November 22, 2018
New York

Report: turbines in compliance

The Post-Journal | Nov 22, 2018 | www.post-journal.com

A study completed by a Buffalo firm has found that noise levels from the wind turbines in the town of Arkwright “are considerably below the compliance level.”

Tests on the 36 turbines and their noise levels were done last month – on Oct. 17 and 18 – and were in response to complaints that were voiced during the Arkwright Town Board meeting that took place in October. Monitoring locations, according to the GHD firm doing the testing were chosen to correspond to various complain locations.

Arkwright’s Summit Wind Farm has a total of 36 turbines, which were placed starting in early May. In mid August, the turbines began power generation – and brought complaints from residents as well as others who are opposed to the placement of the wind turbines.

GHD’s finding from those two October days when temperatures hovered in the 40s with wind speeds no greater than 13 mph on both days.

“The turbine levels of 37 to 44 (decibels) recorded are considerably below the compliance level of 50 decibels,” the report notes. “The leaf rustling levels of 39 to 50 (decibels) are usually well above the turbine background levels. The sound of car passbys in the 46 to 71 decibel range is much greater than either the leaf rustling or turbine noise and would affect any daytime compliance test.”

Arkwright town Supervisor Frederic “Nick” Norton said he was pleased with the findings in the report.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/11/22/report-turbines-in-compliance/