Wind Turbines Loom over Shelburne as ZBA Holds Hearing
Shelburne’s meetings about the proposed Mt Massaemet wind project continue this week with the important ZBA hearing on Thursday November 17th at 7:00 pm in the Memorial Hall Auditorium.
A large meeting space like this is needed if the Planning Board meeting on 11/9/11 is any indicator. According to reporter Diane Broncaccio of the Greenfield Recorder, 60 people attended that meeting. The result: “ ‘I’m very happy to hear there’s going to be a lot more information forthcoming,’ said Planning Board member Beth Simmonds at a Memorial Hall hearing Wednesday. ‘It was very hard to read this [application]. It was so general, it was difficult to formulate questions based on this.’ ”
map courtesy of Walter Cudnohufsky
While there are far more questions than answers, Shelburne and neighboring towns have been busy investigating the project and the process. The new website www.shelburnewind.info has important tools for citizens. They include relevant sections of the regulations for the Planning Board and the ZBA. Shelburne Wind states, “Any one can attend, testify in person, and/or testify in writing during the Shelburne ZBA hearing process regarding the wind farm.”
The site has the 12-page developer’s application, this topo map with turbine sites and sensitive areas demarcated, and representations of the size and scale of the project.
The Shelburne Wind site is an amazing collaboration, given what organizer Lamia Holland said about the group’s “members.” “To say we have formed a group may be not quite accurate. There are a number of individuals who are concerned about various aspects of the project, and different things are being done by each of us.” According to Holland, many people are unaware of the project, are unaware of the decision-making process for the wind farm, and some are supportive of “green” energy so automatically think it’s a good idea.
From China, For ARRA, Fairhaven Jump-starts Two-turbine Project
Fairhaven’s bike path extension is closed and tree clearing is underway to meet the deadline for federal ARRA subsidies that will help build the public-private industrial wind partnership project. Curt Brown reports on the shock residents of Fairhaven experienced when heavy equipment broke ground for the planned turbine project. His piece appeared in South Coast Today on 11/12/11.
Residents Frank Haggerty and Ken Pottel believed the two-turbine project was on hold, but the news report states the turbines are on their way from China. Did Fairhaven get a “Buy American” exemption to apply American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money to the project?
On Veteran’s Day, television reporter Liz Tufts filed her news story on WLNE-TV ABC 6 in Providence, RI.
Windwise Fairhaven has an excellent video on their Facebook page to inform town residents of what the project will mean for them.
Watch Windfall this weekend
The powerful and compelling independent film Windfall will have two showings this weekend–one in Salem and one in Newburyport
The Salem showing is on Saturday November 12 @ at 10:00 a.m. at Cinema Salem, One East India Square, Salem. Admission charge is $6.00.
The Newburyport event is on Sunday, November 13 at 12:00 noon in The Screening Room, 82 State St,
Newburyport, Ma. Admission is free.
There will be a showing at the other end of the state in two weeks at the Richmond Consolidated School on Friday December 2 at 7:00 pm, 1831 State Road, Richmond, MA. Admission is free.
Shelburne plan heard by Conservation 11/8 & Planning Board 11/9
Extra meetings to evaluate Mt Massaemet wind proposal this week
Turbines to loom over historic Shelburne Falls
The Shelburne Planning Board has scheduled an extra meeting for Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 7:00 pm at Memorial Hall specifically to review materials about the Mt Massaemet Industrial Wind Turbines. The board will address the proposal and application for a special permit.
Falmouth Article 9 Could Stop Turbine Hazard
Tonight’s Falmouth Town Meeting asks in Article 9 “if the town will vote to suspend operations of Wind I and Wind II until pending research and studies prove no harm is being done to nearby residents.”
The article brings to citizens the chance to turn off the turbines until studies are presented to the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Health. The petition of Barry Funfar and others asks for stoppage “until all future options of both turbines are explored and Town Meeting members are given the opportunity to make a decision regarding the two turbines with a prepared presentation after the research has been completed.”
Annual November Falmouth Town Meeting 11-7-2011 at 7 PM Memorial Auditorium Lawrence School.
Hyperlocal media have the story
From testimony to town actions, only the local press gets the story.
When No Brimfield Wind members joined others from around the state to support a bill to study health impacts of wind turbines introduced by their representative, Springfield’s NBC reporter Christine Lee told the story in her piece Wind farm health investigation pitched. Lee interviewed Brimfield members of WWMA as well as Representative Todd Smola in her statehouse coverage of the bills establishing an independent commission before the Joint Committee on Public Health on October 18th.
When Wind Wise ~ Massachusetts members (and many municipal officers) testified in opposition to a sped-up process for siting wind turbines on October 20th, Patrick Cassidy of the Cape Cod Times was the reporter who covered the 8-hour-long hearing in Barnstable. His piece Wind energy hearing: It’s all about control told the story. A “phalanx of state lawmakers” including members of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, were “joined by almost every member of the Cape delegation.” but only the CCT correspondent who has been covering the issue of wind development was there to report it.
When the town of Dartmouth decides solar is a better municipal investment than wind, it is Curt Brown, reporting in the South Coast Today online, who tells the story: Town pulls plug on turbine project
When Brimfield Selectmen send a message to the state legislature about wind siting it is the local reporting of John Appleton that tells the tale. Brimfield selectmen object to reducing municipal control over where wind turbines may be installed appears in the Springfield Republican.
Notes from the Barnstable WESRA hearing
At the WESRA hearing on 10/20/11 wind industry apologists made the usual claims that there is no scientific basis for reported health impacts. This in spite of first-hand experience provided by Neil Andersen of Falmouth.
Lobbyist Francis Pullaro testified in support of the wind energy siting reform act (WESRA) for the wind industry at the Barnstable hearing.
Mr. Pullaro is the executive director of Renewable Energy New England (RENEW) (See a list of the members of Mr. Pullaro’s newly minted—the website is still under construction– Marlborough organization below.) Read more…
Hearings on Wind Bills Continue
WESRA Hearing 10/20/2011
Join WWMA members from across the state to tell the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy not to approve a siting bill that will rob communities of their right to zone and regulate industrial development. Barnstable High School in Hyannis is the location for the hearing from 10 am to 4 pm on October 20th. WESRA, the wind energy siting reform act, is now called An Act Relative to comprehensive siting reform for land based wind project and its language is contained in several bills (H.01759 ; H.01775 ; S.1666 )
Creating a Special Commission to Study the Health Impacts of Wind Turbines
The Joint Committee on Public Health listened attentively to the testimony of Wind Wise members from the Cape and Brimfield on the need for an independent commission to study health effects of wind turbines. Among those testifying were Sue Hobart, Neil Anderson, and Barry Funfar, who live in Falmouth. They have all been affected, particularly by the sound–both audible and sub-audible–from two turbines in the town. Hobart said she is going to have to “abandon the home I built ten years ago, where I work out of the house as a florist. I’ve already closed the business.” She told the committee to “look into infrasound. We are emotional wrecks. We used to be solid business people.”
L-R Sue Hobart, Neil Anderson and Barry Funfar
(H2346 Sponsored by Anne M. Gobi, H2379 Sponsored by Todd Smola , H1511 Sponsored by George N. Peterson, Jr., S1130 Sponsored by Richard T. Moore and H1487 Sponsored by Susan Williams Gifford)
Testifyin’
There are many chances this coming week to make a statement!
On Sunday, stand out at the Bourne Bridge rotary from 3:00 to 6:00 pm.
This is a vote for health and against the WESRA bill. This is a push back at the proponents. Health impacts are no longer mere possibilities but known facts.
- We want people to get out and make a statement. We have signs and sign-making materials.
- We want to show our strength. We want to more than double the number who held signs on Columbus Day.
- Bring your kids. Teach them how a democracy really works. Bring a lawn chair.
- Help us convince Cape residents to attend the Hearing on October 20th in Hyannis to oppose the wind siting act and to send letters to the Hearing on October 18th to support creating a health commission.
For more information, contact Barry Funfar at 508-294-2375 or Dave Moriarty 774-521-8474
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Testify at the two legislative hearings:
- at the State House on Tuesday at 10:00 am in room A1
- one at Barnstable High School in Hyannis on Thursday at 10:00 am in Knight Auditorium
Read WWMA’s positions on the bills.
Wind Turbine Noise Dissected
Wind turbine noise is comprised of two different frequency sets. The so-called whooshing noise (which is audible) is at approximately 300 Hz. Infrasound (which is inaudible) occurs at frequencies from 0 to 15 Hz. The audible range causes Wind Turbine Syndrome and the inaudible range causes Vibroacoustic Disease. Read more of the explanation provided by mechanical engineer Thomas A. Jones, of Granville’s Committee for Responsible Energy Decisions.
Components of noise, from low frequency to ultrasound
Wind Wise ~ Massachusetts 