March 26, 2014
Australia

Moyne seeks clarity on wind farm health impact

By Anthony Brady | The Standard | March 27, 2014 | www.standard.net.au

The search for definitive answers on whether wind farms cause any health effects has gained the support of the Moyne Shire Council.

Councillors voted at their March meeting on Tuesday to provide comment to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) report on wind farm health effects.

The findings of the report were inconclusive with the only certainty to come from it that more research is needed to determine if wind farms do or don’t cause health issues.

Cr Ralph Leutton said the report was a valuable piece of work in the search to find answers on the impact or otherwise of wind farms.

“We need to do research here in Australia,” Cr Leutton said.

“There is a need to encourage the NHMRC to do more work on this issue.”

Public comment on the report is opened until April 11 with the council already having gathered a large body of information it will present.

This includes submissions from ratepayers on the alleged health and nuisance impacts at the Macarthur wind farm.

Council will also put forward its concerns at the lack of definitive measuring tools for such alleged impact factors.

The independent report was undertaken on behalf of the NHMRC by the University of Adelaide.

With the Moyne Shire already home to a large number of wind farms and with more set to come, the report carries with it extra significance at a local level.

Council already has the huge task of being the responsible authority for the Macarthur wind farm.

It has already received 24 complaints from the public about the Macarthur site which covers issues such as infrasound sleep disturbance and audible noise.

Council is keen to get direction on the health impact of wind farms because not only does it oversee Macarthur but it will also take on the same responsibilities for any other wind farms established in the shire.

Cr Jim Doukas wanted to take the public consultation process a step further and suggested council should call for feedback from ratepayers which they could direct to the report.

This was knocked back by other councillors who saw it as a doubling up with the council already having had ratepayer contributions included in the submission they plan to make.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/03/26/moyne-seeks-clarity-on-wind-farm-health-impact/