Massachusetts Wind Turbine Health Impact Study 2012 Counter Points

Massachusetts 2012 Wind Turbine Health Impact Counter Points By State of Wisconsin

What the Study Says:
o On page 1:“…It should be noted that the scope of the Panel’s effort was focused on wind turbines and is not meant to be a comparative analysis of the relative merits of wind energy vs. non-renewable fossil fuel sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas.”

 However:

 The second paragraph of Chapter 1 of the study discusses a significant decrease in the consumption of conventional fuels and a corresponding decrease in the production of carbon dioxide and nitrogen and sulfur oxides
 The second paragraph states that reductions in the production of these pollutants will have demonstrable and positive benefits on human and environmental health
 Appendix A has a 28 page summary on the origin of wind energy, the mechanics and operation of wind turbines, and the reduction of emissions if more turbines were providing energy (Section 12 is titled
“Wind Turbines and Avoided Pollutants”)
o On page 1: “The overall context for this study is that the use of wind turbines results in positive effects on public health and environmental health…local impacts of wind turbines, whether anticipated demonstrated, have resulted in fewer turbines being installed than might otherwise have been expected. To the extent that these impacts can be ameliorated, it should be possible to take advantage of the indigenous wind energy resource more effectively.” This passage indicates the true purpose of the Massachusetts study—to create an
expansion of the wind industry through a slanted interpretation of wind health study documents.

o The Panel merely reviewed literature and public media sources and met only three times

o Stated that sleep disruption is the most commonly reported complaint by people and discusses this primarily as a result of “unwanted sound” and audible, amplitudemodulated noise (“whooshing”)

o Writes off most self-reported “annoyance” as a combination of sound, sight of the turbine, and attitude towards the wind project (ES-5)

o Therefore, according to the Panel, because they “found” no negative health effects to humans as a result of their literature research, it must necessarily follow that there are positive health effects. Yet, these positive health effects are not the result of wind turbines being safe, but that the turbines’ “green” impact on the environment will result in a decrease of conventional sources of fuel. This endorsement of safety is an admission that the Panel failed to strictly adhere to the scope of their charge.

 Expert “Independent” Panel Members:
o Dr. James F. Manwell and Dora Anne Mills are extreme pro-wind advocates:

o Manwell oversaw the first utility scale wind turbine and the largest wind turbine constructed in Massachusetts

o Manwell has won several awards from American Wind Association and U.S. Department of Energy
o Mills has provided public testimony and “op-ed” newspaper pieces supporting wind turbines while a member of the Commission and before the findings were released
o Posted information on Maine’s CDC website as Maine’s public health director that wind turbines do not have negative health effects in 2009
o Page 2 of the study states that 5 of the panel members “did not have any direct experience with wind turbines.” While the other members had backgrounds in epidemiology, toxicology , neurology, and sleep medicine, they had no past direct experience with wind turbines.

The Massachusetts Wind Turbine Health Impact Study Cites Sources that Contain Information that Wind Turbines
Cause Negative Health Effects:

Note in addition :

Wendy Heiger-Bernays PhD of Boston University School of Public Health a member of the Massachusetts panel explained that “it is possible that living too close to wind turbines can cause annoyance and sleep disruption, but we don’t have measurements that can show levels that disrupt sleep.”

She agreed that sleep disruption can bring on a whole host of adverse health impacts.”

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/eupdates/sen01/Massachusetts%20Wind%20Turbine%20Health%20Impact%20Study%20Talking%20Points.pdf