The recent controversy to place two massive wind farms right off our coast has raised a host of local rule and environmental questions. One area of concern that has not yet received sufficient attention in the press, both for water and land based wind turbines, relates to issues of health.
Recent evidence exists that subjecting humans to pulsating, low-frequency noise associated with wind turbines creates sleep disturbances leading to depression, chronic stress, migraines, nausea and dizziness, exhaustion and anger, memory loss and cognitive difficulties, cardiac arrhythmia, increased heart rate and blood pressure. For example, an article from 2008 cites "no fewer than 13 studies that show noise from wind turbines at night can disturb residents more than 2 Km away ( "Simple guidelines for siting wind turbines to prevent health risks," George W. Kamperman and Richard R. JamesDearborn, NOISE-CON 2008, Michigan, July 28-31, 2008).
Also, "Those living close to the source of noise can develop what has been termed "Vibroacoustic Disease (VAD). Noise from wind turbines exhibit the characteristics of noise experienced in various occupations (aircrews, aircraft maintenance workers, ship workers and an islander population exposed to environmental infra and low frequency noise) and has been shown to lead to VAD. Complaints from people living near wind turbines are the same as those seizures from persons who have developed VAD." (Vibroacoustic disease: Biological effects of infrasound and low-frequency noise explained by mechanotransduction cellular signaling." Mariana Alves-Pereira and Nuno A.A. Castelo Branco, Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, (2007) 93: 256-279).
Any state government, town or private citizen that permits or installs a wind turbine(s) really may be causing more harm than good, and, of course, subjecting themselves to potential liabilities down the road, if and, when our populace begins to exhibit medical issues!
Given that the Oceans Plan has not studied in detail any of the impacts on our ecosystems, tourist economy or the culture of the Wampanoag's, we seriously doubt if the our leaders in Boston have ruled out any of the potential health hazards described above. We as concerned citizens really have to ask why? Why the rush to judgment when our vistas, our birds, our fish, our way of life and now, most importantly, our health is at stake?
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What about the health risks I was subjected to growing up next to the coal plants that help supply 45% of our electricity? VAD seems to pale in comparison. Every day you block this development is another day my family, and so many others who are not privileged enough to be born or bought on to the Vineyard, will breathe the toxic bi-product of your well lit homes.
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