Consensus Building Institute Admits Falmouth Hid Noise Warning Letter Wind Turbine Noise

The purpose of the Falmouth Wind Turbine Option Analysis Process (WTOP) during 2012 was to engage in an open, transparent, and collaborative exploration of the range of options for the long-term future of the Town’s two Wind Turbines – Wind I and Wind II. The cost of the negotiations $139,000.00

The core interests at stake include:

• Health, safety and well-being of impacted abutters
• Property rights and economic impacts on property for abutters

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The town withheld the 110 decibel warning from Vestas wind company dated prior to August of 2010. The Town of Falmouth ignored the safety and well being of impacted abutters, property rights, economic impacts and health by hiding the Vestas noise warning letter from negotiations.

Hiding the letter draws only one conclusion that the town knew prior to the wind installations the turbines should never have been placed this close to 200 residential homes.

Here is an email from Stacie Smith the CBI -WTOP negotiations were Facilitated by Stacie Smith in which Stacie the Senior Mediator of the Falmouth negotiations states in an email she never saw the letter over a one year of mediation

(stacie@cbuilding.org) -----

Original Message---

From: Stacie Smith <stacie@cbuilding.org>

To: Fnhaggerty <Fnhaggerty@aol.com>

Sent: Mon, Oct 6, 2014 10:54 amSubject:

Re: Falmouth Hurt Families & Knew About Wind Turbine Noise From Day One

Hi Frank,

I appreciate you bringing this to my attention - I also had not seen this letter before.

Can I ask that you remove the email addresses of all the other staff people at CBI from your distribution list? (not me, I would like to continue to receive your messages - just all the other cbuilding addresses - they had no involvement in this project).

Also, just for accuracy, you sent a message earlier saying that CBI was paid almost a million dollars for our assessment - in fact, it was under $139K, for an assessment; designing and convening the process; preparing for, traveling to, facilitating and documenting 24 meetings (including all expenses); and writing and revising a final report, over the course of 13 months. You can confirm this with MACEC.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Stacie
_________________
Stacie Nicole Smith
Senior Mediator, CBI
Director, Workable Peace
Consensus Building Institute
238 Main Street, Suite 400
Cambridge, MA 02142
(617) 844-1124 www.cbuilding.org

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Warning Letter from Vestas Wind Turbine Company :

August 3, 2010

Mr. Gerald PotamisWasteWater Superintendent

Town of Falmouth Public Works

59 Town Hall SquareFalmouth, MA 02540

RE: Falmouth WWTF Wind Energy Facility II “Wind II”, Falmouth, MA

Contract No. #3297

Dear Mr. Potamis,

Due to the sound concerns regarding the first wind turbine installed at the wastewater treatment facility, the manufacturer of the turbines, Vestas, is keen for the Town of Falmouth to understand the possible noise and other risks associated with the installation of the second wind turbine.

The Town has previously been provided with the Octave Band Data / Sound performance for the V82 turbine. This shows that the turbine normally operates at 103.2dB but the manufacturer has also stated that it may produce up to 110dB under certain circumstances. These measurements are based on IEC standards for sound measurement which is calculated at a height of 10m above of the base of the turbine.

We understand that a sound study is being performed to determine what, if any, Impacts the second turbine will have to the nearest residences. Please be advised that should noise concerns arise with this turbine, the only option to mitigate normal operating sound from the V82 is to shut down the machine at certain wind speeds and directions. Naturally this would detrimentally affect power production.

The manufacturer also needs confirmation that the Town of Falmouth understands they are fully responsible for the site selection of the turbine and bear all responsibilities to address any mitigation needs of the neighbors.

Finally, the manufacturer has raised the possibility of ice throw concerns. Since Route 28 is relatively close to the turbine, precautions should be taken in weather that may cause icing.

To date on this project we have been unable to move forward with signing the contract with Vestas. The inability to release the turbine for shipment to the project site has caused significant [SIC] delays in our project schedule. In order to move forward the manufacturer requires your understanding and acknowledgement of these risks. We kindly request for this acknowledgement to be sent to us by August 4, 2010, as we have scheduled a coordination meeting with Vestas to discuss the project schedule and steps forward for completion of the project.

Please sign in the space provided below to indicate your understanding and acknowledgement of this letter. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me.

Sincerely,

(Bruce Mabbott’s signature)_____________________Bruce Mabbott

Gerald Potamis

Project Manager Town of Falmouth

CC: Sumul Shah, Lumus Construction, Inc.(Town of Falmouth’s Wind-1 and Wind-2 Construction contractor)

Stephen Wiehe, Weston & Sampson(Town of Falmouth’s contract engineers)

Brian Hopkins, Vestas(Wind-1, Wind-2’s turbine manufacturer, and also Webb/NOTUS turbine)