Jacque: Study finds 'dangerous levels' of noise from turbines; State legislator calls for end to permitting of wind projects | Written by Maria Amante | Press-Gazette Media | December 31, 2012 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com
A Public Service Commission study has found what one Wisconsin lawmaker classifies as “dangerous levels” of wind turbine-generated low frequency noise or infrasound at the Shirley Wind Project.
Rep. Andre Jacque, R-De Pere, has called on the Public Service Commission to issue an emergency rule to immediately suspend the permitting process for wind projects.
The testing was conducted in early December by Clean Wisconsin, an environmental group that advocates clean energy, and primarily funded by the Public Service Commission, found that one woman and her child living in a residence near the turbines suffered from an “extremely adverse” as a result of the turbines.
“I am very appreciative of the Public Service Commission’s willingness to investigate the incidence of debilitating low frequency noise,” Jacque said in a statement. “These results compel them to act immediately to keep this nightmare from spreading.”
The study was released Friday, established the existence of “dangerous levels” of wind turbine-generated/infrasound in the Shirley Wind Farm in Glenmore.
The study recommended further testing to further study the effects of the turbines at the Shirley Wind Farm.
The infra and low-frequency sound is a primary characteristic of wind turbine acoustic emissions and discredited the wind industry argument that infrasound produced by modern upwind wind turbines do not have sufficient amplitude to reach the threshold of hearing, Jacque said.
Glenmore families living or previously living in or near the wind turbines complained of ear infections, heart palpitations, muscle and joint pain malaise and other symptoms. The Brown County Board of Health recommended low-frequency noise testing near the project in November.
Last year, Shirley’s operators told Press-Gazette media the facility has been built and operated safely. Wind farms have been the topic of debate in the past several years as advoctes say wind pollutes less than coal, is less expensive and potentially less dangerous than nuclear energy.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/01/01/jacque-study-finds-dangerous-levels-of-noise-from-turbines/