Wind Farm Shutdown Eased Health Issues
Eleven people living near the Shirley Wind Farm say their health improved when the turbines were off for several days this summer. The people, who live near the site in southern Brown County, have prepared notarized statements saying that sleep problems, headaches, nausea and other symptoms subsided or disappeared for almost four days in late July. They claim the symptoms result from low-frequency sound produced by the windmills.
BCCRWE calls for dismissal of Health Director Chua Xiong’s determination concerning Shirley Wind
Brown County Citizens for Responsible Wind Energy (BCCRWE) produced this document for the purpose of providing evidence that demonstrates that (former) Brown County (Wisconsin) Health Director Chua Xiong’s conclusion regarding wind turbines and health concerns lacks validity and that her conclusion was based on a very flawed process by which submitted evidence was selectively reviewed and inconsistently weighed, or ignored altogether.
Brown County Health Officer Admits Feeling Ill When Near Duke 's Shirley Wind Turbines
Brown County appears to be digging a deeper and deeper hole for itself as more facts come to light surrounding Duke Energy’s Shirley Windpower. After an unusually long almost 3 month delay in satisfying a resident’s open records request, the records ultimately provided expose that former Brown County Health Officer Chua Xiong feels ill when visiting the Shirley Wind facility. In an email to her intern Carolyn Harvey she states:
“Carolyn the times I have been out there by the Wind Turbines, l get such migraine headaches. I think I should take some preventative Tylenol before I head out there.”
Read more: Brown County Health Officer Admits Feeling Ill When Near Duke 's Shirley Wind Turbines
Press Release: Health Director Chua Xiong is Wrong - Fails Due Diligence
On October 14, 2014, after more than four years of hearing testimony from residents, visiting the wind project, studying the science on wind turbine noise, speaking to researchers, and reviewing noise testing results, the Brown County Board of Health correctly and courageously declared Duke Energy's Shirley Wind turbines a 'Human Health Hazard' in accordance with Brown County and Wisconsin state statutes. THIS HAS NOT CHANGED. This unanimous declaration of the Brown County Board of Health remains in force today.
Read more: Press Release: Health Director Chua Xiong is Wrong - Fails Due Diligence
Wis. 'Health Hazard' Ruling Could Shock Wind Industry
Wis. 'Health Hazard' Ruling Could Shock Wind Industry
A Wisconsin town of fewer than 1,200 stands on the verge of sending shock waves through the wind energy industry.
Late last year, Glenmore, a rural community just south of Green Bay, persuaded its county's board of health to declare that the sounds of an eight-turbine wind farm pose a "human health hazard."
Read more: Wis. 'Health Hazard' Ruling Could Shock Wind Industry
Duke Energy Disappoints – Offers No Solutions
Duke Energy Disappoints – Offers No Solutions
On January 20th, the Brown County Board of Health held a Special Meeting to give Duke Energy and the public the opportunity to share pertinent information regarding the Shirley Wind project operating in the Town of Glenmore. Despite being specifically asked to do so, Duke failed to address the health concerns or offer solutions. Duke only presented their legal opinion opposing the Board’s October 14th declaration of the Shirley Wind turbines as a ‘Human Health Hazard'. All others who spoke supported the Board’s action with the exception of two UWGB colleagues.
Duke Energy's Shirley Wind Turbines Declared "Human Health Hazard"
Duke Energy's Shirley Wind Turbines Declared a "Human Health Hazard"
At the October 14, 2014 Brown County Board of Health meeting, a motion was unanimously approved declaring the Shirley Wind turbines a "Human Health Hazard". The text of the unanimously approved motion reads:
"To declare the Industrial Wind Turbines at Shirley Wind Project in the Town of Glenmore, Brown County, WI. A Human Health Hazard for all people (residents, workers, visitors, and sensitive passersby) who are exposed to Infrasound/Low Frequency Noise and other emissions potentially harmful to human health."
Read more: Duke Energy's Shirley Wind Turbines Declared "Human Health Hazard"
Richard James Interview - Discussing The Shirley Wind Noise Study
Rick will speak about his experience as a noise control engineer and acoustician and the recently released results of the Wisconsin study authorized by the Public Service Commission centering on the Shirley wind farm in the town of Glenmore. It was conducted by Clean Wisconsin, a clean energy advocacy group, and four independent firms. The groups monitored the wind farm for four days in early December.
Click to listen to Windwise Radio interview of Rick James
Read more: Richard James Interview - Discussing The Shirley Wind Noise Study
US Dept of Justice - Duke Energy Renewables Sentenced in Wyoming for Killing Protected Birds at Wind Projects
Duke Energy Renewables Inc., a subsidiary of Duke Energy Corp., based in Charlotte, N.C., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Wyoming today to violating the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) in connection with the deaths of protected birds, including golden eagles, at two of the company’s wind projects in Wyoming. This case represents the first ever criminal enforcement of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for unpermitted avian takings at wind projects.
Under a plea agreement with the government, the company was sentenced to pay fines, restitution and community service totaling $1 million and was placed on probation for five years,...
Wind Turbine Report Didn't Tell The Whole Story
In October, an important report was finalized and sent to the Wisconsin legislature by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW). This wind turbine siting health review and policy update report was drafted by the PSCW staff and Wind Siting Council (WSC). State statutes mandate that this report be produced every five years. Its purpose is to inform the legislature of changes that are needed to Wisconsin’s statewide wind siting rules (PSC 128) and other related necessary actions.
Readers need to understand how the WSC Report was produced and why its heavily biased position cannot be trusted.
Giant Wind-Farm Plan Raises Alarm About Eagle Deaths
Two conservation groups are urging federal regulators to slow down on approval of what would be the nation's largest wind farm until more efforts are made to mitigate the impact on eagles.
The groups—the American Bird Conservancy and the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance—told the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a 15-page letter released Wednesday that between 46 and 64 golden eagles would likely be killed every year by the spinning blades of 1,000 wind turbines planned by the Power Company of Wyoming.
Read more: Giant Wind-Farm Plan Raises Alarm About Eagle Deaths
Bird Conservation Groups Announce Intention to Sue Over Ohio Wind Turbine in Key Bird Migration Corridor
Eagles and Endangered Kirtland's Warbler Among the Turbine's Likely Casualties
(Washington, D.C., January 8, 2014) The Ohio National Guard facility at Camp Perry, near Port Clinton in northern Ohio, is the focus of possible legal action by American Bird Conservancy (ABC), a leading national bird conservation organization, and Ohio’s Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO), which today announced the intention to sue the Ohio National Guard in connection with violations of the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and other federal laws concerning the planned installation of a wind turbine on the shores of Lake Erie.
Eagle killing rule almost done - Obama administration issues permits for wind farms to kill more eagles
The Obama administration has nearly finalized a rule that would give energy companies lengthy permits for wind farms that end up killing bald and golden eagles.
Hundreds of thousands of birds are killed every year after flying into large wind turbine blades, an issue that became an ongoing saga for the administration this year.
The White House finalized its review on Thursday of a rule that would give the farms a 30-year pass for the killings, known as "takings."
The details of the Interior Department rule are not yet known and it is possible it could be tweaked, though significant changes would be unusual at this stage in the process.
Owner of Shirley Wind (Duke Energy) Pleads Guilty for Bird Deaths at its Wyoming Wind Project
"Wind energy is not green if it is killing hundreds of thousands of birds. The unfortunate reality is that the flagrant violations of the law seen in this case are widespread."
George Fenwick
President
American Bird Conservancy
GUILTY PLEA IN BIRD DEATHS AT WIND FARMS A FIRST
By DINA CAPPIELLO
WASHINGTON — A major U.S. power company has pleaded guilty to killing eagles and other birds at two Wyoming wind farms and agreed to pay $1 million as part of the first enforcement of environmental laws protecting birds against wind energy facilities.
Wind Farms Kill Many Rare Birds
"Wind turbines are illegally inflicting severe losses on so many protected bird species that the problem can no longer be ignored or tolerated."
Mark Duchamp
President
Save the Eagles International
PBS Newshour: Are Wind Turbine Rare Earth Minerals Too Costly for Environment?
The lake of toxic waste at Baotou, China, which as been dumped by the rare earth processing plants in the background
Click here for the video of this story
Click here for PBS website transcript
LINDSEY HILSUM: It doesn't look very green. Rare earth processing in China is a messy, dangerous, polluting business. It uses toxic chemicals, acids, sulfates, ammonia. The workers have little or no protection.
Read more: PBS Newshour: Are Wind Turbine Rare Earth Minerals Too Costly for Environment?
600,000 bats killed at wind energy facilities each year, study says
By Monte Morin
Over 600,000 bats were killed by wind energy turbines across the United States last year, with the highest concentration of kills in the Appalachian Mountains, according to new research.
In a paper published Friday in the journal BioScience, University of Colorado biologist Mark Hayes used records of dead bats found beneath wind generators, and statistical analysis, to estimate how many bats were struck and killed by generator propellers each year.
"Dead bats are being found underneath wind turbines across North America," Hayes wrote. "This estimate of bat fatalities is probably conservative."
Read more: 600,000 bats killed at wind energy facilities each year, study says
Pollution on a disastrous scale - Environmental Cost of Wind Turbine Manufacturing
In China, the true cost of Britain's clean, green wind power experiment: Pollution on a disastrous scale
By SIMON PARRY in China and ED DOUGLAS in Scotland
Villagers Su Bairen, 69, and Yan Man Jia Hong, 74, stand on the edge of the six-mile-wide toxic lake in Baotou, China that has devastated their farmland and ruined the health of the people in their community
This toxic lake poisons Chinese farmers, their children and their land. It is what's left behind after making the magnets for Britain's latest wind turbines... and, as a special Live investigation reveals, is merely one of a multitude of environmental sins committed in the name of our new green Jerusalem
Read more: Pollution on a disastrous scale - Environmental Cost of Wind Turbine Manufacturing
Brown County Residents Successfully Litigate - Protecting Community
Two married couples, James and Barbara Vanden Boogart and Jon and Lori Morehouse, represented by WILL in a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Town of Morrison in Brown County would like to report that they have reached an agreement with Town officials to settle the case. The Town and its insurance company have agreed to pay the plaintiffs $7,500 each (an amount which only partially covers their out of pocket expenses) as well as $20,000 to their attorneys in order to save the town further litigation costs. The majority of funds will come from the Town’s insurance company.
This lawsuit was filed to challenge the town’s unconstitutional sign ordinance and its selective enforcement that placed a near-blanket prohibition on signs in residential and agricultural districts, preventing residents from placing signs with political, religious, or personal messages on their own property. By enforcing that ordinance, Town officials stifled opposition to potential industrial wind turbine developments in the Town, issuing takedown notices and citations to many residents, including the plaintiffs. After working vigilantly with the Town of Morrison for over two years in an attempt to have the ordinance amended, the plaintiffs very reluctantly brought this lawsuit against former Chairman Todd Christensen, former Code Enforcer Mark Roberts, and the Town, only after Christensen’s repeated message to residents – if you don’t like it, sue us.
Read more: Brown County Residents Successfully Litigate - Protecting Community
Counter to Clean Wisconsin / Wind Industry Propaganda
Below are links to very recent published articles countering the misleading and manipulative words of the wind industry and the pseudo-environmental groups they substantially fund.
Brown County Actions concerning Duke Energy's Shirley Wind, LLC
Below are the actions of Brown County concerning Duke Energy's Shirley Wind LLC in Glenmore.
Read more: Brown County Actions concerning Duke Energy's Shirley Wind, LLC
Good Morning America's coverage of the health impacts of irresponsibly sited wind turbines
October 21st, Good Morning America covered the sad state of affairs in Falmouth, Massachusets. The same story could have been told here in Brown County, Wisconsin where three families have vacated the homes they still own in order to restore their health.