Mainstream Media Hiding Falmouth Wind Turbine Warnings

Taking down the town’s wind turbines is taking years and maybe a decade longer than expected and much more expensive.

The two town-owned wind turbines were installed in 2009 and 2010. Wind 1 was shut down in September 2015 after the Falmouth Zoning Board of Appeals issued a cease-and-desist order. Wind 2 was shut down in June 2017, after Barnstable County Superior Court Judge Cornelius J. Moriarty II upheld the zoning board of appeals’ decision deeming the turbines a nuisance.

The town in September of 2019 said it is still working with its engineering consultant in crafting a proposal. It is likely going to be an RFQ, request for qualifications, rather than an RFP, request for proposal.

The town has been working things out with its legal counsel who spent the last ten years fighting off eleven litigation cases and multiple appeals to those cases.

No one in the commonwealth has had to disassemble, relocate or dismantle wind turbines financed with 5 million in federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

According to federal regulations the town can not create a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety related to the implementation or use of covered funds.

The federal EPA and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection project regulatory agreement require the ARRA funds to be repaid at 2 percent interest if Falmouth Wind II is no longer an energy-efficient project.

Going through the procurement process, the town found out there were a few other hoops they have to jump through including why then and now are they still hiding the 110-decibel noise warning letter received prior to construction of Falmouth Wind II.

In June of 2009 at a rare Summer Falmouth Special Town Meeting members voted for what they thought was a federal ARRA grant for Falmouth Wind II but if you read between the lines it was a loan. In November of 2019 Town Meeting members voted 2.5 million to take down the antiquated turbines. The Select Board has promised to ask for more money at future town meetings.

Well over a year ago the Falmouth Select Board, asked town administration to create an RFP to either leasing property outside Falmouth to run the wind turbines, sell the turbines, or repurpose a wind turbine tower.

The real stumbling block is why is the news media and Town of Falmouth continuing to hide the 110 decibel noise warning letter from the public ten years later?

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

August 3, 2010
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.