Injecting Useful and Credible Information into Wind Power Siting

Survey I Question 11 October 26, 2012 Page 1

Survey I Question 11:

List the top 3 topics and/or issues you would like to discuss at this workshop with a
brief explanation describing why.
(duplicates removed/combined; some listed a category; others elaborated)

Soundandvibration:
Soundmeasurements:understandingthecharacteristicssoundsofturbinesandrelativelevels
thecausebehindthehealthimpacts,similarlydenied,datacollectionflawed
IsInfrasoundrealandarealhealthproblem?
Becausethesetopicswerethemostcontroversial.
(oneofthethree)mostemotionalissuesforcitizensandit'simportanttoconsiderthemandmakeavailablecredible
informationregardingtheseimpacts.Itseemsthatcredibleinformationgetspassedoversincetheseimpactscreate
alotoffearbecausehealthand(often)propertyarecitizens'largestinvestments.
becausethesehavethegreatestpotentialtoaffectqualityoflife.
Needformoredataonnoiseimpacts.
isanyadditionalnoisefromawindturbineacceptablefromtheperspectiveofaneighboringpropertyowner,andifso,
howmuchistoomuch?

Propertyvalues:
Seemslikeresearchisthininthisareaandsomeofthemethodsthatareusedtoevaluateitarequestionable.
WhatresearchexiststotryandrefutetheclaimscommonlymadebyMr.McCannthatwindturbinessignificantly
degradepropertyvalues?
Impactsfromsingleturbines,notwindfarms.Thereseemstobeverylittleinformationonthis,forthereasonthatthe
universeofaffectedpropertiesforanindividualturbineisrelativelysmallinmostcases.Yetitalwayscomesup.
(oneofthethree)mostemotionalissuesforcitizensandit'simportanttoconsiderthemandmakeavailablecredible
informationregardingtheseimpacts.Itseemsthatcredibleinformationgetspassedoversincetheseimpactscreate
alotoffearbecausehealthand(often)propertyarecitizens'largestinvestments.
Criticalissueforcitizens
Obviouslythisisanareaofinterest,but,thatsaid,Iamcurioushowmostviewtheopposingresults,andbelievethat
somestudiesthatcouldbedone(andAREbeingdone)toaddressmanyoftheclaims
NewEnglandspecific2008topresentPropertyvalueStudy.
Needforaregion-wideepidemiologicalstudyonforexistingwindstudiesinNewEnglandonpropertyvalue
thisshowsa(local)marketperspectiveofaestheticsandothersubjectivevariables.
Needformoredataonpropertyvalueimpacts.

Health impacts:
science is present and growing to back up the anecdotal and scientific evidence of harm, developers deny it and
seek to undermine credibility
Howdoproponentsandpublicofficialsdealwithindividualizedcomplaints?
Reportsfromaroundtheworldofpeoplesufferingserioushealthproblemscausedbywindturbinesareincreasing.It
isabsolutelyessentialthatthisissuebeaddressedbeforefurtherwindturbinesareerected.
Becausethesetopicswerethemostcontroversial.
Needtoofferobjectiveinforatherthanemotionalmyths.
Howtotacklehealthconcerns.
(oneofthethree)mostemotionalissuesforcitizensandit'simportanttoconsiderthemandmakeavailablecredible
informationregardingtheseimpacts.Itseemsthatcredibleinformationgetspassedoversincetheseimpactscreate
alotoffearbecausehealthand(often)propertyarecitizens'largestinvestments.
Dispellinghealthimpactrumors
Criticalissueforcitizens
Whatisknownandnotknown
Thereisabigneedforstudiesinthisarea,andadecisiononhowmuchimpactistoomuch
associatedwithwindturbinesthataresitedclosetoresidences.Itisatopicwithagreatdealofdramaand
emotionalturmoilanditwouldbegoodtoknowthestateoftheinformationfromanon-biasedperspective.
Needforaregion-wideepidemiologicalstudyonhealthimpactsofexistingwindfacilities.
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Recognizingandquantifyingthe(relativelysmall)potentialfornegativehealthimpactsfromwindturbinesand
contrastingthiswiththe(relativelylarge)healthimpactsfromcurrentgenerationtechnologiesisacriticalpieceofa
balanced,effectiveargumentforwind,Ibelieve.Betterstillwouldbeapolicyofgraduatedcompensationtoclose
abuttersasisdoneinsomemidwesternandEuropeanwindfarms,tocompensateanypotentialhealthorproperty
valueimpacts.
Whydoestheindustrydismissannoyance/sleeplessnessashavinghealthimplications?
Healtheffects,appropriatelimitingsoundlevels,andtheroleofanauthoritativeFederalagency(TBD)toprovide
researchfundingto"settle"thehealtheffectsissue(totheextentitcanbe"settled").

Shadow flicker

Tourismandrecreational:
importanttomonetizetheseandotherimpactstoinformdecisions.

Visual/Aesthetic:
Becausethesetopicswerethemostcontroversial.
Visualimpactsandappropriatemitigation
whatinformationcanbeconvincinggiventhisisasubjectivetopic.
becausethesehavethegreatestpotentialtoaffectqualityoflife.
Visual/recreationalimpacts,becausetheimpactsarenotaswell-studiedasotherimpacts,thereiswide-spread
differenceofopinion,anditisanimpactthatisinherentlymoresubjectivethanothertypesofimpactsbutcould
benefitfrommoreanlayticalandobjectivedata.

Wildlife:
Needforaregion-widestudy
Avoidingimpacttorareorsensitivewildlifeandhabitats
Impactstowildlifeasacomparisontootherdevelopment-Thereismuchtalkabouttheimpactstobatsandbirds,
butneverinacomparativecontexttootherwildlyaccepteddevelopment.
Pre-constructionwildlifemonitoring:Arecurrentpre-constructionmonitoringrequirementssuccessfullypredicting
post-constructionwildlifemortality?Forexamplearepre-constructionradarstudiespredictingavianmortality
rates.
Wildlifecumulativeimpacts:Howcancumulativeimpactsinevaluated.Thisisoneofthebiggestissueswithany
typeofdevelopment.Atwhatpointdoesthecumulativeimpactsofhabitatloss,behaviorchanges,anddirect
moralityleadtopopulationorsub-populationdeclines.Howdoyouminimizethecumulativeimpactsofwindon
wildlife.Whereisthetippingpoint?
Impactsonwildlifeduringconstructionandduringoperation,espciallywhentheturbinesareonridgelines?Our
bestwindisonridgelines,soitwouldbeagreattoknowthestateofthisresearch

Fossil displacement impacts; Greenhouse Gas Impacts:
Needforaregion-widestudy
meanstoanalyzenet-environmentalbenefits/impactsoffacilities.
BeststudiesdocumentingGHGreductions(highlyquestionablestudiesfocusingoneffectsoframpingplantsto
accountforintermittencyofwindabound)
Climateactiongoalsandwindpower
Netenvironmentalbenefits:notunderstoodbymostpeopleandnotdiscussednearlyenough.
Netenvironmentalbenefits,becausethisgoestotheheartofwhetherpeoplesupportoropposewindpowerfor
environmentalasopposedtoeconomicreasons.

Electric Grid:
ReliabilityandstabilityrelatedtoTheGrid.
Intheabsenceofenergystorage,reliabilityisaproblem.

RoleofWindSubsidies&Incentives:
Theimpactofsubsidiesandincentivesmustbefullyexploredpriortodeployingadditionalwindenergyfacilities.
statusofstateandfederalincentives

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EconomicCosts&Benefits
Costshavebeenunderstated.Benefitshavebeenoverstated.
Andeconomiccostbecauseprojectsthatarenotprofitablewillfailandunprofitableprojectswhichareover
subsidizedareadrainontaxpayers.
LateststudiesonEconomiccost/benefitLCAofenergygeneration
importanttomonetizebenefitsandimpactstoinformdecisions.
EconomicCosts&BenefitsofWind:"IsWindWorthIt?:Inrecentyearsnewquestionshavebeenraised
concerningtheusefulnessofwindenergy.Itisvitallyimportanttoraiseawarenessconcerningthe'value'ofwind
energy.Ibelievemanypeoplebelievethatwindenergyisfreeandclean,butthetruthisfardifferentthatwhat
mostpeople'believe'.Peopleincommunitiesthatareconsideringwindenergymustbefullyinformedofthe
benefitsandlimitationsofwindenergypriortodecidingtoapprovewindfacilities.
economiccostbecauseprojectsthatarenotprofitablewillfailandunprofitableprojectswhichareover
subsidizedareadrainontaxpayers.
objectivediscussionisneeded.
EfficacyofIndustrialwind-needtofindaenergysolutionthatassists-notexacerbatestheloomingshortage

NaturalResourcesimpactsduringconstruction(andoperation)
destructionofridgelines,hydrology,habitat,etc.especiallycriticalininlandnorthernNewEnglandcontexts--
developersseektohidetopic,notdiscloseblastingandquarryingimpacts,falsemitigationefforts,data/testing
flawedandshort-sighted

Cumulativeimpacts
Important,butoneofthemostchallengingtowrestletotheground.
...becauseitisaverydifficultissuethatraisespublicpolicyconsiderationsthatneedtobediscussedoutsidethe
contextofanindividualproceedingbutisatopicthatisoftentimesignored.

Safety:
isbladethrow(notfullblades,butsmallerbladefragmentsthatwouldtravelfurther)alegitimateissuetoregulate,
sincethiswouldimplysetbackfargreaterthancommonsetbacksfornoise,structuralfailure,orshadowflicker.?.

Othercommentsonissuesotherthanspecifictopicsimpactingpublicacceptance(process,data,etc.)
EconomicscenariosforrecentcommunityprojectsinMass
Statusofproposedcentralzoningandappealscommissionforcommunitywindprojects.
Publiclyaccessible(i.e.short,clear)literaturereviewofconflictinghealth,propertyvalue,andeconomicbenefits
studiesthatclearlylaysoutflawedmethodologiesandotherproblemswithinformationoutthereforpublic
consumptionontheweb.
Surveys/accountsfromfamilieswhohavelivednexttowindturbinesforalongtime,especiallywithchildrenwhohave
grownupfrominfancytoadulthoodinthevicinityofturbines,showingthattheyhaveturnedoutjustfine.
Theimportanceofpublicperceptionvs.physicalrealitiesofprojectsiting.
Whycommunitieshavereactedsodifferentlytoprojectsthatdidnothavestronglydivergentphysicalcharacteristics
Whatimprovementswouldbemostbeneficialforsuccessfulwindsiting?
Iwouldliketoseediscussionoftheconsequencesofhugeincreaseinrotorsizeonimpacts;factorslikewindshear,
turbulence,winddirectionandtemperatureinversiononsoundpropagationandfrequencyofnoise;thewayforwardto
accuratepredictionofnoiseimpactandregulationswhichavoidadverseimpactincludingchoosingtherightturbine.
Rangeofprocessandapproachesusedbyhostcommunitiesduringduediligencephase.WHY?Thechallengesof
sitingwindenergyfacilitiessupportsthesharingofwisdomastositingreview
Recommendationsforandillustrationsofuseofscienceinpublicsitingreview
Theabilitytouseanddigestsciencebecomesevercriticalforpublicreviews.
Trendsincommunitybenefitsanduseofpowergeneratedlocally--bothmarketandlegalmodels.
Itisimportanttobringthebenefitsofwindenergyfacilities"home"totheaffectedorhostcommunities.
Tohavespecificexamplesinlocalpoweruseandbenefitswouldbehelpful.
Windresourcesandsiting:whyturbinesneedtobeinhighwindresourcezones
Whyarethosewhoopposewindopposedtoanopen,honestdialog?
Whatcouldwedotoencourageanhonestdiscussionabouttheprosandconsofwind?
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Howdidwindenergy-aclean,renewableenergysourcethatsomanypeoplesupported-becomesuchaproblem?
Whatledtothisverycontroversialissue?
Howtoaddress,withoutminimizingorgivingcredenceto,concernsaboutpotentialimpactsfromwindturbines.
Source(s)andtype(s)ofinformationusedtofacilitatestakeholdersupportforsitingofsuccessfulwindprojects(large
orsmall).
Examplesofsuccessfullysitedwindprojectswherestakeholderconsensuswasreachedandinill-fatedprojectswhere
consensus/agreementfellshortandprojectscouldnotbuilt.
Waystoverifyandcommunicatethereliabilityofinformationusedinsitingwindprojects.
successfulexamplesofstatewidesiteplanningforindustrialwind.
appropriateroleforlocalandcommunityinsitingdecisions.
Howtoapproachdiscussionswiththosethatseemtohavemadeuptheirminds.
PlanB,AcontingencyPlan:(Whatsafetyvalesshouldbeinplacewhendevelopersgobankruptafteraturbineis
installed)
SitingofStateandMunicipalTurbines:Shouldtheseprojectsbeexemptfromregulations?
HowcanweengagetheResidentialcommunity(PrivatedevelopersANDnon-profits)tolookmoreatwindoptionsin
multi-unitprojectsandsub-divisions?
Topicsforwhichmorecredible,independentpublicationswouldbebeneficial.Why?SothatIcanincorporatethese
intofutureWindPoweringAmericaplanningefforts.
Typesofinformationvehiclesthatwouldbebeneficial:factsheets?reports?Anonlinetoolkitforstakeholders?
Why:sameas#1
Adiscussionoftheparticipants'answerstosurveyquestion#7.Why?Sameas#1
Howtomakeusefulinformationmoreaccessibletostakeholders;--Itisimportanttohavestakeholderinvolvement&
theyneedtobewellinformedandhaveaccesstogoodinformation.
Whatcanwe/theprocessdotofacilitatethis?Whatinformationisneededtoreachagreement.Itishelpfultoknow
whatisperceivedtobemissingsowecanfigureoutifitcanbeaddressed.
Whatdowedoaboutopinionsthatwon'tchangeregardlessoffactsordata?Isthereawaytoagreetodisagreeand
moveon?Itwouldbehelpfultoknowbecauseitinformsengagementatalllevels
Howtoconnectcommunityleaders/peerstacklingwindsitingissues
Howtoprovideneutralcontentexpertsavailableforcommunityimpactassessments
Encouragingcommunitiestoincorporateenergyplanningintotheirmasterplanstopreemptoftenemotional
responses.(planahead)
DevelopmentofacomprehensivesetofBALANCED,credibleinformationforeachofthemajortopicsinvolvedinwind
powercitingthatbothrecognizesproblemareasthatarenotwellunderstood/resolved(eghealthimpacts)and
refutes/defusesthemorecommonexaggerationsandmythsthattheantiwindgroupscommonlypropagate.This
needstobedoneinacontextofthecostsofcurrentpowergenerationtechnologies,contrastingtheknownand
potentialimpactsofwindturbineswiththoseoftheconventionalsources.Thehealthimpactsfromnoise/vibration
especiallyneedtobeaddressedinabalancedmannersimilarlytowhattheAcousticEcologyInstitute
(acousticecology.org)hasdone.Reportssuchastherecentonefromthestatethatfailtoadequatelyacknowledgethe
healthimpactstoasignificantnumberofpeopleincloseproximitytoturbinesareeasilydiscreditedbytheanti-wind
organizers.Lackofawellorganizedandavailablesetofbalanced,credibleinformationthatcanbequicklyusedto
defusethewellorganizedpublicmisinformationcampaigns(oftenfearbased)I'veseentheanti-windgroupsrun
resultsinalotofthepublicquicklybecomingmisinformedandpolarizedonthetopics.Therearelegitimateissuesthat
needtobeconsideredbutthepublicdiscourseseemstoquicklydegenerateintostrongopinionsbasedon
misinformation,fearanddistortedperceptionsofreality,overwhelmingthosepolicymakerstryingtobeopenminded
andfactbased.
Preparingsitingdecisionmakerstofilterallinformationbywhereitcomesfrom,tobeskepticalofclaims,assertions
andselectivepresentationofinfo
Educatingthepress
Prioritizingefforts
Whichstatesitingprocessesmosteffectivelyandefficientlymanagediscoveringthestateoftheavailablescientific
informationalongwithconsideringthecompetingstakeholderconcerns,includingtheirfearthatscientificinformation
makesaradicallydifferentconclusionregardingsomethingliketheassociatedhealthimpactsdowntheroador
someone'sopinionthatawindturbineisunsightly?
Establishingthebestprocessisagoodstarttowardsgoodresults.
UsingGIS-basedtoolstodelineatedecibelandshadowflickerfootprints
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TownPlans/ZoningBylawsthatexcludeCommercialWindFacilities-whethertownsshouldbeabletomakedecisions
thatimpactenergyresourceavailabilitytotherestofthestate/region.
HowEuropeanResearchcanbeconveyedintheUnitedStates-ThereisalotofresearchfromEuropeanprojectsthat
aremoreestablishedthantheU.S.projects,andthisdatashouldbetappedintoaswell.
Ihaveoneprimarytopic-howtoreachaconsensusonfacts.Someissues(visualimpact)areinherentlysubjective.
However,thereisahistoryofunwillingnesstoacceptscientificconclusionsanduncertainties,whichpreventsany
foundationforadiscussiontowardsmutualacceptability.
Needforpeer-reviewpublications:Thereisaneedformoreofthepre-andpost-constructionmonitoringexistingdata
tobeopenedtoanalysisandpublishedinpeer-reviewjournals.Oftenmoralityratesarediscussed,buttheyhavebeen
arrivedatthroughpotentiallydifferentmethodologiesandhavenotgonethroughapeer-reviewtovalidatethatthe
conclusionaresupportedbythedata.
Distributionofbenefits(thosebeingimpactedareappropriatelycompensated)-thistopicisveryimportantasit
addressesthekindsofissuesthatmostdis-amenitieshavetodealwith(thatiswhytherearelawsfortakings)and
seemsliketherootofmanyoftheproblems.
publicinvolvementinwindsiting-whatisitsimpactontheultimatesuccessofproject
oppositionvs.support