Falmouth Wind Turbines An Unmitigated Health-Financial Hazard

Massachusetts April 6, 2020

The Town of Falmouth installed two Vestas V-82 type 1.65 megawatt wind turbines in 2010 and 2012. Vestas wind company warned the town each of its wind turbines generates 110 decibels of noise twice as loud as the General Electric wind turbine used in the town noise study. General Electric had refused to place one wind turbine due to residential setbacks and ice throw to a nearby highway.

In 2012 the purpose of the Falmouth Wind Turbine Option Analysis Process (WTOP) 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 but the town never disclosed it had been warned prior to construction the turbines were far too loud.

The town failed to be open and transparent about emails, studies, memos and noise studies prior to construction. Specifically the August 3, 2010 letter to the Falmouth Wastewater Superintendent and emails prior to construction:

"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."

The conclusion to the WTOP Final Report to the Board of Selectmen on January 18, 2013:

If the Turbines remain in operation, it is likely that the property value issue will then begin in earnest and may only be resolved in court.

If the Selectmen buy-out homes of health affected neighbors, the larger area encompassing 200+/- properties will become a toxic neighborhood, which may be the negative tipping point for their property values and fuel fair compensation?
The arithmetic will not be tricky to prove by then and the conflict will hurt the town's finances and image for decades.
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June 2017, Massachusetts courts shut down both town-owned wind turbines as they are a nuisance.

November 2019 at the request of the Falmouth Select Board the Town Meeting approved 2.5 million to disassemble and store both wind turbines.

The spending continues......................." for decades "

Note 1 # The Town still owes 3.4 million plus 2 percent interest on an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 loan brokered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

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Falmouth Wind Turbine Board of Health Meeting May 24 , 2012

Mary Pat Flynn Falmouth Select Board Chair In 2011 Voted In Favor Of Cape Cod Commission Wind Turbine Setbacks Of Ten Times Rotor Diameter -3000 feet

Mary Pat Flynn of Falmouth, the representative from the Barnstable County Board of County Commissioners in 2011 voted in favor of wind turbine setbacks of noise setback of 10 times the diameter of the turbine blades.