Falmouth Wind Turbine Noise Dangers Known 5 Yrs Prior To Construction

In 2005 the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative today the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center helped finance a Falmouth wind turbine report using a single 103 decibel General Electric wind turbine as an example.

The November 2005 report was prepared by: KEMA, Inc. & Ecology and Environment, Inc.

The year 2005 map used in the report shows the General Electric turbine exceeds 40 decibels of noise on Black Smith Shop Road. In other words it was well known in 2005 that a single 103 decibel GE turbine would exceed state noise levels.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center in an April 2013 memo admitted it had under-estimated the wind turbine acoustic noise after the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection found the turbines break state noise regulations. A fact that shown was on the 2005 KEMA Map.

Falmouth Wind I was commissioned in March of 2010. There is NO noise study for Falmouth Wind II or both turbines operating together.

General Electric refused to build even a single wind turbine. Falmouth went forward building a 110 decibel Vestas wind turbine that on a decibel scale to the human ear are twice as loud as the GE turbine and then went on to build a second turbine called Falmouth Wind II.

The facts become more bizarre because prior to the final November 2005 KEMA, Inc. & Ecology and Environment, Inc report there was a draft of that same report done in April of 2005 the links are below.

That report in April shows a Special Permit is needed for Falmouth Wind I

"Falmouth Community Wind Project Site Screening Report" April 19,2005

Page 28 of the April 19, 2005 site review says : 6.2.2 a special permit is needed for the Falmouth Wind 1 turbine.

April 19 ,2005 Site Screening Page 28-- Falmouth Wind 1 needs a Special Permit

Click here to read page 28

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4cvi...

2005 April KEMA-MTC Falmouth_Site_Screening_Study.pdfDropbox
On top of this the report names by street address 99 homes around Falmouth Wind I that could be affected by noise :

Page 27 of 38 on PDF Reader

Section 5.1 Visual and Noise Impact

"The potential visual and noise impacts of the proposed wind turbine are best considered in the context of where existing dwellings are located in relation to the turbine site. A total of 99 residential properties are located within a half-mile radius of the turbine site. All of these properties lie to the west and south of the site.(See Attachment A for a map of the site)."

"There are 68 properties located to the west of the turbine site. All 68 properties are located on the west side of Route 28 (Rte. 28). Rte. 28 therefore serves as a barrier between these 68 dwellings and the turbine site. Approximately one third of the 68 dwellings are within 500 feet of Rte. 28, and all are within a quarter mile of Rte. 28. The closest dwellings are approximately 1700 feet due west of the proposed turbine site. Sixty-one of the 68 properties are located on one of the following residential streets: Ridgeview Drive; Ambleside Drive; Westmoreland Drive; and Brantwood Road. Seven properties are located to the east of West Falmouth Highway."

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Arrow points to 40 decibel ring on 2005 KEMA map -- clearly showing exceedances of 40 decibels on Black Smith Shop Rd. The Vestas turbines installed ( March 2010) increase decibel reading to over 50 decibels on Black Smith Shop Road.

Vestas 110 decibel turbines installed after 2010 are twice as loud as GE 103 decibel turbine used on map.

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"There are 31 properties to the south of the turbine site. A vast majority of these dwellings are located off of Blacksmith Shop Road, primarily on the south side of the road. A few dwellings are located off of Durham Road and Durfee Drive. The closest dwelling to the south of the proposed turbine site is approximately 1350 feet due south”