V. C. K. Metcalfe
Submission to Health Canada Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study, 2012
Dear Mr. Michaud,
Canada is to be congratulated on at least holding this Public Inquiry into Health effects from wind turbines.
Worldwide this is becoming a recognised problem which, for years now, has been ignored and under researched. There are however, many reports such as the attached (from 2005) which show good reason for alarm. You will no doubt have been receiving many similar reports. No government should lay claim to be ‘civilised’ if evidence of harm is ignored and it continues to knowingly inflict a damaging technology upon the population in its care.
In your own country, I believe that Dr. Robert McMurtry MD FRCSC FACS, recipient of the Order of Canada and Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, in his deputation to the Standing Committee on Bill 150 in April of 2009 said, "There clearly are competing claims about LFN [low frequency noise] and health risks [from industrial wind turbines] - those who are living the claims and those who deny them.
Clearly, completely independent research is needed and until results are known, a moratorium on further development imposed. Such research should not and must not be undertaken by Health Canada with their record of apparent support for the industry.
It is imperative that no manipulation of results are permitted by wind farm operators. To underline this, I have seen a report from an acoustics expert focussing on this problem, as included below:-
"If the operator is aware of the testing there is always the chance that the wind turbines will be set to operate in a “low noise” mode. The outside observer would not know this is being done by looking at the turbines. Any tests of noise must be correlated to the turbine power output and the wind conditions at the hub to confirm that the blades have not been positioned so as to give the appearance of operation while the aerodynamic processes that produce the noise are not present. This information is available from the SCADA software used to control the turbines in 10 minute increments and maintained as part of the operating records.
If the MDEP staffer or the citizen doing the noise measurements cannot be sure that the turbine’s operating modes are the ones that produce the noises that lead to complaints what is the point of taking measurements?
The operator will claim this information is proprietary or even “trade secret” and avoid making it available to confirm test conditions. The best way to test wind turbines is to do the testing without the operator’s knowledge and then after the testing is complete request the SCADA details for the periods of interest. If one is not familiar with a particular project’s performance then having the SCADA details for a broader timespan is needed to confirm that the operating conditions during testing match operating conditions during other times when there was no reason for the operator to run in a low noise mode."
I am sure that you will take measures to ensure that such recommendations are adopted within the study format.
Your P.I. has generated global interest so results will be awaited in equal measure.
I should be grateful for acknowledgement of receipt of this email.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. V.C.K. Metcalfe.