Falmouth Wind Turbines Noise Warnings Before Construction

The Town of Falmouth owns two commercial Vestas V-82 type 1.65 megawatt wind turbines named Wind I and Wind II. Each wind turbine according to the original specifications generates 110 decibels of noise each.

The Town of Falmouth purchased the first Vestas wind turbine from the state who had all the specifications in 2005 including the 110-decibel noise warning.

This all started in Falmouth, Massachusetts when the US Environmental Protection Agency and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection through an application process by April 19, 2010, had granted a waiver of the "Buy America" requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the Town of Falmouth, Massachusetts for the purchase of the second town-owned foreign-manufactured Vestas V-82 wind turbine to be installed at its existing wastewater treatment facility site in 2012.

The Town of Falmouth according to an August 2, 2010 letter had been warned prior to the construction of the first wind turbine in 2010 called Wind I. The turbine breaks state noise regulations. The warning was by email prior to the construction of Falmouth Wind II and a 2005 KEMA Inc wind study.

The US Environmental Protection Agency and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection through an application process by April 19, 2010, had ignored all safety and health precautions. General Electric according to the 2005 KEMA Inc study refused to place a single wind turbine over safety and health, the town never filed special permits 240-166 as stated in the US EPA waiver, and no study of both turbines operating at the same time.

In a 2013 memo from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to the Town of Falmouth staff admitted "mistakes" in the original noise predictions well after the Town received the funding commitment of $4.865 million in ARRA funds from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF).

The Massachusetts courts shut down the turbines in June of 2017.

The town owes 5 million at 2 percent on an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act loan that should never have been allowed.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Vestas raises concerns about turbine noise (Letter)

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.

August 3, 2010

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. ,
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)