Falmouth Officials Guilty Wind Turbine Documents Cover-Up

Wind Turbine Options Analysis Process Final Report to the Falmouth Board of Selectmen

The purpose of the Falmouth Wind Turbine Option Analysis Process (WTOP) is 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.

FINAL REPORT January 18, 2013 Cost to taxpayers $136,000.00

Primary Participants: Megan Amsler, Dave Bailey, Karen Cardeira, Alden Cook, Kathy Driscoll, Todd Drummey, Kathryn Elder, Judith Fenwick, Diane Funfar, Joe Hackler, Sia Karplus, Jim Luyten, Jeffrey W. Oppenheim, Bob Shea

Alternate Participants: Linda Davis, Malcolm Donald, John Ford, Maurice Rowe

Liaisons: Nils Bolgen, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center; Doug Jones and Mary Pat Flynn, Falmouth Board of Selectmen

Facilitated by: Stacie Nicole Smith, Consensus Building Institute (CBI), with support from Carri Hulet and Eric Roberts, CBI

The goals of the WTOP were to:

• Clarify the range of potentially acceptable long-term options;

• Identify the questions that would need to be answered about each of those options to evaluate their feasibility, costs and benefits;

• Determine legitimate methods for gaining answers to those questions;

• Jointly review and interpret the collected data; and,

• Evaluate options based on the new and reviewed information. Two additional WTOP goals included:

• Improve relationships and effective communication among the Town officials, affected families and other members of the Town

• Provide an arena for public information and input and transparent deliberation and evaluation

The Town of Falmouth hid this noise warning letter from the Wind Turbine Options Analysis Process :

The town to date has never posted this noise warning that the wind turbines are dangerously too loud

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August 3, 2010
Mr. Gerald Potamis
WasteWater Superintendent
Town of Falmouth Public Works
59 Town Hall Square
Falmouth, 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.

Link provided for entire letter : http://www.windaction.org/posts/41357-vestas-raises-concerns-about-turbine-noise-letter#.Ve9oyhFVikp