April 2, 2016
Indiana, Letters

Wind farm negatives outweigh the good

Reader Viewpoint: Wind farm negatives outweigh the good | By Susie (Painter) Eichhorn, Pendleton resident | The Herald Bulletin | April 2, 2016 | www.heraldbulletin.com

Northern Henry County residents have no idea what is happening behind the scenes. Calpine Wind Turbine Co. has taken steps to begin a wind farm in our quiet, pristine farming communities.

Upon visiting an existing wind farm in the Winchester area, my brother and I were shocked immediately upon experiencing, firsthand, the noise of these gigantic wind towers. The 1/4-mile set-back for each is not nearly enough. They will be in your backyard, literally. We spoke to a homeowner with two of these monstrosities in the field behind her backyard. Her first words to us, upon learning of the possible venture coming to Henry County, was, “Oh, I’m so sorry for you.”

The blades generate a constant swoosh, swoosh heard both inside and outside the home, the strobe-light glint into the home when sunlight hits the tower just so, and the shadow flicker when the sun is behind the tower create the continual effect of switching a light on-and-off … all affecting daily living (check out YouTube posts). When winds are strong, it sounds like a monster tromping around the house due to the thump, thump, thump of the blades, not to mention the obtrusive visual pollution of the surrounding fields. If your property sits on the edge of a farm field where a tower is positioned, you will be trapped.

Land owners (who possibly do not even live in the area) choose to allow the towers, thereby affecting the daily lives of anyone living nearby. These are non-stop, continual disturbances that undeniably invade every moment of a quiet home, making it difficult to sleep and live peacefully. Who wants to live within five miles of one of these things?

Towers planned for Henry County will be almost twice as tall as the one at Shenandoah High School. Henry County may receive major tax benefits, farmers may receive big income, but at what cost to the residents? If you live in northern Henry County, your life will be affected whether you have land or not.

Please make your concerns known to your neighbors, friends and local county reps. If you are a landowner and are considering these towers, I implore you to visit one. Get out of your car and listen. Imagine trying to sleep each night with this swoosh outside your window. Please consider the livelihood of your neighbors before signing on the dotted line. There is more to consider here than income.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/04/02/wind-farm-negatives-outweigh-the-good/