July 11, 2014
Massachusetts

Report: Kingston wind turbine was too noisy

By Kathryn Gallerani | Wicked Local Kingston | Posted Jul. 11, 2014 | www.patriotledger.com

The Kingston Independence wind turbine violated the state’s noise policy on two of the nights when sound samples were taken as part of an acoustical monitoring study, according to an interim report.

The turbine’s sound levels exceeded the state Department of Environmental Protection-set noise threshold of 10 decibels over background during sampling March 2 and 15 at the 13 Schofield Road monitoring site, the report states.

The DEP released the report to the Kingston Board of Health and other interested parties on Tuesday.

Board of health Chairman Joseph Casna said the board will meet July 21 to discuss what action should be taken to bring the the turbine into compliance. He said all interested parties will be notified of the meeting.

“It failed,” Casna said. “It operated outside acceptable noise guidelines. We’ll now meet to determine what steps should be taken.”

Douglas Fine, the DEP’s assistant commissioner for planning and evaluation, said the agency delegates authority for determining a course of action to the board of health.

In a letter to the health board on Tuesday, Fine said his agency can meet with the board to discuss the interim report and options for future action.

The consulting firm Harris, Miller, Miller and Hanson Inc. (HMMH) performed the study for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and the DEP.

Fine said the final report on the turbine will be released after it has been received by the DEP.

To view the interim report, go to www.mass.gov/eea/-docs/dep/energy/wind/-kwicvletinterimreport0714.pdf.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/07/11/report-kingston-wind-turbine-was-too-noisy/