wind farm that's been up and running said they've heard enough.

With 40 turbines spanning ridgetops and crossing counties, the Allegheny Ridge Wind Farm is the largest in Pennsylvania. Neighbors said the noise is just as big.

"On a calm day, you come outside and try to enjoy a nice peaceful day, and all you hear is the noise all the time and you can't get away from it," said Bob Castel.

Castel lives with two turbines right behind his house.

"The first time they started them up, I didn't know what it was. I was like man, that's a weird noise. It was that loud," said Castel.

While some neghbors said they aren't exactly bothered by the noise from the windmills, they said there's never peace and quiet either.

"You notice them more at night, but you can't really hear them inside," said Charles Holland.

Castel said when the wind shifts and the heads of the turbines turn, the noise is even worse.

"We used to come outside and hear birds chirping and groundhogs snorting. Now, we hear windmills," said Castel.

Officials at Babcock and Brown, the owners of Allegheny Ridge, said the problem is tape on the blades. The tape is supposed to make them quiet, but something went wrong and ironically, it made the turbines even louder. Babcock and Brown is now fixing all of the blades, starting with ones closest to homes.

Neighbors said hopefully the repairs help with the noise because if they don't, it is bad news for those living nearby the windmills, as 35 new turbines are on their way to the ridgetops.

"If they put more up, it's going to be even worse," said Castel.

Company officials said the repairs will fix the noise problems, and they hope to complete that process by the end of the month. Unfortunately, the weather has prevented them from getting them fixed as quickly as possible.

The new turbines will be up by the end of the year.

Web link: http://www.wjactv.com/news/15024720/detail.html?rs...

DON'T COUNT ON ANY CHANGE IN NOISE VOLUME OR FREQUENCY BASED ON TAPE REMOVAL. THIS IS A WORLDWIDE PROBLEM AT ALL WINDPLANTS.

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:Wa ... cd=8&gl=us

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... wind25.xml

Wind farms 'make people sick who live up to a mile away'
By Catherine Milner

Onshore wind farms are a health hazard to people living near them because of the low- frequency noise that they emit, according to new medical studies. Doctors say that the turbines - some of which are taller than Big Ben - can cause headaches and depression among residents living up to a mile away.

One survey found that all but one of 14 people living near the Bears Down wind farm at Padstow, Cornwall, where 16 turbines were put up two years ago, had experienced increased numbers of headaches, and 10 said that they had problems sleeping and suffered from anxiety.

Wind farms: doctor claims they cause an increase in depression
Dr Amanda Harry, a local GP who did the research, said: "People demonstrated a range of symptoms from headaches, migraines, nausea, dizziness, palpitations and tinnitus to sleep disturbance, stress, anxiety and depression. These symptoms had a knock-on effect in their daily lives, causing poor concentration, irritability and an inability to cope."

Dr Harry said that low-frequency noise - which was used as an instrument of torture by the Germans during the Second World War because it induced headaches and anxiety attacks - could disturb rest and sleep at even very low levels.

"It travels further than audible noise, is ground-borne and is felt through vibrations," she said. "Some people are having to leave their homes to get away from the nuisance. Yet, despite their obvious suffering, little is being done to relieve the situation and they feel that their plight is ignored."

Similar problems have been found by Dr Bridget Osborne, a doctor in Moel Maelogan, a village in North Wales, where three turbines were erected in 2002. She has presented a paper to the Royal College of General Practitioners detailing a "marked" increase in depression among local people.

"There is a public perception that wind power is 'green' and has no detrimental effect on the environment," said Dr Osborne. "However, these turbines make low-frequency noises that can be as damaging as high-frequency noises.

"When wind farm developers do surveys to assess the suitability of a site they measure the audible range of noise but never the infrasound measurement - the low-frequency noise that causes vibrations that you can feel through your feet and chest.

"This frequency resonates with the human body - their effect being dependent on body shape. There are those on whom there is virtually no effect, but others for whom it is incredibly disturbing."

A report by Dr Geoff Leventhall, a fellow of the Institute of Physics and Institute of Acoustics, has endorsed the findings. "Low-frequency noise causes extreme distress to a number of people who are sensitive to its effects," it says.

The claims have sparked an inquiries by the British Wind Energy Association and the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which has commissioned scientists at Salford University to research the effects of wind turbines on human health.

There are more than 1,000 turbines on 80 wind farms around Britain. They have rapidly increased in number during the past decade as a result of the Government's aim of getting 10 per cent of Britain's energy needs from renewable sources by 2010. To meet that target, there would have to be at least 5,000 turbines.

In Denmark, where wind turbines were introduced as long as 30 years ago, the government has responded to public demand and stopped erecting onshore turbines because of the noise hazard.

Dr Stephen Briggs, an archaeologist who lives in the village of Llangwryfron in West Wales, initially welcomed the news that 20 turbines were to be built in the hills behind his home.

He said: "I'm as green as the next man and the developers assured us that the windmills would cause hardly any disturbance, but once they began operating I couldn't work in my garden any more - the noise was unbearable. It was as if someone was mixing cement in the sky."

Two neighbours became ill from a lack of sleep and after four years of frustrated appeals, the Briggs family left their home of 17 years. House prices near to wind farms have also plummeted.

Mark Taplin, who has lived close to a wind farm near Truro in Cornwall for almost a decade, said: "It has been a miserable, horrible experience. They are 440 metres away but if I step outside and they are not generating I know immediately because I can hear the silence. They grind you down - you can't get away from them. They make you very depressed - the chomp and swoosh of the blades creates a noise that beggars belief."

National Wind Power, a company that builds turbines, recommends that they are erected at least 600 yards from human habitation, but government planning guidelines allow them to be put up just 400 yards from houses.

Alison Hill, the communications manager for the British Wind Association, said: "Wind farms make people feel better - they are a visible evidence of a cleaner, better future. However, we are currently doing research into the health impact of the turbines and shall be publishing the results within the next six months."

Re: Windmills on Ice Mountain - Gamesa Wind Turbines
by Bill Latchford on Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:08 pm

As much as I didn't want to pop back in here I just had to....I spent 5 hours today walking through snow and knocking on doors up in the Portage / Blue Knob area. If my mind weren't already made up it is most certainly solidified now. At every stop of my ride through the Allegheny Ridge Wind Farm...There was not one point where I could not hear them. At some times ever so faint and at the worst of times it made me pity the people whom have to suffer with the Wind Turbines. I put around 12-18 miles on my car in just this area. I spoke to several people and did not ask their names. I wanted them to know what I was doing and did not want them to feel I would expose them to the media or the like. I will tell you that in some spots where I did not see the turbines because of the fog, I could hear them even better. Some people will say that you can hear them because you can see their movement, sort of a psychological thing. But guess what I could not see them because of the fog and the noise was there...My last stop was a very interesting and pleasant surprise. I introduced myself and the person said she knew me, because of the posts on here. I should add that before she answered the door, I was just amazed at how these things towered over the mountain in front of their home. Then to hear them was so surreal. It really does sound like a jet plane circling overhead. I thought it was an exaggeration, until I heard it myself. Then the blades start to pitch and turn into the wind again to make the best of the blowing winds and you can hear the metal to metal adjustments and then as the blades pitch and they thump through the air until they are in position. Then after all that you are back to the jet plane effect. Now while I was there I was expressing my pity that they have to put up with that, only to find out this was a calm day in comparison to how it can get. Even though the Turbine slated for Tyrone are decently far away from Tyrone proper, I feel it would be a serious disservice to our Snyder Township neighbors to let this go through. I was everywhere from 2000 feet to 1.2 miles maybe a touch further in some cases and could hear these giants. Though I am one who thinks they look majestic blowing in the wind. I for one will take this as a hindsight is 20/20 test and not put our citizens or Snyder Townships citizens through such an ordeal that these folks up in Portage / Blue knob area are going through. All is fine in our community now, let’s just leave things well alone and learn from other's misfortune. My many many heartfelt thanks to those who shared their day and time, and property with me today. I learned a great deal and will certainly ask all other Council Members here in Tyrone to make another trip to hear these Giants from a distance. I have an open invitation and I certainly hope I can get some of the other Council Members up there. Thanks "InMyBackYard"Bill Latchford
http://www.protectchildrenonline.org
Bill Latchford
MVP Member

[Ice Man]

PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
http://www.windaction.org/releases/13645

ENVIRONMENTAL AND WILDLIFE GROUPS CHARGE INDUSTRY BIAS IN KEMPTHORNE'S SELECTION OF MEMBERS FOR HIGH-LEVEL COMMITTEE ON WIND POWER AND WILDLIFE

Membership of Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee violates FACA

WASHINGTON D.C. (January 17, 2008) - In a letter submitted today (http://www.windaction.org/documents/13651), environmental and wildlife groups [1] called on Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne to revamp the membership of the Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The current membership violates the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which governs the establishment of federal advisory committees.

"Secretary Kempthorne has clearly skewed the composition of the committee in favor of the industry representatives while ignoring leading experts on critical wildlife impacts," said Eric R. Glitzenstein of Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal, the law firm representing the groups. "This is precisely the kind of committee composition that the Federal Advisory Committee Act was designed to prohibit," he added.

The Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee was formed to provide advice and recommendations to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in developing effective measures to avoid or minimize impacts to wildlife and their habitats related to land-based wind energy facilities (see Fed. Reg. 72:11373 (March 13, 2007)). Secretary Kempthorne announced the appointment of 22 people to the committee on October 24, 2007.

Under FACA the committee must have balanced points of view represented and the functions to be performed, and will not be inappropriately influenced by any special interest. In their letter, the groups assert that the committee's overall composition clearly violates FACA in several ways.

* No committee members possess research expertise or publication record regarding bats, nor direct knowledge or experience involving bat interactions with wind turbines.

This is a glaring omission in light of recent reports[2] and Congressional testimony [3] on the issue of massive bat mortality at wind energy facilities. For example, a recent study estimated that up to 111,000 bats may be killed [4] every year should only 3,868 MW of wind turbines be constructed within the Mid-Atlantic Highlands regions of VA, WV, MD, and PA. As of today, in those states, there are over 6,300 MW of wind turbines under study for interconnection to the regional electricity grid.

* The committee lacks the requisite expertise regarding bird impacts, especially with respect to effects on migratory birds using the Appalachian mountain ridges in the eastern U.S., despite the fact that dozens of planned wind projects are slated for this part of the country.

* No committee members have significant research, scientific, or regulatory experience with wind energy development and associated wildlife impacts resulting from onshore wind projects in the eastern U.S.

According to the letter, these scientific and technical omissions are especially troubling in light of the many individuals on the committee who either expressly represent or are clearly aligned with the interests of the wind industry.

The groups call on Secretary Kempthorne to appoint appropriate experts to the committee who are experienced in wind energy development in the eastern U.S., where thousands of industrial wind turbines are proposed, and many are already in operation. Several highly-qualified candidates who applied for committee membership but were not appointed are listed in the letter. Their expertise includes both bats and birds and extensive knowledge of nocturnal migration. In addition, the groups encourage the appointment of experts with research experience in forest fragmentation impacts, particularly in the eastern forest region.

CONTACT:
Kieran Suckling, Center for Biological Diversity, (520) 275-5960
Eric Glitzenstein, Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal, (202) 588-5206
Lisa Linowes, Industrial Wind Action Group, (603) 838-6588 (llinowes@windaction.org)

###

[1] Center for Biological Diversity; The Humane Society of the United States; Hawk Migration Association of North America; Industrial Wind Action Group; D. Daniel Boone; Maryland Conservation Council; Save Our Allegheny Ridges; Friends of Blackwater Canyon; Protect the Flint Hills; Chautauqua County Citizens for Responsible Wind Power; Green Berkshires, Inc.; Juniata Valley Audubon; Ripley Hawk Watch; Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound; and Wildlife Advocacy Project.

[2] http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpin ... rdID=11935

[3] http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/ind ... w&extid=47

[4] http://www.windaction.org/documents/11179

[My2Cents]

I only hope that NO will mean NO.... If a NO is given to these things on Ice Mountain, and/or anywhere else in our area... including the whole Sandy Ridge Wind Farm idea , I hope that it is a definite NO.... not prolonged, or drug out for further "research." The answers are already there, the proper "research" has already been done, the facts are well known, proven, backed up and documented.

[Ice Man]

Published: January 16, 2008 11:25 pm

Portage Twp. officials looking into turbine noise claims

By KATHY MELLOTT
The Tribune-Democrat

PORTAGE — The Portage Township supervisors are jumping into the fray over what some residents say is excessive noise from turbines at the Allegheny Ridge Wind Farm.

Supervisors will hire a private sound engineer to determine the amount of noise made by the spinning turbines.

The move comes at the urging of residents who say the windmills sometimes operate at sound levels exceeding ordinance limits.

Two months ago, officials in Juniata Township, Blair County, ordered an independent sound study.

“We’re agreeing to work with them on this,” Supervisor Elwood Selapack said of a plan to hire Paul Heishman, a sound engineer from Mechanicsburg, to conduct noise studies.

A dollar limit on the study was not set by Portage Township officials, but the cost is not expected to exceed a few thousand dollars, based on a proposed fee for the Juniata work.

Built by Gamesa Energy USA and sold last year to Babcock & Brown, the wind farm is at the Cambria-Blair county line, and the turbines affect residents in both counties.

Heishman is expected to do the studies after Feb. 1, when steps being taken by Gamesa to eliminate the noise problems are completed, officials said Wednesday.

Local residents Bruce Brunett of Portage Township and Jill Stull of Juniata Township are convinced the noise – which they compare to the roar of a jet – is not the rotors, but a design flaw.

The townships have ordinances setting allowable noise limits from the turbines at 45 decibels, a level Heishman said is similar to bird calls on a summer day.

Juniata Supervisor Dave Kane said he heard the noise from the turbines and is concerned.

“They definitely have a problem. The windmills were making noise last week. They sounded like jet motors,” Kane said.

Babcock & Brown spokesman Matt Dallas said the company is hopeful that work to repair the turbine rotors will quiet the machines.

The company still is not convinced noise levels exceed maximum allowable levels.

Recent testing by a sound engineer showed the levels within the ordinance levels, Dallas said, adding the testing was done “under every condition.”

Of particular concern for Portage Township officials is the yet-to-be-completed second phase of the project, where many of the turbines overlook Martindale, a town of 150 homes about a half-mile from the site.

“The topography and configuration of the Martindale area is exactly what it is in Juniata Township. They’re down in the valley, and they’re going to get the noise,” Brunett said.

Meanwhile, Babcock & Brown said it wants to be a good neighbor.

“We’re willing to do what it takes to make sure we are within those (ordinance) guidelines,” Dallas said.

THE NOISE PROBLEM WILL NOT BE SOLVED. EACH TIME THIS ISSUE SURFACES, THE WINDPLANT DEVELOPERS CLAIM THAT IT'S AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. IN REALITY, THIS IS A WORLDWIDE PROBLEM THAT CANNOT BE SOLVED AS LONG AS THE MAST AND BLADES ARE MADE OF PHYSICAL MATTER.

[My2Cents]

"The company is still not convinced noise levels exceed maximum allowable levels."
Does this company think that folks living near these turbines are just hearing things and making this stuff up ??

"Hiring a private sound engineer to determine the amount of noise made by the spinning turbines."" A dollar limit was not set, but, cost for a sound engineer is not expected to exceed a few thousand dollars." Wonder who pays for this... Gamesa, Babcock and Brown, or, the township ???

We already know that this noise situation is and ongoing thing worldwide. It should be very interesting to see how long these studies are going to take, and what excuses they will eventually come up with... or, what their idea of a "fix" will be. No matter how much time and money is spent on this matter.... the windmills are up, and the windmills will stay.....

[sandstone]

"The company is still not convinced noise levels exceed maximum allowable levels."
Does this company think that folks living near these turbines are just hearing things and making this stuff up ??

No, the windplant developers do not think that, but they do try to denigrate people who bring up the noise, shadow flicker, and other health issues. They've mounted a smear campaign against Nina Pierpont, M.D. http://www.ninapierpont.com/, who's done a lot of research regarding the effects of windplants on people who live near them.

See Dr. Pierpont's windplant/human health information at http://www.ninapierpont.com/?s=wind

[sandstone]

"Hiring a private sound engineer to determine the amount of noise made by the spinning turbines."" A dollar limit was not set, but, cost for a sound engineer is not expected to exceed a few thousand dollars." Wonder who pays for this... Gamesa, Babcock and Brown, or, the township ???

The townships involved will pay for the acoustics analysis.

[Bill Latchford]

"The company is still not convinced noise levels exceed maximum allowable levels."
Does this company think that folks living near these turbines are just hearing things and making this stuff up ??

"Hiring a private sound engineer to determine the amount of noise made by the spinning turbines."" A dollar limit was not set, but, cost for a sound engineer is not expected to exceed a few thousand dollars." Wonder who pays for this... Gamesa, Babcock and Brown, or, the township ???

We already know that this noise situation is and ongoing thing worldwide. It should be very interesting to see how long these studies are going to take, and what excuses they will eventually come up with... or, what their idea of a "fix" will be. No matter how much time and money is spent on this matter.... the windmills are up, and the windmills will stay.....

When a Municipality has a noise ordinance or any type of ordinance like this they bare the burden of proving that their ordinance is being broken. That is one thing about the noise ordinance that I don't think some municipalities keep in mind. If there is a car that is playing loud music, and people complain about it. It is up to the municipality to prove that the music was above the limits set fourth in the ordinance. About the only thing you can do is ask the persons to turn it down. In the case of the Wind Turbines it has to be proven by the municipality that the turbines are above the limits of their ordinance. Luckily in this case the turbines are not going anywhere, and it is easy to get someone in to take a reading to prove the ordinance limits are being reached. The only bad thing is it is not cheap to get a professional in who can also testify to their results. It is easy for the people to complain about the noise and I agree it is there, but it is still up to the municipality to stand behind their residents and get someone in to back up their ordinance.

[My2Cents]

That is ALL understandable. It's the idea that this noise problem, along with many other things that are wrong with wind turbines, is already known. This is happening throughout the world, not just in this small area of our earth. The point is... we should not allow them to come in here and destroy our ridges in the first place, since it IS already known, proven, and documented... along with the many other things that we can expect to happen before, during, after, and many years after, their entry into our territory. We know exactly what is wrong with them, we know they don't work , we know that this is not the thing of the future and we know what will be in store for us. Gamesa will be out of here.... someone, probably PennElec will buy them up... our utilities bills will increase, we will be left paying out a lot of $$$$ money to fix all the things that have been broken. You can almost be assured that the amount of money they are offering the borough to let them install these things will be put right back into the "fix." Instead of going thru all those extracurricular activities after they are in here, we should tell them NO in the very beginning.

[sandstone]

When a Municipality has a noise ordinance or any type of ordinance like this they bare the burden of proving that their ordinance is being broken. ... In the case of the Wind Turbines it has to be proven by the municipality that the turbines are above the limits of their ordinance. Luckily in this case the turbines are not going anywhere, and it is easy to get someone in to take a reading to prove the ordinance limits are being reached. The only bad thing is it is not cheap to get a professional in who can also testify to their results. It is easy for the people to complain about the noise and I agree it is there, but it is still up to the municipality to stand behind their residents and get someone in to back up their ordinance.

The problem is that both Gamesa and Babcock and Brown have their own "acoustics experts" who claim that the 45dB noise limit is NOT being exceded. So it will boil down to who's willing to spend more money to prove that they're right; the windplant developers/owners, the township residents affected by the noise, or the municipality itself! Whoever has that deepest pockets and is willing to risk the most wins!