August 23, 2013
Massachusetts

Kingston considers consultants for acoustical study

By Kathryn Gallerani | Wicked Local Kingston | Posted Aug 23, 2013 | www.wickedlocal.com

KINGSTON —
The acoustic study of the Independence turbine by the state Department of Environmental Protection remains on hold.

The Board of Health still doesn’t have an experienced engineer on board to analyze the results of the state’s study.

Board of Health Chairman Joe Casna said the board will reach out to every professional engineer with experience with acoustics, who has expressed interest in serving as a consultant, for a response by the next board meeting.

“We’re going to reach back out to all of them,” he said.

These include some who were previously counted out. At its previous meeting, the board had narrowed a list of prospective firms at its previous meeting; both those firms have not responded.

Casna said the board also wants updates on the status of the acoustical study and the status of plans for a more focused shadow flicker study commissioned by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

According to MassDEP spokesman Ed Coletta, additional repair and maintenance of the Independence is underway, contributing to delay. This is separate from the work done to repair damage previously caused by a lightning strike.

“Once the turbine is ready to operate, MassDEP will begin the study,” he said.

During the testing, the turbine will be stopped and started as part of the testing protocol, Coletta said, but he doesn’t anticipate it will be shut down for days at a time. It would be shut down only certain times during the testing period.

As for the wind turbines owned by Mary O’Donnell, Coletta said MassDEP is focusing on the testing of the Independence turbine at this time and will address the other site thereafter.

MassCEC spokesman Matt Kakley said there were no new developments at this time. The Board of Health continues to discuss creating flicker regulations and will reach out to other towns with flicker regulations.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/08/23/kingston-considers-consultants-for-acoustical-study/