Falmouth ZBA Wind Turbine Permit Hearing 1/28/2016

Biggest Issue Facing Wind Projects in New England: Health and Noise

What we have seen is the misery and suffering they have caused local families who not only have to endure the noise and shadow flicker the wind turbines produce.

Independent studies have shown an average diminution of value up to -37% when the turbine is on the property; up to -26% average diminution for properties within 1,056 – 2,112 feet of a turbine.

Zoning Board of Appeals Agenda for: 01-28-2016

Town of Falmouth
Zoning Board of Appeals
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59 TOWN HALL SQUARE, FALMOUTH, MA 02540
508-495-7460 – Fax 508-495-7463

AGENDA

January 28, 2016 – 5:30 PM
Board of Appeals Hearings & Open Meeting
Selectmen’s Meeting Room – Town Hall

5:30 PM: Continuation: 62-15 Town of Falmouth, 154 Blacksmith Shop (KB, KF, TH, EVK, PM)

http://www.falmouthmass.us/agenda.php?depkey=zone&number=7775

As provided for in M.G.L. Chapter 40A, Section 12. The Board of Appeals shall act on all matters pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40A and the Town of Falmouth’s Zoning Ordinance. In performing its function, the Board of Appeals shall give due consideration to promoting the public health, safety, convenience, and welfare, encouraging the most appropriate use of land and conserving property values; that it shall permit no building or use of land or building that is injurious, noxious, offensive, or detrimental to a neighborhood and that it shall prescribe appropriate conditions and safeguards in each case.

The Town of Falmouth hid a noise warning from Vestas wind company in 2010 from the public for 5 years. The town knew the turbines were dangerously too loud :

“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.”

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

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center finally admitted in 2013 flawed acoustic noise tests for Falmouth Wind 1 three years after the installation. The 110 decibels of noise has never been inputted in a noise study or a decibel map of the 200 residential homes in the wind zone. There is no noise tests for Falmouth Wind 2 and no tests for both turbines operating together :

“Falmouth Wind 1 was one of the earliest municipally-owned megawatt scale wind turbines installed in Massachusetts. Even though the original MTC-commissioned feasibility study for Falmouth over-estimated the likely acoustic impact, that study did not include a detailed acoustic analysis based upon sampling of ambient acoustic conditions (as is our current, more rigorous practice) which might have identified a potential exceedance of the 10 decibel limit,” the memo reads. “The Falmouth wind turbines are of an older design which does not offer ‘low noise operations’ or other retrofit options.”

https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/04/03/details-on-masscecs-april-2-memo-on-falmouth-turbines/

Note #

The money generated by the wind turbines has nothing to do with the health and well being of those around the wind turbines. Testimony is being given to the ZBA about generating money vs health. The attorneys for the Town of Falmouth have given the finacial picture but have left out through omissions the real finacial facts..How much has been paid to attorneys and law firms in the last 6 years ? These are the only winners.

The MassCEC gave Falmouth 1 million in taxpayer funds to buy Falmouth Wind 1. The MassCEC in 2013 gave Falmouth 1.8 million to help pay litigation fees. Every 6 months the Select Board asks for up to another 300 thousand for the past 6 years. The Falmouth Town Meeting is April 2016. 

The original cost of two Vestas V 82 commercial 1.65 megawatt turbines in 2004 was 5.2 million for both turbines ! - That is how much the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative today known as the Mass Clean Energy Center paid for the two turbines-- The legal fees over 6 years has exceeded the original costs of the turbines.......

The Massachusetts Attorney General Consumer Protection Division uses the tools of investigation and enforcement actions to protect consumers from fraud, deception, and other unfair business practices. The litigation fees have exceeded the original costs of two Vestas turbines