Earth Equity News

Noise From Wind Turbines Attract Complaints. By Tom Zeller, Jr., NYTimes, 10/6/10. “Some residents of Vinalhaven, Maine, are among a small but growing number of families and homeowners across the country who say they have learned the hard way that wind power is not without emissions of its own… Of the 250 new wind farms that have come online in the United States over the last two years, about dozen or so have generated significant noise complaints, according to Jim Cummings, the founder of the Acoustic Ecology Institute, an online clearinghouse for information on sound-related environmental issues… A common refrain among homeowners grappling with sound issues, however, is that they were not accurately informed about the noise ahead of time… Similar conflicts are arising in Canada, Britain and other countries. An appeals court in Rennes, France, recently ordered an eight-turbine wind farm to shut down between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. so residents could get some sleep… Vinalhaven’s wind farm enjoys support among most residents, from ardent supporters of all clean energy to those who simply say the turbines have reduced their power bills. Deckhands running the ferry sport turbine pins on their hats, and bumper stickers seen on the island declare ‘Spin, Baby, Spin.’”