Another look at industrial wind power 

I write to you in response to Dr. Francis’ letter of Oct. 14. I hope that her letter will give Sippican news readers the opportunity to re-read my letter published by Sippican news on Oct. 7, 2016.

I totally agree that “misinformation is easy to generate and proliferate” this is particularly so when it is backed up by a lot of money and profit to be made and as it relates to renewable energy, more particularly wind and solar “energy” and even more particularly so with information generated by the wind industry and wind “energy” proponents.

As it relates specifically to my letter, I do not use the word “whoosh.” Whoosh is a pro-wind word used to neutralize the actual and varying annoying noises of an industrial machine inappropriately referred to as a “windmill.” Industrial wind turbines are allowed to operate 24/7/365 unlike any and all other industrial operations from trash collection to construction to rock crushing which operations are generally shut down from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and generally 24/7 on weekends and holidays. This curtailment of commercial noise allows neighbors to any noise generating operation to enjoy their peace and quiet and have a good night’s sleep which one expects and needs when they arrive home. This is not the practice where industrial wind turbines are the industrial commercial entity causing the annoyance.

Because industrial wind turbines run 24/7/365, there is nothing occasional about the noise it generates and the noises are many and varied. Because the noise annoyance is generated from great height, the noise broadcasts. The MannProject industrial wind machines are 500 feet tall (+-). It has been validated that noise from the project can be heard over 5,000 feet from the offending machines. This is no occasional whoosh sound as was suggested by Dr. Francis. Industrial wind turbine noise is an unhealthy noise annoyance.

I do not complain and I did not claim that roads were “damaged” in Bourne. I merely addressed Mr. Saltonstall’s observation that Bourne neighbors of the MannProject were “freaking out” because they were “worried the roads would be damaged.” My point was that there was a lot more, including possible road damage, for Bourne neighbors to “freak out” about. The concerns of both Bourne and Plymouth wind turbine neighbors have come to fruition and the noise annoyance and sleepless nights and headache incidents have begun to occur and we know, too, that annoying noise from the MannProject is known to have carried a great distance over water.

I take issue with the fact that Dr. Francis feels there is some justification for creating hardships for the people of Bourne and Plymouth because of their “putting up with” views of smokestacks and plumes of toxic fumes by people in Sandwich and Fall River over an 80-year time frame. This does not address the question of why she approves putting the people of Bourne and Plymouth in harm’s way and is pleased that Marion residents or EMC can just return to normal if MannProject does not work out.

The industrial wind turbine agenda which our myopic governance at federal, state, local levels supports certainly does not and will not resolve the smokestack views issue and toxic fumes or global warming/climate change issues.

The Marion EMC justifies the decision to “go wind” and remain unfazed by the impact their “business deal” with MannProject has had on other communities because if that “deal” goes belly up Marion will come away unscathed without carrying all the burdens of the physical placement and dismantling of industrial wind turbines in their community, enduring the noise, the loss in property value, putting Stone Estate in some perceived jeopardy, thinking that they will be left whole and untouched.

Or, will they?

It is interesting that the green washed always feel that if they support surrogate destructive green projects but not in their backyard, they have done their green duty. Unfortunately, this mentality is what is occurring across city and county and state borders. Marion is not the only town or entity to take advantage of the perceived benefits at another’s expense, to beggar their neighbor. If the media would report all the facts related to “renewables” and all the people would take the time to view renewable energy not as it is being marketed but realistically from actual costs to taxpayers and ratepayers to actual productivity (A to Z), comparing all aspects against our available and natural energy resources, the people would make choices based on fact.

Regarding the matter of fact finding, Dr. Francis may wish to check the following: http://www.townofbourne.com/sites/bournema/files/minutes/minutes-file/december_10_2014.pdf (Bourne Board of Health meeting Dec. 10, 2014 regarding MannProject industrial wind turbine flicker and noise impacts).

If you can get through the gray-speak, let the people of Marion know whether or not there will be strobing impacts to either or both Plymouth and/or Bourne industrial wind turbine neighbors. Strobing is another feature of industrial wind turbines that will not disturb Marion residents.

Marie Stamos
Quincy