Ellington Township February 17 th , 2016 Board Meeting 1
Sound Comparison • Microwave – 57 dB(A) at arm length • Refrigerator – 41 dB(A) Arm Length and 50 dB(A) on the floor in from on the compressor • Dishwasher – 50 dB(A) • Outside – 31 dB(A) 2
Our Sound Ordinance is Very Weak Quite Possibly the Weakest Ordinance Enacted in MI in the Last 5 Years Sound Location Date db(A) From Setback From Comments Ellington Township 2015 55 home 1320 home Per Spicer/Nextera? Akron Township (near Almer township) 2016? 50 home 1000 home Spicer/Nextera trying to change? Tuscola Twp (near Vassar) 2013 60 Prop Line 1000 (2x) Prop Line BridgeHampton Twp (near Deckerville) 2015 50 home 1320 home Spicer/Exelon just convinced to change? Spicer/Nextera trying to change? Board just pushed it Almer Township (new in process) 2016? 50 home 1400 home back to the Planning Commission Wisner Twp 2013 50 home 1400 home Akron Township 2009 55 Prop Line 500 (1x) Prop Line Previous ordinance before weakened Fairgrove Twp 2012 55 Prop Line 1320 Prop Line 2012 Spicer tried pushing to home? Gilford Township (north of Reese) 2013 55 Prop Line 1500 (3x) Prop Line Koylton Twp 2012 55 Prop Line 400 (1.5x) Prop Line 300ft max height Michigan original recommendation 2005 55 Prop Line 1500 (3x) Prop Line Proposed Moore Twp (near Sandusky) 2015 45 home 1320 home Was just rejected by voters in Nov, '15 Blumfield Twp (west of Denmark Twp) 2013 50 home 2000 Prop Line 45 db(A) at night Mason County (near ludington) 2015 45 home 2000 (4x) Prop Line Millington Twp 2011 50 Prop Line Huron County (Nov, 2015) 2015 45 Prop Line 1640 home Almer Township (next to Ellington) 2012 45 Prop Line 750 (1.5x) Prop Line Previous ordinance before weakened Elmwood Township (north to Ellington) ? 45 Prop Line World Health Organization Rec'n 2009 40 home Michigan State University (recommend'n) 2011 40 home Clay Banks Township (near Muskegon) 2005 40 Prop Line 1500 (3x) Prop Line Lincoln County Health Dept (recommend'n) 2015 40 Prop Line 37 db(A) at night Merritt Twp (next to Gilford Twp) 2013 40 Prop Line 2640 home Also 2640' from M15 and M138 Riga Township (south of Ann Arbor) 2011 40 Prop Line 2000 (4x) Prop Line Listed on Michigan.gov website Denmark Township (near Reese) 2014 35 Prop Line 3000 (6x) Prop Line Also 2500' from M81, M15 and M46 Centerville Township (near Traverse City) 2010 35 Prop Line 4000 Prop Line 3
Our Sound Ordinance is Very Weak Quite Possibly the Weakest Ordinance Enacted in MI in the Last 5 Years Sound Date db(A) From Location Ellington Township 2015 55 home Akron Township (near Almer township) 2016? 50 home Tuscola Twp (near Vassar) 2013 60 Prop Line BridgeHampton Twp (near Deckerville) 2015 50 home Almer Township (new in process) 2016? 50 home Wisner Twp 2013 50 home Akron Township 2009 55 Prop Line Fairgrove Twp 2012 55 Prop Line Gilford Township (north of Reese) 2013 55 Prop Line Koylton Twp 2012 55 Prop Line Michigan original recommendation 2005 55 Prop Line Proposed Moore Twp (near Sandusky) 2015 45 home Blumfield Twp (west of Denmark Twp) 2013 50 home Mason County (near ludington) 2015 45 home Millington Twp 2011 50 Prop Line Huron County (Nov, 2015) 2015 45 Prop Line Almer Township (next to Ellington) 2012 45 Prop Line Elmwood Township (north to Ellington) ? 45 Prop Line World Health Organization Rec'n 2009 40 home Michigan State University (recommend'n) 2011 40 home Clay Banks Township (near Muskegon) 2005 40 Prop Line Lincoln County Health Dept (recommend'n) 2015 40 Prop Line Merritt Twp (next to Gilford Twp) 2013 40 Prop Line Riga Township (south of Ann Arbor) 2011 40 Prop Line Denmark Township (near Reese) 2014 35 Prop Line 4 Centerville Township (near Traverse City) 2010 35 Prop Line
Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department Recommendations for Noise Levels from Commercial Wind Energy Conversion Systems June 2015 or dB(A) or dB(A) 5
Excerpts from MSU Study and Report 2011 Limiting wind turbine noise to 40 dBA is consistent with the Precautionary Principle , which states that public policy should err on the side of caution until scientists can provide a clearer picture of the relationship between policy actions and potential risks to society or to the environment. 6
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Our Ordinance takes away your Property Rights 8
Don’t Rely On Trees and State Land to Protect You 9
Don’t Rely On Trees and State Land to Protect You • The 10% state mandate for renewable energy has been met. But, we have no guarantee that state land will never become eligible for wind turbines in the future. • In Europe the majority of the wind energy is produced in wooded areas. 10
NOTE – THE WIND LEASE-HOLDERS IN OUR TOWNSHIP ARE JUST AS DEPENDENT AS THE REST OF US ON THIS ORDINANCE TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES AND QUALITY OF LIFE. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. 11
Ellington Wind Ordinance Our Main Concerns • At 55db(A) at your Home , our Current Sound Ordinance is Extremely Weak • At 1320’ From your Home , our Setback Ordinance is too close and takes away our property rights WITHOUT our consent • Our Ordinance has No Spacing and No Height Limits • Our Decommissioning and Conflict Resolution policies are Vague and Weak NOT ONE SOUL SHOULD SUFFER 12
Please Enact a 6 Month Moratorium Summary of A ttorney Josh Nolan’s Letter to Ellington Township on Wednesday February 2 nd : 1. NextEra applying for a permit does not end our opportunity to revise our current ordinance. 2. Our wind ordinance can be changed at any time up until substantial construction begins. 3. Ellington Township Board has the Authority to Enact a Moratorium. 4. A Moratorium does not have to wait until NextEra applies for a permit. The right time is now! 13
Please Enact a 6 Month Moratorium RESOLUTION FOR MORATORIUM In light of the significant controversy surrounding the development of wind energy in Ellington Township, pursuant to Public Act 246 of 1945, MCL 41.18, et seq., I make a resolution that we adopt an ordinance creating a six (6) month moratorium on the establishment, placement, construction, enlargement and/or erection of industrial wind energy conversion systems (aka – Industrial Wind Turbines) in Ellington Township to allow the Ellington Township Board and Ellington Township Planning Commission sufficient time to further study the issues surrounding industrial wind energy conversion systems and to develop regulations for same to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the residents of Ellington Township. The right time is now! 14
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