INTRODUCTION: Below
are some of the documented complaints that we have received over the past year
or so. They are from nineteen Woodstock
area residents, families or households who have given their permission that we
share them publicly. They are representative
of other comments/complaints we have received, both verbally and in writing. The notes are separated by a row of
asterisks, as immediately below, except in one series of notes that were an
e-mail dialogue over several days, where we centered the asterisks in the line
between the messages. Thank you, The
Woodstock Wind Ordinance Committee
March 16, 2012
at 11:47 AM
Thanks for the
information on the Wind Ordinance Committee.
I live in Milton
Twp. approx. 3 mi. from the industrial wind site in Woodstock, so I don't know
what my opinion will matter. I can hear
these things at times when the evening is calm and day to day noise has
subsided. Yes, it is annoying
considering I built out here to get away from town, mill, and traffic
noise. My opinion is these things do not
benefit anyone in this state other than a small amount of tax revenue. They did
create a small number of specialty jobs at unbelievable cost, in my guess, that
was indirectly paid by tax payers, [the working people]. I also wonder if taxes
collected are enough to pay for the road damage that seems worse than normal
this year. Oh, I forgot to mention of
having to look at these things on the mountains that drew me in and make a home
here.
Thanks for
reading,
E. Milton
Resident
April 4, 2012
We purchased our land on Redding Road close to Shagg Pond in
the summer of 2007 with plans to build in the next couple years. We chose the location of the land for its
peace and quiet, for its natural beauty, and for its distance from things
man-made. We had never heard of Patriot
Renewables, and no one in the area had any knowledge of coming wind
turbines.
We built a small cabin in the fall of 2008 and by the summer
of 2010 our dreams to build a small home came true. I remember being on top of the roof in August
of 2010 when a woman pulled up in a car and hollered something to me about
windmills. She asked if she could leave
some papers on the truck windshield and that is the first time I remember hearing
about them. This woman was apparently
opposed to the idea and was trying to gather others who felt the same way. Busy building the house, I didn’t think much
about it.
By the summer of the following year (2011), we were living
there full time but still with a lot of work to do on the house. That is about the time we saw things
beginning to happen. There was talk that
the road up near Concord Pond would be widened and that the logging we were
hearing was to clear space for the wind farm.
Sure enough, things progressed rapidly.
We began to get literature from Patriot Renewables about the
project. We could hear the heavy
equipment and the blasting.
It must have been one day in late November or early December
of 2011 that my wife and I were inside the house and she asked me if I heard
something. After listening, I replied
that it was a jet plane. We didn’t think
much about it until the next day when one of us heard what we thought was
another jet. But this time we kept
listening and the noise never went away.
We realized it couldn’t be a jet unless it was circling the area. We went outside and listened. It was constant. It took a few moments and then it dawned on
us that the sound was the wind turbines.
Having lived with the turbines now for several months, it has
become clear that the noise is loudest to us when the turbines are faced
Northwest and the wind is coming from that direction. Our home is in that path and I guess that’s
why. The wind comes over the blades
directly toward us. What is most
interesting to me is that they seem loudest on the calmer days. That is, if the wind is barely existent, I
can really hear them roaring.
These windmills have definitely impacted our home here. If we had known they would be building them
so close to us, and we’d known about it before we bought the land, we may be
living somewhere else now.
Shagg Pond Resident
4/10/12
(The following
is our summary of verbal conversations with eight people from five households.)
The turbines are
very disturbing! We can’t see them much
from our house, but they are loud, annoying and distracting from all around the
Pond, even down into Sumner on the Redding Rd.
On the east side of the Pond they just loom over you! They have changed the whole atmosphere and
appreciation of the Pond for everyone who lives here, and they’re really going
to devastate the people with camps when they show up!
Some days you
hardly hear them, then others it’s loud much of the day, even indoors with the
windows closed. Quiet nights without
much wind are some of the loudest times.
I hate to think what nights will sound like in warmer weather with the
windows open!
Shagg Pond
Residents
Sent: Monday, April
16, 2012 8:18 AM
Subject: RE: wind ordinance committee
We would like to
voice our concerns about the low level sound emissions from the wind towers. We
are sure they do not violate the decibel levels, but after spending many days
on the pond since March we were both affected by what appears to be the prop
noise. Although they may not violate the approval levels, they certainly will
affect our lives at Concord. We spend a great amount of time there and were
hoping to spend 6 months a year on the pond as we prepare to retire. When the
wind on the pond dies down, it is still windy on the mountain. The only noise
we can hear at that time is the noise from the props. This is a constant
thumping and whooshing that is 24 hours a day. It appears to be affecting our
sleep and we have had headaches the entire time we were there that we can
definitely attribute to the noise. When we leave, the headaches subside within
a few hours.
We are very
concerned about the quality of life. We also hope that you will keep the record
open so that others get a chance to weigh in. Not many people are there at this
time of year, but more are coming back as the weather improves. The once quiet,
serene and remote pond is now going to be a nightmare for many. We expect you
will hear from others when the full impact is known.
We are also very
concerned about the wildlife and the impact this may have on their well-being.
The loons and others are returning as usual, but will this interfere with their
habitat?
Thank you,
A Couple on
Concord Pond
Sent: Wednesday,
April 18, 2012 8:59 AM
To:
<bpwindcomm@oxfordnetworks.net>
RE: Spruce
Mountain Wind Towers and Concord Pond
We are camp
owners on Concord Pond. We recently were
able to get into camp for the first time this season. Our observations and findings regarding the
wind towers were quite upsetting. They
include:
Noise
Turbine noise
that sounds like a plane is just about ready to pass overhead, but never
arrives
Turbine noise
that intermittently produces an unnatural wind sound; whoosh, whoosh, thump
Turbine noise
that reminds you of the buzzing that occurs when a mosquito is around your ear
No escaping the
low sound emissions
Visual
The view from
various places on the pond is destroyed
The simulations
presented by the company did not accurately portray the realty
Our hope is that
observations will be considered should any further wind projects be addressed
by the town.
Thank you,
A Couple on
Concord Pond
Date: 07/27/2012
11:28 AM
Subject:
Woodstock Wind Ordinance
As residents of
Concord Pond in Woodstock we would like to express our concerns about the wind
ordinance being created for the Town of Woodstock.
We support the
committee's efforts to create an ordinance, but we would propose stricter
setbacks and noise levels than the current state standards. We believe these
should be located no closer than 3 miles from any homes and that the decibel
levels should be set lower.
The Spruce
Mountain wind project is an industrial usage in a rural setting. We are
situated on a pond surrounded by mountains and believe this creates a unique
topography that captures the sounds of the towers on Concord Pond. We are
currently spending a great deal of time on the pond and are experiencing sound
levels and types of sounds that are detrimental to our health. The towers may not be above the levels
required, but they are too close and repetitive. We are approximately 1.5 miles
away but have been experiencing headaches, lack of sleep and are aware of a
pulsing background noise. Some days are quiet and some are nearly unmanageable.
We understand
that the Spruce Mountain project is completed and will probably not be affected
by the ordinance. We hope that
Woodstock residents will take into consideration what has and is happening to
some of their neighbors as a result of the current project and create an
ordinance that will protect everyone from future development.
Respectfully, a
Couple on Concord Pond
Date: 07/16/2012
08:59 PM
To:
<bpwindcomm@oxfordnetworks.net>
Subject: RE:
Woodstock Wind Ordinance
I have contacted
the Spruce Mountain hotline and been on the phone with Dawn Hallowell of Maine
DEP and Tetra, Patriots acoustical people. Tetra is meeting me at our camp at
Concord Pond tomorrow (Tuesday) at 12:30 PM to set up a 5 hour monitoring. Dawn
asked them for the monitoring data from the remote monitoring site on the
Concord Pond side of Spruce Mountain, and apparently there is no data as the
mice have eaten the wires. Convenient!
A Concord Pond
Resident
From: Hallowell, Dawn <Dawn.Hallowell@maine.gov>
Date: Thu, Jul 19, 2012 at 12:31 PM
Subject: RE: Sound Monitoring for SMW
A mouse did eat the wires and data was not available for the date of the
Concord Pond resident’s complaint. SMW is responsible for getting it back up
and running until the Department has reviewed and issued a decision regarding
its pending amendment application to stop the requirement of continuous sound
monitoring at the facility.
Dawn Hallowell,
Licensing & Compliance Manager, Central Maine Region
Department of Environmental Protection
17 State House Station | Augusta ME 04333
From: Hallowell,
Dawn [mailto:Dawn.Hallowell@maine.gov]
Sent: Monday,
August 06, 2012 2:57 PM
Subject: FW:
Spruce Sound complaint
Mr. ----------
Here is a copy
of the TechEnvironmental report from the monitoring conducted on July 17, 2012
in response to a complaint you filed on July 15.
The Department
agrees with its expert and finds that the project was operating in compliance
on both July 17 & 19 2012.
Dawn Hallowell
Licensing &
Compliance Manager, Central Maine Region
Department of
Environmental Protection
Date: 08/07/2012
12:49 PM
To:
"'Hallowell, Dawn”, Maine DEP
CC: Woodstock
Wind Committee
Subject: RE:
Spruce Sound complaint
Ms Dawn Hallowell
There are
several points I would like to touch on concerning the sound test report done
on July 17 by Tech Environmental.
First
of all the noise level that I witnessed during the sound test on July 17th was
NOT at the same level as when the complaint was made on July 15th. The sound technician reports in the paragraph
on page 2 of the report, and I quote, “The SMW turbines operated under wind
conditions that produced maximum sound power on July 17 (hub-height winds above
8 m/s), and operated at a higher level than at the time of the complaint on
July 15 when hub-height average wind speeds were below 8 m/s. Power production
by the four closest turbines (T8 through T11) at the time of the complaint
totaled 1,103 kW and were relatively low all day on July 15. By comparison,
power production by these same four turbines during the sound compliance test
was higher, in the range of 1,699 kW to 2,397 kW." He then makes the assumption that, “Thus,
there is a greater POTENTIAL for turbine sound impacts during the test on July
17 than at the time of the noise complaint on July 15.” I can attest that on July 15 (for whatever
reason) the noise was much louder than on the day of the sound test July
17. Conditions were not the same as
Tetra contended, as I was at the camp on both days!
Secondly, I
would like to say that the jet sound we hear at the pond is from the turbines
and not a jet going overhead. There is a difference as the Jet goes away;
however, the turbine jet sound varies with wind direction and may not go away
for hours. I point to the local Bethel Citizen weekly newspaper released on
July 26 2012. The headlines are, “Neighbors of Spruce Mountain Wind complain of
‘aircraft’, ‘freight train’ like sounds”, and these claims are made by several
people, not just me - whom the sound technician quickly, (without any basis),
dismisses.
After several
days of quietness and low level noise on Concord Pond, (during which time the
towers appeared to be shut down for hours at a time), the towers once again
reached the level of great annoyance on August 4. At approximately 10:30 –
11:00pm on August 4 until 1:00am on August 5, and again between approximately
5:00 am – 7: am August 5, the towers were very annoying. I called in the
complaint on the morning of August 6 as I did not have the hotline number with
me at the time it was occurring. Spruce Mountain Wind’s representative
immediately called me back and stated that he was talking to a Concord Pond
resident with a camp on the opposite end of the lake from us, and that camp
owner stated that a plane was buzzing the pond at approximately 11:15 on the
night of August 4. I acknowledged that there was a helicopter that passed over
our end of the pond directly over our camp, and it appeared to be a life
flight. It passed over our camp at low level and was gone in less than 15
seconds. It later returned on its path presumably to the Lewiston/Auburn
facilities approximately ½ hour later, again being gone from hearing distance
within 15 seconds. No plane was buzzing
the pond. Before, during, and for some time after the helicopter had returned -
the wind towers were very annoying. Whoosh – Whoosh and an occasional distant
jet sound was present. This reoccurred
in the morning of August 5 between 5am and 7am.
Conclusion:
The SMW representative has told me they are working on the problem to
try and see what is going on, so as to come up with a solution. I appreciate
this and offer my services in any way I might be of help. I for one love
Concord Pond and hope to be able to spend many more years enjoying what Concord
Pond has offered in the past: quiet solitude at night with daytime sounds of
kids and loons enjoying the pond.
Witnessing what
I have so far this summer on the few times I have been able to go to the pond –
I believe that a return to this is not likely going to happen. I believe that further setbacks are required
in the mountain regions, especially within the reaches of our ponds, as evident
with Concord.
I do hope
however, that this can be resolved at Concord Pond so that my only resort is
NOT to try and find another water body to reside on.
Thank you for your
help
Sincerely,
A Concord Pond
Resident
Date: 08/08/2012
09:04 AM
To:
<bpwindcomm@oxfordnetworks.net>
Subject: Sound
test
I meant to
attach this to the last email.
FYI, SMW is
holding a meeting at the wind tower maintenance building on the Shagg Pond Road
@ 6pm on 8/14/2012. They are getting together to hammer out details on setting
up a two-week sound study at the north end of the Pond. I have been invited to
attend – which I will. I will keep you informed if you are not invited.
My biggest
concerns are that the test is being put together with Spruce Mountain Wind’s
knowledge. I feel it’s like the fox
protecting the chicken pen. I think that a third party sound test should be
done on a surprise basis during a time at which they do not know they are being
monitored. Because SMW can, at all
times, control the speed of the turbines, they are currently at the controls of
all test results. I for one am not comfortable with this conflict of interest.
I understand it
is a step in the right direction and welcome the test, but hold little
confidence, at this time, that it will accurately depict the levels we are
hearing at random times on the pond. I suspect that this is not the last step.
A Concord Pond
Resident
Date: 07/19/2012
04:21 PM
To:
bpwindcomm@oxfordnetworks.net
Subject: Please
support wind turbine ordinance
Dear Woodstock
Residents,
I am writing to
ask your support for the ordinance to put regulations and controls in place
concerning wind power in our town. Wind energy companies and town governments
must improve their communication with property owners, and compensate owners
most negatively impacted.
Impact:
I am a long time
summer resident. My family bought a cottage on the East Shore of Shagg Pond 40
plus years ago. Four generations of my family have come to enjoy the quiet
peaceful landscape, listen to the loons and swim in the refreshing waters of
Shagg Pond. Each family member has been shocked upon arriving this summer to
find 3 huge wind turbines looming above and directly in front of our cottage.
We can see and hear 9 turbines but 3 are so close, and at times so loud, that
our cottage environment is no longer peaceful.
Poor
Communication:
The town never
sent any official, unbiased information to out-of-town tax payers so the only
source of information we received was from Patriot Energy. Public Meetings were
advertised only in newspapers that summer residents don’t typically subscribe
to. As summer residents we were left out of the loop and the wind turbines are
a done deal without us having any input.
Misleading
Information:
When I heard
about the wind turbines from a year-round resident I called Patriot Energy. The
information I was given was misleading and the only information they offered
was via their website and infrequent newsletter. I was told that they would not
be visible from Shagg Pond and I would only be able to see the turbines if I
could see the meteorological test tower.
From my view, the test tower was off to the side and partially hidden.
Turns out, the turbines are VERY visible from my east shore. I directly face
them and they are 400 feet high. Nothing to block the sound or sight. When it
is windy the noise is terrible. WUMP, WUMP, WUMP - plus a jet plane going
overhead, but it never passes.
Loss without
compensation:
I assumed that I
would be receiving a tax abatement since my property has obviously lost
value. The town does not plan to do
re-assessments. I was told they rely only on sales data, so until someone sells
their property, there will be no abatements. All the cottages on the east shore
have been passed down through generations, so the families who have lost
property value and quality of life will not be compensated in any way - No
reduction in energy costs and no tax abatement. This is very unfair. I feel
like I have been robbed!
A Shagg Pond
Family
Date: 07/19/2012
02:22 PM
To:
bpwindcomm@oxfordnetworks.net
My wife and I
have owned our camp on Shagg Pond for approximately 10 years. We live and work
in Brunswick, Maine. Our camp has provided us with a sanctuary and escape from
the daily grind for many years. Shagg Pond has always been abundant in natural
beauty and solitude, and I have always felt very fortunate to own a small piece
of property so rich in beauty and so close to home.
When describing
my camp, I would tell my friends that it felt like being in a far- away place.
The only sounds were those of nature; wind, water, loons and the occasional
passing motorist or barking dog.
Last year I was
informed of the Patriot Wind Energy turbine project. I read everything
available, including the noise propagation study, to prepare myself for the
coming shift. I am a retired paper mill electrical engineer, so technology is
something I understand and appreciate.
I watched with
interest as the turbine construction advanced and was finally completed. I even
took the tour to get a closer look at the completed project. My first
experience visiting my camp after turbine startup was discouraging. The wind
direction was such that the turbines atop Spruce Mt. were in a direct line with
my camp. The noise was something akin to the low deep rumble of a freight train
in combination with a passing jet aircraft. I was disheartened by the noise but
also in the realization that Shagg Pond would never again be the magnificent
natural sanctuary many generations had loved and treasured for so long.
Being an
engineer, I mostly consider myself unlucky.
We are told that wind turbine technology is the future. My camp was once
a gem. Now, not so much. More care in planning and execution of turbine siting
could virtually eliminate or greatly reduce much of the public anger. The 2
most northerly turbines closest to Shagg Pond likely contribute 90% of the
noise radiated to the Shagg Pond basin.
As with all
large revenue producing projects, economics are at play. Low density
residential areas present a low economic risk, when measured against litigation
costs and the intangible cost of public protests.
An intelligent
compromise is real and exists within the ordinance that is being presented by
local Woodstock residents. An ordinance will empower the town and provide
protection to its citizens to the extent defined by its citizens. Patriot Wind
Energy is motivated by profits. Period. I don't doubt they have an interest in
being a good corporate neighbor. But an ordinance is like insurance, ready and
available, only when needed. It helps
encourage and enforce a process of checks and balances, protecting all
citizens.
My wife and I
accept the Patriot Wind Energy project as it exists, but strongly believe a
well written ordinance would encourage the implementation of best practices
into the management of future wind projects.
Sincerely,
A Couple on Shagg Pond
Date: 08/07/2012
06:01 AM
Subject: Loud
Days
Saturday night
and all day Sunday were excessive. We were with friends on the south end of the
Pond, and they thought it loud, too. We will not forget to call you the next
time! We will be back up on Saturday until
Tuesday. Thanks for your concern!
A Couple on
Concord Pond
Date: 08/08/2012
05:45 PM
To:
bpwindcomm@oxfordnetworks.net
Subject: Loud
Days
Very loud this
morning between 4:40 say till about 6:00.
Thanks,
Shagg Pond
Resident
Date: 08/10/2012
08:50 PM
To:
<bpwindcomm@oxfordnetworks.net>
Subject: RE:
Sound test
Thanks for your
suggestion of inviting Committee and other interested Woodstock residents to
our end of the pond to hear the turbines when they are loud. It would probably be best that you bring people to the public boat ramp at
Concord Pond to observe the towers rather than to someone’s private
property.
We need to stop
this assault on the public as they are unaware of what is about to happen to
them if a project is within their hearing range. We will likely have to
relocate to reach the serenity that we have known at Concord Pond for so many
years, but if we can save one other family from the same demise, we are here to
help!
Thanks for
listening and for your support,
A Concord Pond
Resident
Date: 08/13/2012
03:16 PM
To:
<bpwindcomm@oxfordnetworks.net>
Re: A Neighbor’s
Complaint
We have a camp
on the north end of Concord Pond, and a neighbor told us today of her recent
turbine noise experience. Late last week
she was jogging with her I-Pod on, and the wind tower noise was so loud it was
interfering with her hearing the songs. She said that she called the Spruce
Mountain Wind hotline, but no one has gotten back to her. I wonder if that might be due to the
recommendation of Patriot’s acoustical people that they no longer address noise
complaints from our side of the pond!
The relevant
parts of Tech Environmental’s report following their investigation into other
recent noise complaints are pasted below:
August 13, 2012
Ms. Dawn Hallowell, Licensing &
Compliance Manager, Maine DEP
Re: Independent Review of the Noise
Complaints from the north end of Concord Pond, August 4, 5, and 6, Spruce
Mountain Wind
Tech Environmental, Inc. (TE) has completed
an independent review of the noise complaints lodged by X and Y. X called on
August 6 and stated the “towers were really annoying” on Saturday August 4
starting at 11 p.m., and again on Sunday August 5 at 5 a.m. Y called twice,
first at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 5 and said the “towers are quite loud,”
and again at 6:40 a.m. on Monday August 6.
Conclusions Regarding Future Complaints
From the measurements and data analyzed in
the two sets of complaints regarding the X and Y properties on July 24-25 and
August 4-6, and from the measurements TE made on X’s property on July 17, it is
my professional opinion that any turbine related sounds heard on the north side
of Concord Pond will not exceed 45 dBA at their properties on Concord Pond.
Forty-five dBA is the lowest Maine DEP sound limit in the SMW SLOD permit.
Thus, there is no need for Tech Environmental to do a quantitative analysis of
sound levels in response to any future complaints that may be received from
residents on the north side of Concord Pond.
Sincerely yours,
TECH ENVIRONMENTAL, INC.
Peter H. Guldberg, INCE, CCM
I
for one am outraged!!!
A
Concord Pond Resident
Date: 8/30/2012
08:20 AM
Dear Wind Committee,
Today is a good day to come and listen to the windmills near our house. They
are as loud as I have heard them, especially persistent and disconcerting. The
weather is clear with no wind in our valley but a northerly wind on the ridge.
Shagg Pond Resident
Date: 09/20/2012
06:16 AM
Subject: RE: SMW Noise Test
I called the SMW hot line again this last weekend. It has been awful. We
believe that now it is September and the winds are more prominent, we may be
hearing them a bit more like they would normally be prior to the quieter spell
of the previous two or three weeks. If that is the case, I don't see how we
will survive. My husband is hearing it at night now and understands the blood
sounds in our heads while trying to sleep.
The Sound Study equipment is still on the shore of the Pond, and we've heard no
responses or calls from anyone about its results. The blood noise I mention
above is what happens at night. I wake up and my head aches and is pounding. I
had one night that the pain was so bad I could not lift my head from the
pillow. My husband and I compared notes and it feels like our blood
pressure/pulse are reverberating in our heads in sync with the towers. This
weekend the windows were closed because it was cold and the noise was not as
loud, but I still woke up every hour or so with the pounding. I’m hoping to
find time to read some articles on wind turbine syndrome. We also spend more
time at our camp than nearly anyone else on the pond. That may be why we are
more in tune to them.
Prior to the last few weeks it was loud only on random days. Since Labor Day
(or thereabouts) it seems to be 24/7 every weekend. The wind is obviously more
prominent now. Think we just had such a hot, quiet summer that it was not
happening that often. All visitors have noticed and said that it may be below
the requirements, but that it not something that they could live with. We have
tried to keep an open mind and see if we can live with it, but after the last
three weekends it doesn't bode well.
We are devastated. We are currently in the process of selling our house - on
the market two days and already have an offer! So we will not make any
decisions yet as we need to wait until we are resettled.
I know this is the emotional part, but this was our dream. We have had a tough
life and the last few years have been good to us, so we were able to buy a camp
and help make a dream come true. We searched for two years for something we
could afford, and we have been so happy there. We know we will not get what we
paid for it 5 years ago, let alone the money we have put into it structurally.
When we purchased it the front porch was totally rotten, there was no outhouse
and the camp was falling over. We have put our hearts and souls into this and
still had so many plans. We had hoped to
live there six months of the year starting in 2013.
A Couple on Concord Pond
Date: 09/20/2012
11:04 AM
To:
<bpwindcomm@oxfordnetworks.net>
Subject: RE: SMW
Noise Test
Dear Committee:
Noise at Concord
Pond was awful Saturday the 15th and seems to be getting worse with the climate
change and foliage drop. My wife and I have decided that we will ready the camp
for sale as it is obvious that we will no longer enjoy the serenity of the
pond. We do not see the towers from our camp and thought we had dodged a bullet
- how untrue. We sit on the deck and start to read a book or do some studying
and low and behold the wind changes and the sound of the towers breaks our
solitude.
I am truly
saddened by the fact that the project was allowed to be sighted where it is and
hope that the town of Woodstock and DEP officials realize that if they allow
the project to expand that it will affect others elsewhere in town. Maybe it
will be one of them next time! I wish this on no one and am happy for the
townspeople who say they can't hear them or they are not bothered by them. I wish I were one of them.
I can only hold
to the great many memories since first coming here in the early 50's and wish
the rest of Woodstock the best in the future with whatever they decide. I
cannot have a vote as I am not a resident. Time to move on.
Best wishes –
A Woodstock
Property Owner and Concord Pond Resident
Date:
12/01/2012 08:35 AM
(Phone Message)
I wanted to let you know the windmills are the loudest we've ever heard them
this morning. They are absolutely
roaring. The noise started a couple
hours ago and woke us up. Please stop over
if you can to get a dB reading.
Shagg Pond Resident
Date
12/01/2012 10:02 AM
(Phone Message
from same person as directly above)
If you didn’t
get my earlier message, don’t come over.
The noise has died down in the last twenty minutes or so, and there’s
now not much volume to measure. Sorry we
missed you on the phone earlier.
Shagg Pond
Resident
Date: 12/01/2012
09:05 AM
(e-mail from a different resident than the two phone calls,
above.)
Just wanted to let you know the windmills are the loudest we've ever heard
right now. We have music playing and the washer running and the noise is roaring
above them.
Shagg Pond Resident
Date: 03/06/2013
02:15 PM
To:
"news@bethelcitizen.com" <news@bethelcitizen.com>
Subject: Please
support the wind ordinance for Woodstock
I applaud the
members of the Woodstock wind ordinance committee for their dedication and work
on the wind ordinance. Assuming the
voters of Woodstock support the ordinance, their sacrifice of time and energy
will benefit us and future generations who value the beauty and peace of our
lovely western mountains by preventing further degradation of our landscape.
My family has
owned a rustic cabin on Shagg pond in Woodstock for over 40 years. Each spring
the extended family negotiates for their vacation time in the quiet and
solitude of the pond. It is such a respite from the stress and demands of our
lives. We were all extremely disappointed last summer to arrive and be
confronted with 9 wind turbines directly in front of the cottage. Even more
disturbed by the loud jet plane noise that came up at random times during our
stays and often did not recede for hours.
We, as summer
residents, although tax payers, were poorly informed of the plans for these
turbines, had no say in their approval and are receiving no benefit from their
electricity. We discovered that one of my brothers, who lives in Concord,
Mass., actually has the choice to choose the green energy generated by these
turbines.
I urge residents
to support the wind ordinance and its efforts to limit noise and intrusion of
further wind turbines on the landscape of our area.
Thank you,
A Long-Time
Shagg Pond Resident
Date:
3/6/13
To: Letter to the Editor, Bethel Citizen
To those that have an interest in the wind towers of Woodstock, Maine, I would
encourage your support of a wind ordinance.
As a camp owner on Big Concord Pond, I am writing to offer my insight
and perspective on the importance of a wind ordinance for every town, large or
small. Our camp was the first built on this remote wilderness pond, and it was
positioned with stunning mountain views to the South. We enjoy afternoon sun, a
steady breeze off the water and gorgeous sunsets.
We were not happy at the original prospect of the wind tower farm for all the
reasons presented from previous projects, such as noise, flicker, flash and the
ominous presence of the massive towers and blades. Unfortunately the camp owners of Big Concord
Pond do not live in Woodstock and had no vote on the towers being permitted.
The wind towers have been very bothersome when the
atmospheric conditions are present to perpetuate certain issues. When the
blades are positioned toward the sun, (with a westerly wind and afternoon
western sun position), there is a reflective "flash" for each blade
of each wind tower and a "flicker" shadow from each blade of every tower.
These words- flash and flicker- held little true meaning until we experienced
the effect for ourselves. With eight towers in
our direct view, we have 24 blades spinning, catching this reflective flash and
flicker. It is quite hard to look in the direction of the towers when this
occurs. It literally causes some to have seizures, headache, nausea or
dizziness...it definitely causes distress.
The noise is a real problem, as well. When there is a high level wind blowing
toward the pond and the pond has little or no wind at the lower levels, the
noise is quite irritating- even inside the cottage. This is a common
occurrence, as the pond is situated in a mountain bowl. Another big
change to our vista is the night sky. On dark nights when the best night view
was of only shooting stars, we now look at flashing red tower lights.
The biggest impact to us, however, has been a business issue. In 1996 we began
a vacation rental business. The Cottage became one of our several rental
properties for families to enjoy in the summer weeks. We have consistently
rented it between 7 and 10 weeks each summer through fall. The remote area, no
electricity, serene, private location and great mountain views were our
advertising promotional points. With the wind towers’ construction, we felt an
obligation to our clients to inform them of the wind towers.
This is what one of our advertising sites says, "The Lake Cottage is a
vintage Maine camp set within feet of the sandy beach of Concord Pond. It has a
large grass yard, with a fire pit and babbling springtime stream in the back
yard. There is much privacy with a small camp on one side and conservation land
on the other. The water front is very private with southern mountain views and
a dock with canoe for your use. This is a remote mountain pond that is very
serene. The area has no electricity which adds to the charm. The cabin is
equipped with gas lights and appliances and has cold running water, gravity fed
from the mountain stream. A true off the grid
experience, with the ironic twist that the south-west views are of a modern
wind farm supplying green energy to the rest of New England."
Even with a bad economy for several past years we have still done very well
with summer rentals as this is a reasonable summer vacation without a lot of
travel expense for New England families. This past summer, however, with the
presence of the towers was quite a different scenario. The loss of business at
the Cottage was dramatic. Several long time renters opted to look for another
location. With our tax returns finished for 2012, our revenue at the camp was
off by almost exactly 60% over the income from 2011.
I strongly urge residents to approve a wind ordinance before further damage is
done.
Thank You,
A Concord Pond
Cottage Owner
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