Saddleback Ridge Supporting Documents

LINKS TO ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE AT BOTTOM OF PAGE

Friends of Maine’s Mountains Requests Rules Revision for Wind Turbine Noise

Submits Substantial Evidence Citing Deficiencies of Existing Regulations

Wilton, ME – The leading group dedicated to protecting Maine’s mountain regions from threats to their natural and human environments, including the rampant proliferation of industrial wind turbines on hundreds of mountaintops, has launched a determined effort calling for revised noise rules for grid scale wind facilities being constructed in Maine.

Friends of Maine’s Mountains (FMM) has submitted comprehensive draft amendments to the Board of Environmental Protection citing an urgent need to change existing Noise Rules to improve predictive modeling and protect against health risks associated with noise from industrial wind turbines. In a letter to the Governor’s Office of Energy Independence and Security, FMM attorney Rufus Brown noted that the DEP Noise Rule, which was last amended 21 years ago, makes no reference to noise created by industrial grade wind turbines and does not provide Maine citizens protection from the health risks uniquely associated with industrial wind projects.

Attorney Brown is also arguing two separate requests for public hearings in Maine Law Court on January 11 regarding proposed industrial wind projects in Oakfield and Record Hill. Additionally, Brown has submitted a sufficient number of verified Petitions to Require Agency Rulemaking on the subject of noise from industrial wind projects to the Board of Environmental Protection requesting Citizen Initiated Rulemaking in accordance with Maine Law, specifically addressing the proposed Saddleback Ridge industrial wind installation. “These actions, made on behalf of Friends of Maine’s Mountains and individuals who will be impacted by the Saddleback project, recognize that Maine citizens have systematically been denied public hearings to address noise concerns every time an industrial wind project has been proposed in their community,” said Brown. “We are not requesting specifically that these projects be rejected, only that the State consider allowing Maine citizens to make their case. The State, through LURC, the DEP and the BEP regularly grants hearings of this nature on other projects of the magnitude of these industrial wind projects,” continued Brown. “As more information from completed projects becomes available, it becomes more difficult for the State to continue to deny hearings on the impact of the noise generated by these massive turbines.”

The amount of evidence compiled for these efforts is unprecedented in Maine. Supporting legal documents, reports, affidavits, testimony and the Draft Noise Rule can all be downloaded at FMM’s website, www.friendsofmainesmountains.com. “The amount of research collected to prepare these filings has been considerable,” said Rand Stowell, president of FMM. “Rufus Brown has amassed a body of evidence that we believe more than adequately shows a need for public hearings on each of these industrial wind projects. These projects are negatively impacting people’s health inside their own homes. They should at least be granted the right to a public hearing where testimony can be presented and experts can be cross-examined.”

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CLICK ON INDIVIDUAL LINKS BELOW TO DOWNLOAD DOCUMENTS

LETTER TO GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY [PDF]

Exhibit 1 - Affidavit of Michael Nissenbaum, MD

Exhibit 2 - Richard James on Saddleback Noise Impact Study [PDF]

Exhibit 3 - Rand - Ambrose Saddleback Peer Review [PDF]

Exhibit 4 - Report of Michael Lawrence on Visual Impact [PDF]

RSG PEER REVIEW SADDLEBACK NOISE IMPACT [PDF]

PROPOSED NOISE RULE AMENDMENT [PDF]

REQUEST FOR DEP PUBLIC HEARING - SADDLEBACK RIDGE [PDF]

Exhibit 35 - Nina Pierpont, MD, PhD - WIND TURBINE SYNDROME, The Brain 2010 [PDF]

Exhibit 36 - Dr. Alec Salt - Responses of the Ear to Low Frequency Sounds 2010 [PDF]