- Wind 1 begins operations. Town Hall receives 1st series of noise complaints from surrounding residents (the majority relating with sleep disturbance).
MAR 2011
- Board of Health requested MassDEP for guidance determining appropriate metrics for establishing nuisance of wind turbines. This, in direct response to dramatic noise complaint increase around Wind1.
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SEPT 2011
- Falmouth Selectmen/administration requested MassDEP Sound Sampling Study: Falmouth Wind #1.
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- the Wind Turbine Health Impact Study: Report of Independent Expert Panel, commissioned by MassDEP/DPH, concludes sleep disturbance impacts from noise associated with exposure to wind turbines.
MAY 2012
- The Wind Turbine Options Process (WTOP) formed by Selectmen and the process of examining all the problems and the solutions begins. Ultimately, recommendations to solve the Wind Turbine problems will be submitted to the Falmouth Board of Selectmen.
- Selectmen order 12 hour ON/ 12 hour OFF operating protocol for the town Turbines.
- Selectmen receive state notification (MassDEP Sound Sampling Study: Falmouth Wind #1) of Wind1’s noncompliance. Accompanied by direction to Selectmen that if modifications to operation periods are implemented, the shall be conditional upon “steps taken” & “data collection” proving state sound level compliance.
JUNE 2012
- Board of Health submits letter to MassDPH in the wake of the emergency public hearing. “To determine the appropriateness of an emergency shut down action, the Board requests immediate guidance on interim measures to protect the health of affected individuals while the complete health assessment is being conducted” ~penned words of Chairwoman Harkness.
SEPT 2012
- Board of Health received confirmation that MassDPH will assist the board with the creation, distribution and interpretation of a Sleep Survey. The goal of the survey was to identify how many residents have sleep problems, and if that number would be higher than other areas. The survey was to be sent to 270 residences within 3,000 feet of the three industrial turbines.
JAN 2013
- The Department of Public Health shockingly and without warning abandon the Board of Health and the Sleep Survey. Robert Knorr, an employee from Massachusetts Department of Public Health employee, in an e-mail, asked that any reference to the state agency be removed from the cover letter and survey.
- Town Manager Suso, during the FY14 budget presentation to FINCOM, said the 12 hr on/ 12 off operating model is unsustainable, and if allowed to continue, will bankrupt the town. The 12 a day operation will cost the town between $672K to $1.3 million over the next five years. Asked why Falmouth elected to operate the turbines in that manner, “it is out of the Selectmen’s concern for the abutters’ alleged sleep deprivation” was the reply.
- Former State Representative Turkington gives public perspective of the problem. “The Town of Falmouth didn’t create this problem. It was created as the direct result of a deliberate state policy. A defective product was sold to the town by a state agency through representations which turned out to be untrue.“ (1/29/13 Fal Enterprise)
FEB 2013
- Selectmen unanimously vote to support Town Meeting warrant article asking town voters to remove the town’s turbines.
MAY 2013
- Falmouth Zoning Board of Appeals finds for appellant, Wind 1 and Wind 2, are “offensive, obnoxious and objectionable” and are deemed a nuisance.
- Town ballot question asking voters to fund the removal of the town’s turbines fails.
JUNE 2013
- Falmouth Health Agent David Carignan tells the Cape Cod Times that complaints of sleep disturbance among the neighbors have significantly diminished, to the point of elimination, since the town moved the turbines to a 12-hour operation schedule.
SEPT 2013
- Board of Health submits cautionary letter to Selectmen warning that local observations are consistent with conclusions of the Wind Turbine Health Impact Study. Sleep interruptions to traditional sleep periods have serious health effects.
- Selectmen vote to make wind turbine operations solvent while protecting lawfully granted sleep conditions for adversely impacted neighbors. Turbine OFF 8 hours per day for residents sleep.
OCT 2013
- Barnstable Superior Court judge says Falmouth Appellant has “likelihood of success” in legal battle examining Falmouth’s Zoning Board of Appeals finding that turbines are a nuisance.
- Board of Health is ill prepared/ not ready to decide how, or if, they will respond to new turbine operating hours adopted by Selectmen.
NOV 4 2013
Pending Board of Health Meeting
The Board’s role will be to interpret and apply the laws that assure basic health needs are being met. It’s accepted that a healthy sleep period is a basic health need. The issue to be determined by the health Board (separate from any other outside distraction) - whether a clear danger threshold has been reached by Selectmen regimenting only 8 hours of sleep to wind turbine neighbors.
It’s been said that those defending their basic right to sleep have suddenly and wrongfully played the “child card”. When actuality, the children have been part of our neighborhoods since the very beginning. And they too have sleep requirements. What parent, or adult friends of parents, wouldn’t defend and attend to a child’s basic needs?
