Met Tower on Peaks Island

Comment

Comment by Long Islander on December 5, 2011 at 11:03am

Well, it looks as though Peaks Island has wisely given up on wind power.

Wind

Minutes from November 7, 2011

Monday, November 28, 2011 - 17:00

In what is probably his final wind report, Sam said he would suggest to the wind group that the remainder of their funds be added to PEAT’s general expense budget.

They have stopped meeting, but still plan to send comments to Efficiency Maine as to how they could incorporate more useful information into their final report.

Minutes from October 3, 2011

Monday, November 28, 2011 - 16:44

Wind report

The wind group is winding down its operations, having received a final report finding that we simply do not have enough wind on Peaks. First, however, they plan to push for a more useful document than they found the report to be in its current form.

Minutes from September 6, 2011

Monday, November 28, 2011 - 15:01

Wind report

Shortly after the tower was removed, Sam got a report from the University of Maine that our site was not viable. He forwarded that to Lawrence Mott and Mick Wormsley, who had slightly differing takes on the wind results. The core wind group will meet with them to discuss it all and decide whether to fish or cut bait.

Minutes from July 14, 2011

Thursday, July 28, 2011 - 12:30

Wind report - what happened at Tuesday night meeting about wind ordinance in Portland

Sam attended the meeting and reports that not many changes were made from the original draft of the ordinance, which would limit turbines to a height of 160 feet in some recreational and open-space areas. He said, though, that it would b e possible to appeal for a variance in special cases. For residential areas, the zoning height limit of 45 feet – although an improvement on the first draft proposal of 35- pretty much makes it an impossibility.

http://greenerpeaks.org/minutes

Comment by Linda Miller on October 4, 2010 at 8:20pm

I am just back from closing our summer cottage on Long Island. As I went past the island returning to Portland, I couldn't help picturing in my mind's eye what that beautiful island would look like with wind turbines erected there. My cottage is a large, well-maintained old Victorian style which sits high above Front Beach overlooking Casco Bay. It has been in our family since 1942. With one stroke of a pen our enjoyment of our cottage and the solitude it has always offered could well be forever changed. Do you suppose we will still be able to hear the waves on the beach or the sounds of the ferries going by; or will that be blocked out by the noise of wind turbines? And how about the strobe effect of the turning blades in the sunlight? Better yet, what happens if the turbine catches fire and causes damage to neighboring structures? That has been known to happen. The blades also throw ice during the winter, if they can even be counted on to work at all in icy conditions. I guess I could go on and on, but those who approve of wind energy would just call me a NIMBY. And, of course, I have to admit that I am (and proud of it!). I have not been given any reason not to be. I want to help the environment as much as the next person. But, this is not the means by which we can do that. If Peaks Island goes along with this plan, they should call it "Peaks' Folly."

Comment by Long Islander on October 1, 2010 at 2:06pm

"According to the 2000 census, Peaks Island is home to 843 year round residents, but in the summer its population swells up to 6,000." -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaks_Island,_Maine

TRANSLATION: The 843 year round residents will receive a massive artificial subsidy in kind if they can get the 5,157 summer residents to fund the turbine(s) year round but only draw on the electricity production for a few weeks of the year.

Comment by Whetstone_Willy on October 1, 2010 at 8:54am

Peaks is a GREAT island. One never regrets a day trip to Peaks. Everything from the beautiful houses and gardens to the sweeping views of distant Calendar Islands in Casco Bay makes Peaks a very special place. Although only a 20 minute ferry ride from the Old Port in Portland, you feel like you are much further away when taking in this jewel of an island.

Hopefully Peaks will avoid making their quiet and beautiful retreat sound like the Portland Jetport. The island is less than two miles long x one mile wide at its widest point, meaning a 400' whirring industrial monster will significantly alter the soundscape for a good portion of the island.

I hope that the good residents of Peaks take Brad Blake up on his offer.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is -- and if a newly installed wind turbine in your community sounds too bad to be true, we told you so.

Comment by Brad Blake on September 30, 2010 at 11:51pm

I just sent the following to the Peaks Island people:

As consideration of a wind project moves forward, I expect that you will be fair and open to consideration of all aspects of what has become a controversial issue. To be fair to all residents of Peaks Island, you need to have a deliberate and transparent process. Have presentations by more than just those who sing the praises of these huge industrial machines, but also hear from people who have been affected by them and acoustics experts like Robert Rand. Also, consider information such as the following, an excerpt from a presentation given to the Lincoln Town Council, as a huge "red flag":

"To allow issuance of a building permit is to condemn the health and well being of many citizens of Lincoln. Of the three industrial wind sites that are located near where people live, all three are out of compliance with state noise limits in the licenses. All three use the same GE 1.5 MW turbines that First Wind proposes to use in the Rollins Project.

At Mars Hill, it is well known that noise has been such a problem that the state granted a variance from 45 dBA to 50 dBA and there are still noise readings that exceed the higher limit. When Dr. Michael Nissenbaum issued his findings in 2010 from his medical study at Mars Hill, he recommended a 7000-foot setback for public health. There has been no remediation by First Wind, so residents of East Ridge Road and Mountain Road must resort to suing First Wind.

Just a few weeks ago, at Vinalhaven, the State DEP’s own noise consultant, Warren Brown, after analyzing sound studies resulting from complaints, wrote: “there exists a significant body of consistent meteorological and sound data indicating sound levels greater than applicable limits. Substantial changes are recommended for FIW nighttime operations, limiting WTG sound levels at ML-A to 45 dBA.”

In May of this year, Acoustics expert Robert Rand of Brunswick revealed the results of his research at Freedom, indicating that noise at that site was substantially out of compliance with 45 dBA more than one mile from the turbines. His report is being finalized for presentation to the DEP. In the first publication of his findings, in an article co-written with another acoustics engineer, Stephen Ambrose, they state: “Currently there is no effective, reliable noise mitigation for wind turbines of this size other than shutdown. Therefore, at this time it appears appropriate that proposed wind turbine sites should position wind turbines at least one mile away from residential properties and further for sites with more than one wind turbine.” Ambrose and Rand are both members of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering and highly respected in their field.

Mr. Rand is also on record, when asked in a public forum in May 2010, about the Rollins Project, as stating that due to the way sound is reflected from water surfaces and atmospheric conditions, hundreds of seasonal residents and year round residents on the Lincoln lakes will be adversely affected by noise."

The Citizens Task Force on Wind Power, the state wide coalition of local groups concerned with wind power sites in Maine, has numerous speakers available to participate in forums concerning wind: economists, engineers, doctors, acoustics experts, and others. You may contact us by email to: Brad Blake, bblake02@maine.rr.com

See their wind power page: http://greenerpeaks.org/windpower

Comment by alice mckay barnett on September 30, 2010 at 9:46pm

we have to help every town facing this in the world. Stop making huge wind turbines.

Comment by Linda Miller on September 30, 2010 at 10:19am

Guess we all need to get the word out to the innocent and foolish residents of our beautiful state before it is destroyed. That's why I belong to a wonderful organization, Friends of the Highland Mts, here in Lexington. We have been battling "big wind" for more than a year now. The work never ends. But, we keep on because we know we have no choice if we want to protect our state from the destruction that is facing it. We have to give it our all.

Comment by Art Brigades on September 30, 2010 at 9:17am

Interfaith advertises "1 Wind Watt = 1,000 Kw/Hrs" for monthly usage at $20 per Wind Watt. The commercial REC buy/sell market sells from $5 to $90 per 1 Mw/Hr, with the current spot market around $25-$30 Mw/Hr. They boast of 1,000 customers, so 20 X 1,000 = $20,000 in monthly revenue and $25-$30 in cost to buy the 1 Mw/Hr REC from a renewable generator (1 Mw/Hr = 1,000 X 1,000 Kw/Hrs). Not bad work if you can find it. Alas, the faithful think it is God's work.

Comment by Art Brigades on September 30, 2010 at 9:16am

There's a nice gentleman named Sam Saltonstall there who is leading the effort. He has no clue. For proof of that, know that he is one of the blind faithful in the Interfaith Power and Light group. This is the outfit that makes Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Jones look viable for canonization. IPL scams well-intentioned consumers by making them believe they are buying wind power, then laughing all the way to the bank with their ponzi inflated renewable energy credits. Lambs to the slaughter is an eerily poignant description, Linda.

Comment by Linda Miller on September 30, 2010 at 8:46am

I guess if Peaks Island decides to go ahead with erecting wind turbines on Peaks, it won't be long before the rest of the islands follow suit. It's like leading lambs to slaughter. They are clueless.

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