Standing Senate Committee on Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources Resources I ndustrial Wind Turbines I ndustrial Wind Turbines and and Health Health Wind Turbines Can Harm Humans Wind Turbines Can Harm Humans October 18, 2011 October 18, 2011 The Society for Wind Vigilance The Society for Wind Vigilance www.windvigilance.com www.windvigilance.com 1
20 Minutes 20 Minutes Setting the stage Setting the stage n n Evidence Evidence n n Consequences Consequences n n Wrap- -up up Wrap n n E mphasis sometimes added to E mphasis sometimes added to n n original quotes highlighting key original quotes highlighting key points. points. 2
Introductions Introductions n Ms Carmen Krogh Ms Carmen Krogh n n Ms Beth Harrington Ms Beth Harrington n 3
The Society for Wind Vigilance The Society for Wind Vigilance n International federation of physicians, International federation of physicians, n acousticians, psychoacousticians, engineers and acousticians, psychoacousticians, engineers and other professionals other professionals n Volunteers / self funded Volunteers / self funded n n Goal Goal – – siting of wind turbines to protect health siting of wind turbines to protect health n and safety and safety 4
Setting the stage Setting the stage 5
Peer reviewed July 20, 2011 Peer reviewed July 20, 2011 It is acknowledged that IWTs, if not sited “ It is acknowledged that IWTs, if not sited n “ n properly, can adversely affect the health of properly, can adversely affect the health of exposed individuals.” ” exposed individuals. n Krogh CME, Industrial Wind Turbine Development and Loss of Krogh CME, Industrial Wind Turbine Development and Loss of n Social Justice? August 2011, BSTS http://bst.sagepub.com/ http://bst.sagepub.com/ Social Justice? August 2011, BSTS 6
Environmental Review Tribunal July 18, 2011 Environmental Review Tribunal July 18, 2011 Kent Breeze / Chatham Kent project Kent Breeze / Chatham Kent project n “ “This case has successfully shown that the This case has successfully shown that the n debate should not be simplified to one about debate should not be simplified to one about whether wind turbines can cause harm to whether wind turbines can cause harm to humans. The evidence presented to the humans. The evidence presented to the they can , if facilities Tribunal demonstrates that they can , if facilities Tribunal demonstrates that are placed too close to residents. The debate are placed too close to residents. The debate has now evolved to one of degree.” ” has now evolved to one of degree. Case Nos.: 10- Case Nos.: 10 -121/10 121/10- -122 Erickson v. Director, Ministry of the Environment 122 Erickson v. Director, Ministry of the Environment n n Environmental Review Tribunal, Decision, p 207 Environmental Review Tribunal, Decision, p 207 7
What do we know? What do we know? 8
Competing claims Competing claims 9
Freedom of Information Freedom of Information Ontario MOE field officers 2010 Ontario MOE field officers 2010 n “ “It appears compliance with the minimum It appears compliance with the minimum n setbacks and the noise study approach currently setbacks and the noise study approach currently being used to approve the siting of WTGs being used to approve the siting of WTGs will result or likely result in adverse will result or likely result in adverse effects …” …” effects n MOE memorandum, Ontario Senior Environmental Officer, April 9, 2010 10
WHO 40 dBA guideline WHO 40 dBA guideline - not for wind turbines not for wind turbines - n WHO guidelines based on noise research related to WHO guidelines based on noise research related to n n Road Road n n Rail Rail n n Aircraft Aircraft n n Not based on wind turbine noise Not based on wind turbine noise n n Daniel Shepherd and Rex Billington, Mitigating the Acoustic Impa Daniel Shepherd and Rex Billington, Mitigating the Acoustic Impacts of cts of n Modern Technologies: Acoustic, Health, and Psychosocial Factors Modern Technologies: Acoustic, Health, and Psychosocial Factors Informing Wind Farm Placement, published online 22 August 2011 Informing Wind Farm Placement, published online 22 August 2011 Bulletin of Science Technology & Society, DOI: Bulletin of Science Technology & Society, DOI: 10.1177/0270467611417841 10.1177/0270467611417841 n Case Nos.: 10 Case Nos.: 10- -121/10 121/10- -122 Erickson v. Director, Ministry of the 122 Erickson v. Director, Ministry of the n Environment, Transcript of Dr. G. Rachamin, Mar, 4, 2011, p. 212, l. 2 Environment, Transcript of Dr. G. Rachamin, Mar, 4, 2011, p. 212, l. 2 to l. 16 to l. 16 11
Peer reviewed studies: Peer reviewed studies: turbines more annoying turbines more annoying A non trivial percentage of Ontarians A non trivial percentage of Ontarians will be annoyed will be annoyed Ontario Minimum Ontario Minimum up to 6 m/ s up to 6 m/ s Ontario Maximum Ontario Maximum @ 10 m/ s @ 10 m/ s An opinion on the likely health impacts of wind turbine noise in relation to the proposed Chatham relation to the proposed Chatham- -Kent Kent An opinion on the likely health impacts of wind turbine noise in 12 wind farm installation. Author: Daniel Shepherd, PhD, 17 January 2011 wind farm installation. Author: Daniel Shepherd, PhD, 17 January 2011
32 dBA supported - - peer reviewed 2011 peer reviewed 2011 32 dBA supported n Thorne, B. (2011). The problems with noise numbers for wind Thorne, B. (2011). The problems with noise numbers for wind n farm noise assessment. Bulletin of Science, Technology & farm noise assessment. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 31, 262- -290. 290. Society, 31, 262 13
Freedom of Information Freedom of Information Ontario MOE field officers 2010 2010 Ontario MOE field officers n “… the setback distances should be calculated using a sound level limit of 30 to 32 dBA at the receptor, instead of the 40 dBA sound level limit.” n MOE memorandum, Ontario Senior Environmental Officer, April 9, 2010 14
AWEA- -CanWEA Panel Review 2009 CanWEA Panel Review 2009 AWEA n Wind turbine sound/noise may cause Wind turbine sound/noise may cause n n Annoyance [p. 5 Annoyance [p. 5- -3] 3] n n Sleep disturbance [p. 4 Sleep disturbance [p. 4- -3] 3] n n Stress Stress (sleep disturbance, headache, tinnitus, ear pressure, (sleep disturbance, headache, tinnitus, ear pressure, n vertigo, nausea, visual blurring, tachycardia, irritability, vertigo, nausea, visual blurring, tachycardia, irritability, concentration, memory, panic attacks, internal pulsation, and concentration, memory, panic attacks, internal pulsation, and quivering = well well- -known stress effects known stress effects of exposure to noise) of exposure to noise) quivering = [p. 4- -3, 4 3, 4- -9, 4 9, 4- -10] 10] [p. 4 Colby, W. D., Dobie, R., Leventhall, G., Lipscomb, D. M., McCunney, R. J., Seilo, M. ey, R. J., Seilo, M. Colby, W. D., Dobie, R., Leventhall, G., Lipscomb, D. M., McCunn n n T., & S T., & Sø øndergaard, B. (2009). Wind turbine sound and health effects: An ndergaard, B. (2009). Wind turbine sound and health effects: An expert panel expert panel review 2009. Prepared for American Wind Energy Association and C review 2009. Prepared for American Wind Energy Association and Canadian Wind anadian Wind Energy Association. Retrieved from http://www.canwea Energy Association. Retrieved from http://www.canwea .ca/pdf/talkwind/Wind_Turbine_Sound_and_Health_Effects.pdf .ca/pdf/talkwind/Wind_Turbine_Sound_and_Health_Effects.pdf 15
CanWEA President 2010 CanWEA President 2010 n “ “The The study study does acknowledge that wind turbines does acknowledge that wind turbines n can be annoying, the sound of wind turbines can can be annoying, the sound of wind turbines can be annoying annoying for some individuals and that may for some individuals and that may be cause them to feel some stress etcetera stress etcetera, ,…” …” cause them to feel some n Hornung, R. (2010, March 4). Interview on Business News Network Hornung, R. (2010, March 4). Interview on Business News Network (Video). (Video). n Retrieved from http://watch.bnn.ca/clip272347 Retrieved from http://watch.bnn.ca/clip272347 16
Wind Turbine Noise Conference 2011 Wind Turbine Noise Conference 2011 n “ “The main effect of daytime wind turbine noise The main effect of daytime wind turbine noise n annoyance . The night time effect is sleep is annoyance . The night time effect is sleep is disturbance . These may lead to . These may lead to stress stress related related disturbance illness in some people.” ” illness in some people. n Fourth International Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise, Rome Fourth International Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise, Rome n Italy 12 Italy 12- -14 April 2011Wind Turbine Noise 2011 14 April 2011Wind Turbine Noise 2011 – – Post Post conference report conference report 17
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