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Sunday, June 3, 2012

On hold?

Encore Redevelopment has requested the application for both of the Derby Line Wind Turbines to be withdrawn without prejudice (meaning they may re-apply). The have stated they will not seek to re-apply for the Smugglers Hill turbine, however that they will re-apply for the Grand View Farm Turbine in 2013.

The response from the PSB remains to be seen so we do not yet know the full status of these projects.

See this article in the Orleans County Record for more information: http://orleanscountyrecord.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=32&ArticleID=24740

Sheffield Wind Tour Was Smoke And Mirrors

The tour of Sheffield’s wind turbines led by Chad Farrell of Encore Redevelopment was about as educational as a visit to The Land of Oz. As Mr. Farrell continues his attempts to saddle residents of Derby, Holland, and Stanstead,Quebec with taller than the Statue of Liberty industrial installations,
 he should be aware of some basic facts.
The audible noise from industrial wind turbines in northern Vermont  will be louder at night and during winter when wind speeds are higher. The town officials who accepted Mr. Farrell’s invitation
 should pay an unannounced visit  to the Sheffield wind turbines
on a windy night in January, and remain there until 2:30 in the morning.
While the mechanical noise from industrial wind turbines has been mitigated by the use of
direct drive technology,  the direct drive has no effect on the passage of air over
 the turbine’s blades. The resulting noise, called amplitude modulation,
increases with the speed of the blades’ rotation. Amplitude modulation can be heard at
considerable distance from the turbine, and paradoxically, can be harder to
hear closer to the turbine. Since the noise increases with the speed of the turbine’s blades,
decreasing the  blade speed decreases the noise.  Modern turbines  are embedded with
modules that allow them to be monitored remotely.
The low-frequency noise from  wind turbines is made up of long wavelengths that
penetrate walls and buildings. Some nearby residents experience debilitating health symptoms ,
including tachycardia, dizziness, difficulty breathing, anxiety, panic attacks, disorientation,
tinnitus,and  insomnia.   The Wind Industry dismisses the mounting
evidence of documented ill effects as anecdotal or psychosomatic. Try telling that to the
people who have walked away from their homes,  for many their biggest financial asset, after
industrial wind turbines went up nearby.

Start with the D’Entremont family of Abrams River, Nova Scotia, then talk to Noel Dean of Waubra, Australia.  Talk to Ayssa Ashley, the teen who with her family fled the Shirley Wind Project in Glenmore, Wisconsin.  Listen to Neil Andersen of Falmouth, Massachusetts, and Barbara Ashbee of Shelburne, Ontario. Then spend some time with the people of Mars Hill,Maine,  Tug Hill, New York,  Meyersdale, PA,  and Cornwall,U.K.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture, with  38,000 farm members has called for a
suspension of industrial wind turbines due to the growing number of people affected by them.
In Wisconsin the Brown County Board of Health adopted a resolution calling for emergency
funds to aid and help relocate families suffering because of proximity to industrial wind
turbines. First One, one of two turbines in Falmouth, Massachusetts, had to be shut down
because of the negative health impacts on nearby residents.
Judging the acceptability of industrial wind turbines based on a tour of Sheffield’s turbines
led by a wind developer who stands to reap substantial financial gain for himself and his
 investors is like concluding that Alcatraz ain’t so bad when all you’ve seen is
the Magic Kingdom. The belief that 40 story electrical installations with blade sweep
the diameter of a football field would have no negative impacts on residents of Derby,
Holland and Stanstead, Quebec is wishful wishing upon a star.
Maybe if we close our eyes, click our heels three times, and hold fast to Toto, we’ll find
that Chad Farrell and his monster wind turbines was only a bad dream.

Editorial/Opinion: Daria Mon Desire

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Welcome!

The Holland and Derby Citizens for Responsible Energy site and blog will serve as a clearing house of information initially concerning the proposed "Derby Line Wind" project put forth by Encore Redevelopment of Burlington, VT.


We will post relevant information about the project, upcoming meetings and information for citizens of both the US and Canada so that their voice may be heard.

Initially we will post several posts and links here in an attempt to catch up with the process.

Stay tuned...