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Kingston Board of Health to hold turbine hearing Oct. 19
Credit: By Kathryn Gallerani | The Kingston Reporter | Sep. 25, 2015 | kingston.wickedlocal.com ~~
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Translate: FROM English | TO English
KINGSTON – The final technical report reviewed by the state Department of Environmental Protection has been released, but Board of Health members are still not talking about what the results mean for operation of the Independence wind turbine.
They are holding their comments until a public hearing scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Oct.19.
Board members briefly discussed the turbine report Monday night with board member Toni Cushman asking when DEP plans to discuss what the Kingston board’s options are from the state’s point of view.
“I haven’t heard anything from them as far as helping out with mitigating circumstances,” she said.
Chairman Bill Watson said he expects the board will have its questions answered at the public hearing.
“I’m hoping that they have some suggestions for us,” he said.
Any board members who have questions or want more information should put their request in writing and submit them Health Agent Henny Walters so she can forward them to DEP, he added.
The public hearing will include a presentation of the study results and discussion by the public, board members and other stakeholders.
Watson said it’s likely the hearing will stay open and be continued to a subsequent meeting to allow time for additional input or information before the board makes any decision.
An interim study report released by consultants Harris, Miller, Miller and Hanson concluded that the turbine is in violation of state noise regulations and policy under certain conditions and, as a result, the Board of Health approved an abatement order in August 2014. Further mitigation could be ordered based on the final report.
Board members did not discuss a recent email they and other town officials received last Friday< Sept. 18, from Leland Road residents Doreen and Sean Reilly following up on previous requests for an abatement order to combat the flicker effect or strobing from the turbine. “We urge the BOH to take action to protect us from further exposure to the environmental pollutant that is created by the intense strobing conditions caused by KWI operations,” they wrote. In addition to requesting a prompt response, they added, “If you choose not to take action we would like a detailed explanation in writing as to why the BOH refuses to protect us as requested since September of 2012.” According to Doreen Reilly, she has not received a response to any of her emails in the past year. The Board of Health previously considered adopting a flicker regulation but decided against doing so. The sound study information is available on the town’s website, MassCEC’s web site at www.masscec.com/content/wind-energy-research-and-analysis and on MassDEP’s website at www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/climate-energy/energy/wind-turbines.
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