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Vinalhaven neighbors file complaint; wind turbines get notched to reduce noise
August 4, 2011The island community of Vinalhaven, Maine, remains embroiled in a contentious wind farm noise controversy nearly two years after three turbines began operating there. The nearby Camden Herald-Gazette recently provided a good, detailed overview of the latest rounds of the back-and-forth between nearby neighbors, the local electrical coop that buys the energy, and state regulators. […]
Martha’s Vineyard planners visit Vinalhaven to see, hear turbines in action
November 30, 2010I just came across this fascinating article from the Martha’s Vineyard Times that discusses a recent trip by local residents and planners up to Maine to participate in a Sustainable Island Living conference sponsored by the Island Institute, which catalyzed the construction of the controversial wind farm on Vinalhaven. The entire article is well worth […]
Vinalhaven, Falmouth community wind noise issues remain contentious
November 30, 2010Two of the “hot button” wind farms of 2010 are headed into the new year with continuing local rancor, despite conciliatory talk from authorities in each town when neighbors began to raise noise issues a year ago. In Vinalhaven, Maine, where three turbines went online in October 2009, providing power for the local electric co-op, […]
Vinalhaven begins month-long “experiment” in reducing noise issues
February 11, 2010The Fox Islands Electrical Cooperative on Vinalhaven, an island off the coast of Maine, has begun a month-long experiment as a first step in trying to come up with a local solution to noise issues from three wind turbines that began operating in November. About two dozen people within a half-mile of the turbines have […]
Do negative expectations cause wind turbine health effects? (AEI analysis and commentary)
March 22, 2013AEI lay summary of: Simon Chapman, Alexis St. George, Karen Waller. 2013. Spatio-temporal differences in the history of health and noise complaints about Australian wind farms: evidence for the psychogenic, “communicated disease” hypothesis. Download this paper (pdf) Crichton, F., Dodd, G., Schmid, G., Gamble, G., & Petrie, K. J. (2013, March 11). Can Expectations Produce […]
On quiet Maine lake, new wind farm over a mile away spurs noise issues
January 12, 2012This probably looked like a great place for a wind farm: only a handful of homes within a half mile, and nearly all the more densely-populated roads to the east and west well over a mile from the ridge on Flathead Mountain, where the Record Hill Windfarm was to be built. After the bad experiences at […]
Flurry of articles, reports debunk(?) wind farm noise concerns
June 13, 2011The past week has seen a flurry of new reports and articles that aim to debunk the idea that wind farm noise should be taken seriously as a concern when siting new wind farms. AEI’s upcoming Wind Farm Noise 2011 report will address the issue in great depth when it’s released in about a week, […]
State reports recommends 1000 foot wind farm setbacks in Maine
May 2, 2011Maine’s Office of Energy Independence and Security has delivered a long-awaited report on wind farm siting to the state legislature. The lead recommendation is that the minimum distance between commercial wind turbines and residences be nearly doubled, to 1000 feet; current standards are based on safety, not noise, while the proposed increase is meant to […]
Maine legislature considers slew of wind farm bills
April 26, 2011It’s “wind week” at the Maine state legislature, where the Utilities and Energy Committee is hearing two days of testimony on a slate of 14 bills that have been introduced to regulate wind energy development. One bill would mandate property value guarantees, and another would impose setbacks of a mile and a quarter from homes. […]
AEI Exec Director online interview on wind farm noise
September 10, 2010This month’s Renewable Energy World podcasts focuses on a question that AEI has been focusing on for the past couple of years: When is wind energy noise pollution? The short online article summarizes a roughly half-hour audio program that centers on three interviews: one with a Texas rancher, one with a couple in Vinalhaven, Maine, […]
Falmouth followup: turbines shut down in high winds
July 26, 2010As noted here on AIEnews in May, a single new wind turbine in Falmouth, Massachusetts triggered noise problems for many nearby residents (12 formal complaints were filed, an unusually high number for any community, and residents of up to 45 of the 120 homes within a mile raised concerns in informal local meetings). The town […]
Clifton Maine considers 4000 foot setbacks for wind turbines
May 26, 2010A private landowner in Clifton, Maine, is hoping to erect four commercial wind turbines on a small ridge known as Pisgah Mountain, and sell the energy to the local utility, Bangor Hydro. Hearing of negative experiences in other Maine towns, including Mars Hill and Vinalhaven, some local residents are concerned about noise impacts and effects […]
Community wind project on Maine island faces noise issues collaboratively
December 17, 2009It’s a beautiful idea, come to fruition: in the island communities of Vinalhaven and North Haven, Maine, a local electrical co-op joined forces with a regional nonprofit organization, and built three large wind turbines which would provide the 2,000 households on the island with locally-produced power. On a lovely fall day in November, the largest […]