Submitted to the Buffalo News in response to opinion piece there, yet to be published.
"First, Do No Harm"
Claims in Dr. Lockwood’s 4/12/15 opinion piece, "No evidence of health damage caused by wind turbines," deserve scrutiny to prevent further damages, and perpetration of a consumer fraud, upon all New York State (NYS) taxpayers and ratepayers.
Dismissing the lengthy list of well-documented
problems being experienced world-wide by those now stuck living TOO CLOSE to
industrial wind factories, without examining the volumes of information now
available on the subject, is contrary to the doctor's moral code: "First, do no harm."
So many neighbors were complaining in Wisconsin,
that Duke's Shirley wind factory was dubbed a “Human
Health Hazard." Here in western New York, Orangeville citizens
are now suing
for $40 Million due to the negative effects they are experiencing from turbines
sited too close to their homes. Though officials have known
about the problems caused by wind turbine ‘infrasound’ for decades, tapping
into taxpayers’ wallets is trumping the health and safety of rural citizens
everywhere.
NYS officials admitted they knew 'infrasound'
from wind turbines was a problem worldwide at NYSERDA’s June, 2009 meeting specific to
wind.
Former NYS Public Service Commission Noise
Control Engineer, Dr. Dan Driscoll, testified that 'infrasound' (sounds below
20 Hz) are sounds you can’t hear, but that the body can feel. Dr. Driscoll said that 'infrasound' is
NOT blocked by walls of homes, and it can very negatively affect the human body
- especially after prolonged, continuous exposure. He said symptoms include headache, nausea, sleeplessness,
dizziness, ringing in the ears, etc. (Sleeplessness can lead to numerous
health issues.)
NYS Dept of Health official, Dr. Jan Storm,
reported that they knew 'infrasound' associated with wind turbines is a problem
worldwide, but that NYS hadn't done any studies on it yet, even though there
was money available via the Stimulus. (NYS still has NOT
conducted any independent health studies, while continuing to inflict these machines on top
of residents.)
Regarding Dr. Lockwood’s fears about
"Global Warming" - There is no way that an average temperature
increase of a few tenths of a degree over the past 50 years could have caused
health impacts of any kind. Due
to clean air rules already in place, emissions from coal-fired plants have been
dramatically reduced over the past 40 years. The EPA even admits that power
plants emit barely 3%
of all mercury in U.S. air and water.
Since
Industrial wind needs constant “shadow capacity” from fossil-fired generators (to
cover for its inherent unreliability), wind actually locks us into dependence
on fossil fuels. Despite $Trillions spent
worldwide, wind generation has NOT significantly reduced CO2
emissions – anywhere.
Since
wind:
1)
is NOT significantly reducing CO2,
2)
locks us into dependence on fossil fuels,
3.)
harms those TOO CLOSE, and
4)
inflicts exorbitant personal, economic, environmental,
& civil costs –
WHY
would anyone be pushing such a damaging, costly, non-solution?
Mary Kay Barton
Mary
Kay Barton is a retired New York State-certified Health Educator,
Cornell-certified Master Gardener, NYS small business owner, and a
tireless advocate
for scientifically-sound energy policies which provide reliable,
affordable electricity for all Americans. She has served
over the past decade in local Water Quality organizations and enjoys
gardening and birding in her National Wildlife Federation “Backyard
Wildlife Habitat.”
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