May 11, 2022
Letters, Massachusetts

Plagued by Hoosac Wind noise in Clarksburg

Letter: Plagued by Hoosac Wind noise in Clarksburg | The Berkshire Eagle | May 11, 2022 | www.berkshireeagle.com

Trouble sleeping yet again – noise from the Hoosac Wind Power Project. In the morning, I tried calling the complaint line to no avail.

In the past, Hoosac Wind owner Iberdrola Renewables would tell me what the conditions were at that time, but the last two times there was no call back. Eventually, I was offered a “noise machine” with recordings of sounds, which only added more sound and no help.

Next offer was improvements – windows and insulation – which required signing a “good neighbor policy” that prevents public discourse about Hoosac Wind. The agreement would come before any improvements. I’m not willing to sign anything and end of that.

Ten years of the same problems because of noise from Hoosac Wind. I was healthy before and hardly ever became sick, and since 2015 I have been diagnosed three times with lymphoma. Disease hasn’t been easy with lack of sleep.

I wake every morning in a state of anxiety, and now the only time I don’t feel anxious is leaving home for extended times. I was diagnosed with acute anxiety disorder and taking medicine as a result. Not only anxiety; I’m tired. The anxiety feels like ants crawling inside me, and a few times became acute enough that I sought treatment at ER.

It’s a nightmare I don’t wake up from, and I feel desperate. This is our home, and we choose to live here for the quiet lifestyle. I spoke with the Clarksburg town manager 2013 about noise. He asked who is the noisy neighbor, and I told him Hoosac Wind. He scoffed, rolled his eyes and said he couldn’t help, as it’s not in Clarksburg. Noisy neighbors at a night party would bring police and an order to quiet down or else.

Noise and vibrations are real from these projects, and infrasound isn’t audible but does cause problems. Government agencies refuse to do sound monitoring for infrasound and only tests for dBA. Although many of my neighbors have given up complaining, we still are plagued by Hoosac Wind.

Larry Lorusso, Clarksburg

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2022/05/11/plagued-by-hoosac-wind-noise-in-clarksburg/