Setback consensus: 2 km
The Block Island Times | block-island.villagesoup.com 22 June 2012
In the interest of accuracy and truth, I would like to offer corrections to misinformation in Councilman Baute’s letter to the editor last week. I’d like to thank him for prodding me to recheck my references.
As of June 16, the Portsmouth High School wind turbine is not functioning again – for the second time in two months. According to the Portsmouth Patch.com site, the turbine shut down May 10 till approximately the end of the month. The turbine was also out Dec. 7, 2010 thru Jan. 9, 2011, and Jan. 23, 2011 for a period of time. Imagine Block Island depending on such a turbine without the backup of National Grid! This can be verified by calling Gary Crosby, Portsmouth assistant town planner, at 643-0332.
The negative health impacts referred to at the public hearing came from an editorial by two physicians in the British Medical Journal of March 8. The 17 studies by independent groups that the councilman refers to were not referenced, so we don’t know if they are turbine manufacturers or proponents. We do know the BMJ folks are physicians. Dr. Michael Cooke, of Donegal, Ireland, said on May 28: “The editorial panels of these journals have experts who carefully screen whatever they publish.” Therefore, he recommended setbacks from turbines of at least 1 km (6/10 of a mile) in Ireland. Dr. Chris Hanning, one of the authors of the BMJ article, found that on an international level, the setback consensus appears to be 2 km to avoid adverse health isssues.
Arlene Tunney
West Beach Road
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/06/22/setback-consensus-2-km/