Public Health Research Shows Wind Farms Are Harmless

Boards of Health, like all health professionals, are required to make decisions based on facts and credible research, not anecdotes and emotions. An extensive body of peer-reviewed public health research has shown that wind turbines, and huge wind farms, pose no threat to nearby residents.

Back in 2012, The MA Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) convened an expert science panel in collaboration with MA Department of Public Health (MDPH). The panel was composed of physicians and scientists with expertise in areas including acoustical noise/infrasound, public health, sleep disturbance, mechanical engineering, epidemiology, and neuroscience. The press release for their report stated:

“Among the key findings of the panel are:

• There is no evidence for a set of health effects from exposure to wind turbines that could be characterized as a “Wind Turbine Syndrome.”
• The weight of the evidence suggests no association between noise from wind turbines and measures of psychological distress or mental health problems.
  
• None of the limited epidemiological evidence reviewed suggests an association between noise from wind turbines and pain and stiffness, diabetes, high blood pressure, tinnitus, hearing impairment, cardiovascular disease, and headache/migraine.”

The Australian Medical Association published a position statement on 3/18/14 "Wind Farms and Health". An excerpt:

"Individuals residing in the vicinity of wind farms who do experience adverse health or well-being, may do so as a consequence of their heightened anxiety or negative perceptions regarding wind farm developments in their area.. The reporting of 'health scares' and misinformation regarding wind farm developments may contribute to heightened anxiety and community division, and over-rigorous regulation of these developments by state governments."

Closer to home, five Falmouth physicians wrote a letter to Falmouth's board of health on 3/19/13, strongly supporting operation of the town's wind turbines. Here's an excerpt: "Credible public health research indicates that psychogenic nocebo effects may be largely responsible for the controversy, as well as NIMBYism."

Falmouth's board of health sent a letter on 10/19/15 to the board of selectmen and zoning board of appeals. The letter cites a massive, peer-reviewed study from the Canadian Government, which found "no association" between turbine noise and health or sleep effects, after medical studies in 1238 homes near wind farms.

Health Canada, a branch of the Canadian government, published the results of their peer-reviewed study on 11/6/14. The study included 1238 homes, more than 4000 hours of noise measurements and "collection of objectively measured outcomes that assess hair cortisol, blood pressure and sleep quality". Here's an excerpt from the Health Canada summary. (WTN means wind turbine noise)

"The following were not found to be associated with WTN exposure:

· self-reported sleep (e.g., general disturbance, use of sleep medication, diagnosed sleep disorders);

· self-reported illnesses (e.g., dizziness, tinnitus, prevalence of frequent migraines and headaches) and chronic health conditions (e.g., heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes); and

· self-reported perceived stress and quality of life."

Citizens, town boards and journalists would do well to consider the results of mainstream public health research, rather than focusing on anecdotes.

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