September 12, 2015
Massachusetts

Neighbors of Scituate turbine call noise ‘unbearable’

By Ruth Thompson | The Scituate Mariner | Sep. 12, 2015 | scituate.wickedlocal.com

The Scituate Board of Selectmen has been trying to find a solution to complaints by neighbors of the wind turbine.

Ellen Kasper said the noise from the wind turbine has been “unbearable” of late.

“Every night, every hour, it’s swoosh, swoosh, swoosh. You go out of your mind. There’s nothing you can do. It’s terrible. Terrible. You can’t sleep.”

Kasper, along with several of her neighbors, have been sending emails to health agent Jennifer Keefe, she said.

“If this was someone complaining about a noisy party they would go out there and ask them to stop,” Kasper said.

While Selectmen Chairman Tony Vegnani acknowledged the recent emails to Keefe, he said there have been much fewer complaints about the turbine recently. He also pointed out that testing results showed the wind turbine was operating within the Department of Public Health guidelines.

“We do have a little bit of control over the situation if we can get the times when this is happening,” he said of the times when the noise is most disruptive to neighbors.

Kasper suggested turning the turbine off overnight.

Selectman John Danehey said the town could not simply shut the turbine down.

“If we do that, and we don’t have a basis for it, the town can be sued,” he said. “This is why we’ve done the testing. I’ve been there at midnight. I can see what the nuisance is. We’re not washing our hands and walking away from it.”

He added the town has been trying to figure out a way to remedy the situation.

David Dardi, a neighbor of the turbine, also spoke about the noise.

“The board of health might be confused about their responsibilities,” he said. “All we’ve asked them to do is investigate the heath issues. They’re not doing what the board of health should be doing.”

Kasper acknowledged that people’s hands are tied because of the situation, the finances and the legalities involved.

“I’m sure there is only so much they can do or say to make a difference because of legal issues,” she said. “But it doesn’t matter that it’s in compliance. It’s bothering us.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/09/12/neighbors-of-scituate-turbine-call-noise-unbearable/