Green Wind Power Failure in Falmouth Comes At High Cost

Massachusetts Senator Markey has introduced the legislation that would spur the growth of offshore wind energy in the United States by extending tax credits but has never introduced or sponsored legislation to protect Falmouth and twenty one communities Massachusetts communities from poorly placed wind turbines taking health and property rights.

Massachusetts Town Spends 2.5 milion To Avoid Paying 3.5 million ARRA Loan

The Town of Falmouth borrowed 5 million dollars in a loan structured by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to build their second wind turbine called Wind II. The money was provided through a pilot program using ARRA, American Recovery, and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds.

In order to have the loan considered a grant the Wind II turbine had to remain energy efficient or pay back the loan plus 2 percent.

The courts over three years ago shut down both turbines forever in June of 2017 as they are a nuisance. The town owes 3.5 million plus 2 percent interest back to the Massachusetts State Revolving Fund.

Outside legal counsel hired by the state of Massachusetts has advised the Town of Falmouth that Wind II is subject to specific provisions of ARRA and applicable federal regulations and guidelines ("Federal Law') in addition to the terms and conditions of the Project Regulatory Agreement ("PRA") and the Loan Agreement associated with the funding of Wind II.

Under Federal Law and the PRA and Loan Agreement, the Town must maintain Wind II as an "energy efficiency" project, as described in EPA guidelines dated March 2, 2009, in order to benefit from the financial subsidy provided by the Trust under ARRA and the Trust's Clean Water State Revolving Fund program.

Falmouth town officials convinced federal and state officials they are going to take down the two nuisance turbines and operate them in another location.

Falmouth Select Board members convinced Town Meeting to spend 2.5 million and more down the road to lease the turbines to another location.

Three years after the court shutdowns there remains no RFP, Request for Proposal to move the turbines.

The Falmouth turbines have antiquated gearboxes and blades made of several types of material.

This lease is highly unlikely as the turbines' internal parts and engineering are as old as twenty years old and generate 110 decibels of noise.

Falmouth continues to use the ARRA loan to run day to day business when it should go back to the SRF, state revolving fund to be lent out to other Green Energy projects that are in need of money.

Falmouth, Massachusetts

Board of Health Wind Turbine Hearing 5-24-2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rguPxQ93Qc

If your neighborhood is targeted for industrial-scale wind turbine development, you owe it to yourself to watch this video. Shame on Falmouth and Massachusetts for allowing this to go on for over 2 years. Even now the DEP and DPH, much like the chairperson of this meeting, is trying to spin the problems with these turbines as unique. This is completely ridiculous as similar health effects are reported worldwide whenever these monstrosities are put too close to people.