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Health & Fitness

Selectmen Divided - Community Divided - Answers Necessary

It was stated by many Selectmen, at the wind turbine review meeting, that there are enough facts available to the Board to make an informed decision.  How is this so, when the WTOP stated that they were unable to determine legitimate methods for gaining answers to question regarding the health, safety and well-being of impacted neighbors?

The original and continuing question central to identifying answers involved with each of the options to be evaluated by the Selectmen remains the underlying controversy about adverse health impact.   Developing a successful operational plan (temporary or long-range) evaluating impact to Town costs and impact to Town energy policy, seems impossible without establishing a scope of ‘how many’ residents experience adverse health impact from the turbines.  

Night curtailment has mitigated the majority’s core concern.  Yet, what of the Health Board’s 2012 Public Hearing testifiers that experience day-time “stress (53% of respondents), mental health problems (45% of respondents), hearing problems (32% of respondents), cognitive difficulties (25% of respondents), as well as other effects.”?  (WTOP Report, pg. 6)

The urgency expressed by the Board to develop an operating plan without knowing the actual extent of detrimental health impact in the neighborhoods surrounding the Town turbines is derelict.  The Board’s expressed rush to judgement without vital facts framing a successful outcome to this community chaos is pouring gas on the fire.  

Selectmen should ally their collective will with Falmouth’s Board of Health to demand of the state, a health study of Falmouth’s wind turbine sufferers.  Gaining these local key facts will require research by medical professionals.  

As much as Selectmen, wind turbine supporters and the majority of tax-payer would like this problem to remain a political, it simply can't without a true vetting of all the complex elements.  Making decisions void of key health impact “facts",  eliminate any chance for an acceptable and successful outcome.

  

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