June 24, 2011
Australia

Committee hears emotional evidence about wind farms

ABC News, www.abc.net.au 24 June 2011

A Senate committee has called for scientific research into the effects of wind farms on human health.

There are no wind farms in the Riverina but they have been proposed near Harden and Jugoing.

The committee investigated the social and economic impacts of rural wind farms and heard accounts of people living near them suffering headaches, earaches and fatigue.

Family First Senator Steve Fielding said the testimonies were emotional.

“Quite heart-wrenching at times,” he said.

“People have had to even leave their homes because of their concerns about the adverse health impacts and they have clearly got health problems.”

The Senate committee found some people living near wind farms have suffered adverse health effects.

The Committee Chairwoman Senator Rachel Siewert said it has recommended the Government commission scientific research into the possible effects of wind farms on human health.

“We have found that there are, that there have been adverse health affects found in some people near wind farms,” she said.

“However and this is a very very very important however, we have not found that is necessarily associated with noise or vibration.”

Windfarm critic and Federal Member for Hume, Alby Schultz said the report should see the New South Wales Government act on his calls for a moratorium on more wind farms and an inquiry into the technology.

The Clean Energy Council representing the windfarm industry said the report raises some issues to consider, but it is no reason to stop the rollout of clean energy technology.

The council said 80 per cent of submissions to the Senate inquiry were positive.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/06/24/committee-hears-emotional-evidence-about-wind-farms/