Personal Stories
Life at 1500 feet
March 14, 2009 by Thumb Area Resident
Location:
The residents of Michigan's Thumb area have been writing about their experience living near industrial scale turbines. Their individual stories are remarkably consistent regarding noise, flicker, sleep interruptions, and feelings of helplessness. The testimony of one Thumb resident is included on this page. Many others can be found by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.
My family and I live and farm in the Thumb area. We have three turbines within a half mile of our farm. The nearest is about 1500 ft. from our house. Since the turbines began turning this fall, we have been amazed at the amount of noise they create. The sound is like that of a distant jet. The sound can often be heard indoors- especially at night. The nature of the noise is so out of place it is hard to mask. When we're outside, the noise created by the turbine echoes off the buildings and seems to be amplified. When the wind is strong, the noise is masked, but about 75% of the time, the turbines are the dominant sound outside. A big concern we have at this time, is that as the weather improves (which we hope it will soon) windows will open, weather proofing will be removed and the noise that dominates the outdoors will intrude on the indoors even more. At 1500 ft, we thought we may be safe, but we were mistaken. I don't know what the answer is for setbacks, but 1500 ft. is to close.
The key to a successful wind farm is placement. Once these structures are erected, there is no turning back! If a turbine at 1500 ft. causes a disturbance when it's new, how much more will it disturb when the components begin to deteriorate. I know some have the view of "it's my land and I'll do what I want", but I'd like to believe the Thumb is different. We are all friends, neighbors and stewarts of the land. As farmers, we control erosion with cover crops, safely apply chemicals, plant filter strips, follow manure management guidelines to reduce the impact on our neighbors, etc.... all in an effort to care for the land and our community. As land owners we have a responsibility to our neighbors as well. We are all part of this peaceful area we call home. It is often said you don't know what you've got till it's gone. Be assured, you may not realize how peaceful this area is until one day, for what ever reason, the turbines aren't turning and you hear the quiet- it's a quiet we've become much more aware of in recent months. A quiet that is to rare.
We were all made promises during the development phase of this project. Two important ones were jobs and money. Jobs came- and then just as quickly went. Many of the jobs were from Wisconsin and other states. They took their paychecks and likely sent them home to their families. Some Michigan people were granted temporary construction jobs, but they have also gone back to their own areas too. There are only a handful of permanent jobs.
Money. Where to begin, Money is the driving force of wind development. It seems the only green part of wind development is the money. Subsidies and tax breaks are freely given to developers, and land owners are promised large payments. As for the actual benefit to the area- it remains to be seen. The minimum amounts promised to us (yes- we were offered a contract and after having it reviewed by a land use attorney decided not to sign it) were quite insignificant in the farm industry- less than $3000. Is the promise of more with a guarantee of so little worth the impact on our friends and neighbors? I know first hand of two homes that have been put on the market because of the windmills. Both homes are over a half mile away from the nearest turbine. Noise and other elements such as strobing and flicker are a concern, even at this distance, and has lead to their decision to sell.
Doctors are still learning about the effects windmills have on the human body. It seems quite clear that there is a direct link between health and the proximity of homes to turbines. There are so many questions and so few definitive answers. My experience with developers is that they use a lot of words like- shouldn't, we don't expect, probably, may, etc. Do you feel comfortable with these answers? Are you willing to sacrifice you peace and quiet and possibly your health for these types of answers?
Green energy may be critical to our future, but it needs to be done correctly. Families should not have to suffer because they don't own enough land to make the decision for themselves.
Web link: http://www.windturbinetestimonies.blogspot.com/
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Britain and Wind Turbines
A view from David Derbyshire and Kirsty Walker
£120 Green FUEL Tax- “Wind Turbines” When Denmark Proves They Are No Use…NWO Coffers!!
July 11, 2009 · 2 Comments
Green fuel bill shock: Families face a charge of up to £120 to fund thousands of wind turbines
The levies – dubbed ‘green stealth taxes’ will help pay for the building of 7,000 wind turbines over the next 11 years
Millions of families face being hit with higher fuel bills to pay for a new ‘green energy revolution’ due to be unveiled by Labour next week.
The levies on the price of gas and electricity - dubbed ‘green stealth taxes’ by critics - will help pay for renewable energy to tackle climate change, including building 7,000 wind turbines over the next 11 years.
A White Paper unveiled by Climate Change minister Ed Miliband next week will outline the Government’s next steps for the expansion of green energy.
But industry experts warn the cost of subsidising renewables will increase household energy bills. At present the renewables element of the typical bill is an average £55 a
year, but this could increase to as much as £120 by 2014.
The respected UK Energy Research Centre has predicted that by 2050 the subsidy will cost the economy at least £17billion a year, the equivalent of an extra £700 a year per household.
The White Paper follows the Government’s pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 34 per cent within 11 years, and by 80 per cent within 40 years. Britain is the only country in the world with legally binding carbon dioxide targets.
The UK also faces tough European targets to ensure that at least 30 to 40 per cent of Britain’s electricity will be generated by wind, solar, wave and tidal power by 2020.
Currently, just three per cent of the UK’s electricity comes from renewable sources.
The Government says the shift away from fossil fuels towards wind, nuclear, tidal, solar and biomass power is essential to prevent dangerous climate change.
Ministers have warned that the country could face deadly heatwaves, rising sea levels and regular floods within 50 years unless urgent action is taken to ‘ decarbonise’.
But the Government’s advisers on climate change say the greenhouse-gas targets could push 1.7million into fuel poverty.
The White Paper is expected to propose ’social tariffs’ to ease the burden of higher energy bills on the poor and the elderly.
Energy companies will be told to subsidise the cost for the poor by adding extra to the bills of better-off customers.
It will also say that climate change targets can be reached only with a massive expansion of offshore wind farms.
The White Paper will introduce incentives for householders to produce their own energy from solar panels, ground source heat pumps and combined heat and power units.
Ministers will also back the introduction of smart meters - gadgets that help consumers monitor and cut power use - in an effort to improve energy efficiency.
Matthew Sinclair of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: ‘The last thing that the Government should be doing right now is pushing up electricity bills even more to line the pockets of renewable energy firms.
‘Wind farms aren’t delivering reliable energy when we need it, and their massive subsidies are paid for by pushing up ordinary people’s bills.
‘It would be a complete betrayal if they were to add to that burden while families are struggling to cope in a recession. Action needs to be taken to reduce the burden of ineffective climate change policies, instead of ploughing blindly on and throwing even more money at the problem.
£120 Green FUEL Tax- “Wind Turbines” When Denmark Proves They Are No Use…NWO Coffers!!
July 11, 2009 · 2 Comments
Green fuel bill shock: Families face a charge of up to £120 to fund thousands of wind turbines
The levies – dubbed ‘green stealth taxes’ will help pay for the building of 7,000 wind turbines over the next 11 years
Millions of families face being hit with higher fuel bills to pay for a new ‘green energy revolution’ due to be unveiled by Labour next week.
The levies on the price of gas and electricity - dubbed ‘green stealth taxes’ by critics - will help pay for renewable energy to tackle climate change, including building 7,000 wind turbines over the next 11 years.
A White Paper unveiled by Climate Change minister Ed Miliband next week will outline the Government’s next steps for the expansion of green energy.
But industry experts warn the cost of subsidising renewables will increase household energy bills. At present the renewables element of the typical bill is an average £55 a
year, but this could increase to as much as £120 by 2014.
The respected UK Energy Research Centre has predicted that by 2050 the subsidy will cost the economy at least £17billion a year, the equivalent of an extra £700 a year per household.
The White Paper follows the Government’s pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 34 per cent within 11 years, and by 80 per cent within 40 years. Britain is the only country in the world with legally binding carbon dioxide targets.
The UK also faces tough European targets to ensure that at least 30 to 40 per cent of Britain’s electricity will be generated by wind, solar, wave and tidal power by 2020.
Currently, just three per cent of the UK’s electricity comes from renewable sources.
The Government says the shift away from fossil fuels towards wind, nuclear, tidal, solar and biomass power is essential to prevent dangerous climate change.
Ministers have warned that the country could face deadly heatwaves, rising sea levels and regular floods within 50 years unless urgent action is taken to ‘ decarbonise’.
But the Government’s advisers on climate change say the greenhouse-gas targets could push 1.7million into fuel poverty.
The White Paper is expected to propose ’social tariffs’ to ease the burden of higher energy bills on the poor and the elderly.
Energy companies will be told to subsidise the cost for the poor by adding extra to the bills of better-off customers.
It will also say that climate change targets can be reached only with a massive expansion of offshore wind farms.
The White Paper will introduce incentives for householders to produce their own energy from solar panels, ground source heat pumps and combined heat and power units.
Ministers will also back the introduction of smart meters - gadgets that help consumers monitor and cut power use - in an effort to improve energy efficiency.
Matthew Sinclair of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: ‘The last thing that the Government should be doing right now is pushing up electricity bills even more to line the pockets of renewable energy firms.
‘Wind farms aren’t delivering reliable energy when we need it, and their massive subsidies are paid for by pushing up ordinary people’s bills.
‘It would be a complete betrayal if they were to add to that burden while families are struggling to cope in a recession. Action needs to be taken to reduce the burden of ineffective climate change policies, instead of ploughing blindly on and throwing even more money at the problem.
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