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Alerts
These postings are provided to help publicize and provide examples of the efforts of affiliated groups and individuals related to industrial wind energy development. Most of the notices posted here are not the product of nor are they necessarily endorsed by National Wind Watch.
Announcements, France, Impacts, Press releases •
Source: Collectif Énergie and Vérité
« Energy & Truth » wants to influence the debate on energy.
The Collective « Energie et Vérité » (Energie & Truth) was launched on February 22 in Paris, on the initiative of personalities, scientific experts, economists, environment officials. Those persons share the same values concerning the truth about energy, which is one of most important sectors for development in France.
This group is determined to put forward arguments free of any ideology, to analyse the studies published, to sort the truth. And to let it be known.
The statement assessed by this group of people is that the program dedicated to energy transition and renewable energies has been widely hijacked for the benefit of the wind industry. It is on this very subject that the Collective wants to focus its recommendations towards the French government.
In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions the Collective recommends that the financial resources allocated to the wind energy industry should be deferred, for the benefit of the purchasing power of the French people, primarily to a vast program of thermal insulation renovation of the buildings, and secondly to research for energy savings and alternative renewable energies.
The Collective wants to draw the attention of the French government on the consequences linked to the development of wind energy.
This energy, which has never given the proof of its efficiency,
- has no impact on the reduction of greenhouse emission,
- weakens the French economy by increasing public deficit and destroying employment,
- jeopardizes biodiversity in killing wildlife and polluting our land,
- degrades local residents’ quality of life, even damaging health,
- depreciates personal properties and houses while gradually ruining landscapes and historical buildings, our natural and cultural heritage.
The Collective Energy & Truth will make appropriate propositions concerning energy, a key sector for French development.
Press release
Paris, March 11th 2019
Press contact : Fanny Milcent-Baudoin
Tel : 00 33 1 76 21 54 06
fannymilcent-baudoin@accoms.eu
Membres du Collectif Énergie & Vérité :
Philippe Ansel, Chef économiste de la Fondation Concorde
Pierre Audigier, GIRE [Groupe indépendant de réflexion sur l’Énergie], Ingénieur Général des Mines, longue expérience de la politique énergétique (libéralisation des marchés, sûreté nucléaire, expert auprès de la Commission européenne).
Sioux Berger, Auteure, journaliste, formatrice
Jean-Louis Butré, Président de la Fédération Environnement Durable (FED), Ingénieur de Physique et Chimie de Paris, ancien Directeur d’usines Rhône Poulenc, ancien Directeur Général de la Pharmacie Centrale de France, ancien Président Directeur Général d’Axens, filiale de l’IFP
Patrice Cahart, GIRE, Inspecteur général des finances (h), ancien Directeur de la Législation fiscale et des Monnaies et Médailles, ancien conseiller à la Cour de Cassation
Arnaud Casalis, Administrateur de la Fédération Environnement Durable (FED), Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, Expert en finances et en organisation d’entreprises dans les domaines bancaires et industriels, ancien commissaire aux comptes
Pierre Dumont, GIRE, Chef d’entreprise, Co-auteur du livre : “Eoliennes : chronique d’un naufrage annoncé”
Luc Domergue, GIRE, Ingénieur civil du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts, MBA HEC, fondateur d’un cabinet de conseil spécialisé dans le domaine des relations institutionnelles au plan national et européen
Michel Faure, GIRE, Ingénieur des mines Paris, Consultant en capital investissement – capital risque, Président et administrateur de sociétés, Membre du bureau de l’association Environnement du Confolentais et du Charlois, (16)
Edouard Freund, Président du Comité Ernergie de la Société des Ingénieurs et Scientifiques de France
Bertrand Hainguerlot, Associé-fondateur de Pechel Industries – capital investissement, Président, gérant ou administrateur de sociétés, Administrateur de 3 associations, conseiller municipal de Saint Luperce, (28)
Christophe Journet, MPE Media, journaliste spécialisé, rédacteur en chef et associé fondateur de MPE-Média (Matières Premières Énergies Média), Ex Senior Reporter Dow Jones Metals, modérateur d’évènements
Denis de Kergorlay, GIRE, Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, acteur de longue date dans le monde associatif, dans le domaine de l’environnement (Les Amis de la Terre), de l’action humanitaire (Médecins sans Frontière) et de la défense du patrimoine culturel (La Demeure Historique, Europa Nostra, French Heritage Society)
Pierre Morel, GIRE, ancien ambassadeur
Fanny Milcent-Baudoin, Institut d’Interprétariat et Traduction (ISIT), fondatrice de l’agence ACCOMS spécialisée en relations média, Conseillère municipale dans l’Eure, Secrétaire de l’Association pour la Protection du Pays d’Ouche.
Hervé Novelli, Maire de Richelieu, Ancien Secrétaire d’État au Commerce et PME, ancien Conseiller Général, Régional et ancien député.
Hubert de La Raudière, Association pour la Protection des Paysages et de l’Environnement Entre Beauce et Perche (PPEEBP)
Jean-Louis Ricaud, Ecole normale supérieure, agrégé de mathématiques, Ingénieur en chef des mines Paris, Président ADTECH.
Michel Rousseau, Président de la Fondation Concorde
Ancien professeur à Paris Dauphine, ancien Maire de Gallardon, puis de Saint Denis des Puits, 28.
Président de l’association de protection des paysages entre Beauce et Perche.
Daniel Steinbach, Président de l’association « Vent de Colère »
Iowa wind bill blitz
Update, March 11:
All of the bills died. ‘We were never going to get what we needed, not with the wind industry’s very strong lobby. Most likely we would’ve backed into a “compromise” (we all know how well the wind industry compromises) and we would’ve been stuck with a bill that helps very few, if anyone. We were pleased and emboldened by the express support from many of our legislators.’
Update, March 5:
SF 361 is the only wind energy bill still in play.
The bill was passed through Subcommittee and is heading to Committee.
We do not like how it is now written and we have been assured that it can be amended.
What we have asked for is “no less than 5 times total height or 2550 ft, whichever is greater” from the property line. (The wind companies can get waivers from landowners/residents – it shouldn’t be a problem if they have as much support as they say they do.)
We will not negotiate from that stance. We would rather have no bill.
We have been told directly from lawmakers that we have more support than we know. The day we were at the Capitol many lawmakers told us they support us.
We cannot stress enough that the lawmakers do not know what we don’t tell them.
The wind industry has lobbyists. We have thousands of rural residents that have been stepped on. We all need each other to fight this!
We have heard it is best to call or text!!
Just briefly say you do not support industrial wind or that you do support 1/2 mile setbacks from property lines. We are filling in the details with Legislators.
The next step will be to do something about the existing nuisance wind turbines so help us get the ball rolling even if you already have wind turbines.
Call or text these lawmakers – they are on the Committee that is dealing with SF361:
Senator Carrie Koelker
Cell phone: 563.590.5975
Capitol phone: 515.281.3371
Senator Michael Breitbach
Cell phone: 563.920.7399
Capitol phone: 515.281.3371
Senator Dan Dawson
Home phone: 712.256.1199
Cell phone: 515.281.3371
Senator Randy Feenstra
Home phone: 712.439.1244
Capitol phone: 515.281.3371
Senator Craig Johnson
Home phone: 319.334.2413
Capitol phone: 515.281.3371
Senator Mariannette Miller-Meeks
Home phone: 641.683.7551
Cell phone: 641.226.0528
Senator Zach Nunn
Cell phone: 515.519.2246
Capitol phone: 515.281.3371
Senator Amy Sinclair
Cell phone: 641.870.0199
Senator Roby Smith
Home phone: 563.386.0179
Just in case you would rather email….
I would suggest you put your opinion in the subject line of the email. Something like:
– SF 361 @ 1/2 mile setbacks
– Say NO to wind turbines
– Property rights, not turbines
They told us they receive 300-700 emails a day. Being succinct serves you well!
carrie.koelker@legis.iowa.gov
michael.breitbach@legis.iowa.gov
dan.dawson@legis.iowa.gov
randy.feenstra@legis.iowa.gov
craig.johnson@legis.iowa.gov
mariannette.miller-meeks@legis.iowa.gov
zach.nunn@legis.iowa.gov
amy.sinclair@legis.iowa.gov
roby.smith@legis.iowa.gov
Wind Warriors Past and Present! —
Our friends in Iowa are desperate! If you have any contacts in Iowa, please help.
As the home of Senator Charles Grassley, who wrote the original federal Production Tax Credit bill in 1992, Iowa is a crucial battle line. There is now significant pushback in Iowa against the continued encroachment of ever-larger wind turbines near homes and workplaces, not to mention the environmental destruction to valuable farmland and habitat.
In response, the state legislature is fielding several bills concerning wind energy development. They are all at preliminary stages right now, but needless to say, there is a lot of activity around them. The legislators need to hear from the people, not just the wind industry lobby.
So far, these are the bills at play, with their salient points:
Senate File 361 – Senators Brown, Chapman, Zaun, and Edler –
Setback greater of 2-1/2 times total height or 1,250 feet from nonparticipating property.
Senate File 232 – Senator Zaun –
Setback 500 feet from property line.
House File 159 – Representative Shipley –
County board of supervisors “may establish standards and requirements regarding the installation or siting of wind energy conversion facilities located within the jurisdiction of the county and shall make the final determination regarding the installation or siting of any such facility” (instead of the Iowa Utilities Board).
House File 193 – Representative Shipley –
Setback 2,500 feet from residential property line.
Relevant news development: Jeff Danielson, after 15 years in the Iowa Senate, takes job with American Wind Energy Association to lead advocacy efforts across the Midwestern and Plains states.
Iowa contact: Janna Swanson, President of the Coalition for Rural Property Rights and National Wind Watch board member
Thank you!
Aesthetics, Economics, Environment, France, Publications •
Source: Pierre Dumont et Denis de Kergorlay
Éoliennes : chronique d’un naufrage annoncé
Le grand plan de développement de l’énergie éolienne en France va-t-il tourner au naufrage ? Tout semble l’annoncer. Des doutes de plus en plus forts et justifiés entourent ce choix énergétique qui répond essentiellement à des considérations politiques. Dans toutes les régions de France se manifeste une opposition croissante de la part des riverains contre les éoliennes qui menacent leur environnement et leur santé, mais aussi des Français en général, révoltés par le saccage de leurs paysages et le gaspillage des denier publics. Trompeusement paré de toutes les vertus écologiques, le développement en France des éoliennes, destructrices du patrimoine et de notre potentiel touristique, n’obéit à aucune logique climatique ou économique. Il donne lieu à des montages financiers souvent opaques qui ne profitent qu’à un petit nombre d’initiés, alors que c’est l’ensemble des Français qui, par leurs impôts et les taxes perçues sur les factures d’électricité, supportent le coût insensé de cette politique irresponsable. Il est plus que temps de renoncer à cette utopie écologique qui ne correspond ni aux spécificités de la France en matière de paysages, ni à son modèle énergétique, et qui nous conduit collectivement vers un désastre culturel, environnemental, sanitaire et financier sans précédent.
Pierre Dumont est chef d’entreprise. Il dirige une société familiale bicentenaire, elle-même engagée dans d’autres énergies renouvelables. Il mène, depuis de nombreuses années, un combat acharné pour préserver des éoliennes les sites emblématiques du pays de George Sand et de la Vallée des Peintres, entre Bas-Berry et Creuse.
Denis de Kergorlay est un acteur de longue date du monde associatif dans le domaine de l’environnement (Les Amis de la Terre), de l’action humanitaire (Médecins Sans Frontières) et de la défense du patrimoine culturel (La Demeure Historique, Europa Nostra, French Heritage Society).
Acheter: FNAC, Decitre, Amazon
Meyrand 18 Novembre: Rassamblement
RDV dimanche 18 novembre à 11h
en cas de beau temps: au col de Meyrand (07110 Valgorge)
en cas de pluie: au gîte de la Bombine (07140 Montselgues)
Nouvelle forme d’artificialisation des espaces, l’actuelle prolifération d’éoliennes industrielles dans nos montagnes met en péril la beauté unique de leurs paysages, la biodiversité (oiseaux, chauves-souris…) qu’on prétend par ailleurs tout faire pour protéger, l’attractivité résidentielle et touristique essentielle à l’économie de nos territoires, la paix et la cohésion sociales dans nos communes rurales.
Dans le site exceptionnel du Col de Meyrand, face au massif du Prataubérat menacé par un énième projet (23 éoliennes géantes), nous appelons société civile, élus, et institutionnels à venir exprimer leur attachement à nos territoires montagnards en tant que patrimoine naturel et culturel, et leur volonté d’en défendre la qualité environnementale.
Programme de la journée:
- 11h – Accueil au parking du col
- 11h30 – Défilé jusqu’à la table d’orientation
- 12h30 – Retour au col – Prises de parole – Point presse
- 13h – Pique-nique tiré du sac
- 14h – Clôture
Appel lancé par les associations locales:
- APPPE – Association de Protection et Préservation du site de Peyre et de ses Environs
- Association ADTC – Avis De Tempête Cévenole
- Association Vent de Respect (Montselgues)
- Association Don Quichotte (Dompnac)
- Collectif Anti-éolien Beaume-Drobie
Coordonnées par EOLE 07, fédération d’associations d’Ardèche pour la protection de l’environnement
Voir et télécharger ce programme: accès au col de Meyrand, détails page 2; accès au gîte de la Bombine, détails page 3
Aesthetics, Environment, Flyers, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Wildlife •
Source: Save Our Beautiful Lake
Say No to Wind Turbines in Lake Erie
Request to “take” endangered, threatened, and protected bats and bald eagles
In accordance with the Endangered Species Act, as amended (ESA), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) in support of an application from MidAmerican Energy Company (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) for the federally endangered Indiana bat, federally threatened northern long-eared bat, and federally protected bald eagle; also included in the permit would be the little brown bat and tricolored bat. The take is expected to result from operation of wind turbines in 22 counties in Iowa. Also available for review is the Service’s draft environmental impact statement (DEIS), which was prepared in response to the application. We are seeking public comments on the draft HCP and DEIS.
We will accept hardcopy comments received or postmarked on or before October 1, 2018. Comments submitted online at https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037-0001 (see ADDRESSES) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 15, 2018.
The Service will announce future meetings and any other public involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, mailings, and/or online postings at https://www.fws.gov/midwest/rockisland/te/MidAmericanHCP.html.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents for Review: The documents this notice announces, as well as any comments and other materials that we receive, will be available for public inspection online in Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037 at https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037-0001.
Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
- Online: https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037-0001. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037.
- U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
We will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037-0001. This generally means that we will post online any personal information that you provide (see Public Availability of Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION). We request that you send comments by only the methods described above.
Reviewing EPA comments on the draft HCP and DEIS: See EPA’s Role in the EIS Process under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amber Schorg or Kraig McPeek, by phone at 309-757-5800.
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-18989
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Service has received an incidental take permit (ITP) application from the MidAmerican Energy Company in accordance with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The applicant has prepared a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) in support of the ITP application and is seeking authorization for take of the federally endangered Indiana bat, federally threatened northern long-eared bat, and federally protected bald eagle, in addition to the little brown bat and tricolored bat. Little brown bat and tricolored bat are not federally protected, but they are currently being evaluated for protection under ESA. The applicant has chosen to include these as covered species, and they will be treated as if they were ESA listed. The ITP, if issued, would authorize incidental take of these species that may occur as a result of the operation of wind facilities in 22 Iowa counties over a 30-year permit term. The draft HCP describes how impacts to the covered species will be minimized and mitigated. The draft HCP also describes the covered species’ life history and ecology, biological goals and objectives, the estimated take and its potential impact on covered species’ populations, adaptive management and monitoring, and mitigation measures.
The Service has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) in response to the ITP application in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). We are making the draft HCP and the DEIS available for public review and comment.
Background
Section 9 of the ESA and its implementing regulations prohibit the “take” of animal species listed as endangered or threatened. Take is defined under the ESA as to “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect listed animal species, or to attempt to engage in such conduct” (16 U.S.C. 1538). Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA, the Service may issue permits to authorize incidental take of listed species. Incidental take is defined by the ESA as take that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity.
Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA contains provisions for issuing incidental take permits to non-Federal entities for the incidental take of endangered and threatened species, provided the following criteria are met: (a) The taking will be incidental; (b) the applicant will minimize and mitigate, to the maximum extent practicable, the impact of such taking; (c) the applicant will develop an HCP and ensure that adequate funding for the plan will be provided; (d) the taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival and recovery of the species in the wild; and (e) the applicant will carry out any other measures that the Secretary of the Interior may require as being necessary or appropriate for the purposes of the HCP. An applicant may choose to cover nonlisted species in the HCP, and these species will be treated as ESA-listed species.
Proposed Action
We propose to issue a 30-year permit for incidental take of the Indiana bat, northern long-eared bat, bald eagle, little brown bat, and tricolored bat if the MidAmerican HCP meets all the section 10(a)(1)(B) permit issuance criteria. The permit would authorize the take of these species incidental to the applicant’s operation of wind projects.
Applicant’s Project
MidAmerican Energy currently operates 22 Projects in Iowa, consisting of 2,021 turbines that vary by type and project. Detailed descriptions of the projects are found in section 2.0 of the HCP. All projects and turbines are within the range of the northern long-eared bat, little brown bat, tricolored bat, and eagle. Four projects have turbines within Indiana bat range (375 turbines). MidAmerican has developed a conservation program to avoid, minimize, and mitigate for impacts to covered species. Bald eagle-specific avoidance and minimization measures will include carrion removal in the vicinity of projects and livestock operator outreach. Reductions in scavenging opportunities are expected to reduce eagle use near wind projects. Bat-specific minimization measures were informed by extensive species presence-absence surveys, migration telemetry studies, and mortality monitoring. Minimization measures will include blade feathering below manufacturer’s cut-in speed at all projects from March 15 through November 15 from sunset to sunrise. Additionally, 4 projects (265 turbines) that are expected to have the highest risk to covered bat species and all bats will be feathered below 5.0 meters per second (m/s) July 15 through September 30 from sunset to sunrise when temperatures are below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). Blade feathering consists of turning turbine blades parallel to the prevailing wind direction to reduce rotation of the turbine rotors, which in turn reduces the likelihood of bat-turbine collisions. MidAmerican will conduct an annual monitoring program at each project throughout the life of the permit to confirm take permit compliance.
MidAmerican has committed to fully offsetting the impacts of the taking for all covered bat species through habitat restoration, preservation, and enhancement, as well as restoration and preservation of at-risk occupied artificial roost structures. Measures to offset the impacts to taking of bald eagles will include funding local or regional eagle rehabilitation, a toxic substance education and abatement program, and protection of key eagle nesting or foraging habitat.
National Environmental Policy Act
In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Service has prepared a DEIS, in which we analyze the proposed action and a reasonable range of alternatives to the proposed action.
Seven alternatives are analyzed in the DEIS.
- No-action alternative: No permit would be issued, and no HCP would be implemented.
- Alternative A: 5.0 m/s cut-in speed across all turbines for the entire bat active season.
- Alternative B: 5.0 m/s cut-in speed during fall bat migration at all turbines and at turbines within 1,000 ft of suitable habitat for Indiana and northern long-eared bats during the entire bat active season.
- Alternative C: 5.0 m/s cut-in speed during fall bat migration.
- Alternative D: Manufacturer’s cut-in speed for the entire bat active season.
- The applicant’s HCP alternative.
- Participation in the Midwest Wind MSHCP alternative.
The environmental consequences of each alternative were analyzed to determine if significant environmental impacts would occur.
EPA’s Role in the EIS Process
The EPA is charged with reviewing all Federal agencies’ EISs and commenting on the adequacy and acceptability of the environmental impacts of proposed actions in EISs. Therefore, EPA is publishing a notice in the Federal Register announcing this DEIS, as required under section 309 of the Clean Air Act. The publication date of EPA’s notice of availability is the official beginning of the public comment period. EPA’s notices are published on Fridays.
EPA serves as the repository (EIS database) for EISs prepared by Federal agencies. All EISs must be filed with EPA, which publishes a notice of availability on Fridays in the Federal Register. You may search for EPA comments on EISs, along with EISs themselves, at https://cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-public/action/eis/search.
Public Availability of Comments
We will post on https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037-0001 all public comments and information received electronically or via hardcopy. Written comments we receive become part of the administrative record associated with this action. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can request in your comment that we withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their entirety.
Pros and Cons of Industrial Wind – presentation outline
Pros
- Money – Warren Buffet’s MidAmerican Energy will receive $10 billion in tax credits for building wind turbines (Des Moines Register May 30, 2018}
- Avoiding less than 1% of worldwide CO₂ (AWEA, Wind Energy Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Statista, Global CO₂ emissions)
- Jobs. Wars and natural disasters make jobs, too.
Cons
- Expensive – Wind turbines are not viable without Production Tax Credit and tax abatement.
“Safe Harbor” is the mechanism that allows companies to claim the full PTC no matter when the project is started by having invested 5% of the total project cost in equipment or development. MidAmerican is invoking “safe harbor” for Wind XII.
- Wind turbines do not avoid a meaningful amount of CO₂ – far less than 1% of worldwide CO₂ emissions according to the American Wind Energy Association. The following link shows that people’s activities emit 35-40 billion metric tons of CO₂ every year. https://www.statista.com/statistics/276629/global-co2-emissions/
- Destroys world-class, non-renewable farm ground.
- Blades made of non-recyclable toxic materials (70 metric tons according to the specs of a Vestas V110-2.0). 57,000 US turbines will create 8,550,000,000 lbs of waste from blades alone.
- Impedes efficient aerial applications.
- Tile Damage
- Road Damage
- Shadow Strobing
- Ruins Views
- Noise – rural nighttime decibel level is 25, a Vestas V120-2.0 is rated at 110.5 decibels by the manufacturer.
MN Administrative law judge recommends the Public Utilities Commission deny Invenergy’s Freeborn County Wind project unless they can prove their sound study.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded observable effects of nighttime, outdoor noise levels of 40 dBA or higher will lead to diminished health. This also occurs when levels inside homes (especially bedrooms) rise above 30 dBA or contain non-steady and/or low-frequency noise.
The American Wind Energy Association and Canadian Wind Energy Association–sponsored literature review entitled “Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects” acknowledges [that] wind turbine noise, including low frequency noise, may cause annoyance, stress and sleep disturbance and as a result, people may experience adverse physiological and psychological symptoms.
- Electromagnetic and Frequency Interference
- Vibration
- Air Turbulence
- Wake
An excerpt from an Invenergy Neighbor Agreement, giving the developer an “exclusive easement on, over, under and across all of the Owner’s Property to permit Generating Units or other wind energy conversion systems on adjacent property or elsewhere to cast shadows or flicker onto the Owner’s Property; impact view or visual effects from the Owner’s Property; and cause or emit noise, vibration, air turbulence, wake, and electromagnetic and frequency interference”
- Health Impacts (from noise, vibration, air turbulence and wake)
- Decline in Property Values – See the studies of Mike McCann, expert appraiser but with number of people fighting to not live next to a wind turbine the decline of property values is almost a given. In counties that are educated on industrial wind only 5-10% of the people in a proposed project area will actually participate.
In Iowa’s Clay/Dickinson Counties only 54 residences out of 244 in the proposed project area signed contracts. In Palo Alto County only 24 residences out of 268 in the proposed area signed contracts. In Sac and Ida Counties only about 5% of the people who signed will live next to a wind turbine. In Kossuth County the wind companies are trying to raise the height limit for turbines because they can get so few people to sign.
- Safety Concerns – Fire, ice throw, blade throw, trespass zoning
GE’s ice throw equation is 1.5 X (hub height + rotor diameter)
Turbine manufacturers Vestas and Nordex require a 1650 feet radius to be secured from a turbine in distress. The height of the turbines they are referring to do not exceed 350 feet in total height.
- Inadequate decommissioning plans
MidAmerican – $13,000 per turbine
Jonathan Knauth PE – $170,000 per turbine (2011)
ISU’s Tom Wind PE – $200,000 per turbine (2012) - Bird and bat kills
USGS Economic Importance of Bats in Agriculture
Wind companies given the right to kill 4200 Bald Eagles per company.
- Hurts community relationships
Clinton County Missouri vs NextEra: https://www.wind-watch.org/video-clintoncounty.php
Iowa Code 331.301 General powers and limitations: A county may, except as expressly limited by the Constitution, and if not inconsistent with the laws of the general assembly, exercise any power and perform any function it deems appropriate to protect and preserve the rights, privileges, and property of the county or of its residents, and to preserve and improve the peace, safety, health, welfare, comfort, and convenience of its residents.
Requirements of the Iowa Utilities Board – Iowa Supreme Court Appellate Case Docket 18-0487
- Proving need.
- Holding proper informational meetings.
- Creating an official docket where the public can voice their objections.
- If there are many objections to hold a proper hearing.
- Environmental studies required.
Some of the top wind opposition informational sites –
National Wind Watch
Stop These Things
Interstate Informed Citizens Coalition
Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions
North American Platform Against Windpower
Mothers Against Wind Turbines
Waubra Foundation
European Platform Against Windfarms
