Falmouth Physician Writes In Support of Wind Turbines

The opponents of our town wind turbines have come out again with claims of harm from wind turbine noise. This requires some balanced perspective.

The citizens of this town chose to take leadership in slowing global warming by adopting clean energy instead of fossil fuel electricity to meet the needs of the town.

The turbines were installed following the same processes used for the wastewater treatment plant, town dump, and animal shelter on town property, obtained and designated for town functions. It is impossible to comply with regulations that have not yet been passed, nor is it legal to enforce them retroactively.

Claims of decreasing property values have been disproven by sales in the area, usually above assessed value. All Cape real estate has been troubled since the 2008 crash, not by the turbines.

The two or three dozen families, complaining of problems, are surrounded by other dozens of household with no complaints, who support the turbines. We voted on not removing the turbines in the previous referendum with majority vote in all nine precincts.

The board of health previously declined to give an opinion on health impact (for lack of scientific evidence). But they have now notified the zoning board of appeals and the board of selectmen to pay attention to new research from Canada. This survey by Health Canada of 1,238 households found no association of wind turbine noise or low frequency sound or vibration with perceived symptoms, measured blood pressure and stress hormones, or with sleep disturbance. The issue is not about health!

But global warming is a real health and economic danger. The cost of purchasing fossil fuel electricity will be seen both in the budget and in rising CO2 levels. Our tax money will be needed to pay the costs of decommissioning and resolving the assistance grants and loans.

How can such a relatively small number of families hold hostage the entire population? Lawsuits are trying to force temporary restrictions to become permanent shutdown. Suggestions for compromise, mitigation, and compensation have been rejected.

Citizens who support the environmental and scientific community should contact their Town Meeting representatives (listed in town department websites) and ask them to approve all three articles in the Special Town Meeting of November 10. If we do not, how will we explain to our grandchildren why we allowed the turbines to be shut down? What can we say when the rising ocean water levels destroy our bays, our beaches, and waterfront properties and create storm flooding of the lower levels of downtown?

When the sewer system and water supply don’t work, and electricity shorts out, there will be nothing the boards of planning, health, and selectmen can do about it.

Dr. John M. Tudor Jr., Coonamessett Circle, Hatchville

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