November 15, 2011
Massachusetts

Duxbury: Residents question possible wind turbine project

By Trisha McNeilly, 95.9 WATD-FM, 959watd.com 15 November 2011

Opponents of a potential Duxbury wind turbine made their voices heard during Monday night’s selectmen’s meeting. The selectmen’s room was tightly packed with Duxbury residents concerned about the town’s Alternative Energy Committee studying wind turbines and reviewing possible site locations such as the North Hill Golf Course.

Recently, a group of residents formed Duxbury Wind Wise and consulted with a local attorney. The group is challenging the economic benefits of a 275-foot wind turbine. The group stated that they are not anti-wind however they don’t want to see property value drop, health problems to rise, or land to be destroyed because of a turbine.

Residents spoke at the meeting, fearing the town may be selling itself only to make a small turnover down the road. Member of Wind Wise Jack Murphy explained the financial aspect, “The estimated cost for the turbine would be between 3 and $3.3 million. That equals a nine year break even period for the town with an estimated twenty year benefit of $2.7 million.”

He went on to explain the health impacts a large object can have on residents living only a mile away, “Sleep disturbance, headache, tinnitus which is ringing or buzzing of the ear, ear pressure, dizziness, vertigo, nausea, visual blurring, racing heart beat.”

However, Chair of the Alternative Energy Committee Jim Goldenberg stated that they are in the very early stages and must get voter approval at town meeting, “The only way a wind turbine is going to move forward in Duxbury is to have community endorsement and we understand that. It’s not the Alternative Energy’s position to decide whether a turbine comes in or not; we’re simply trying to do our job, we’re trying to research it, we’re trying to understand what the options are and present as complete a case we can to the community.”

Duxbury Selectmen Chair Shawn Dahlen advised the energy committee to continue working on the wind turbine study and for residents to stay involved.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/11/15/duxbury-residents-question-possible-wind-turbine-project/