‘Rights of people are being squashed. It is impossible to take on wind farm firms’ [Ireland]

Irish Examiner ^ | September 18, 2017 | Michael Clifford

[Olog-hai]

Some nights, Sean Harris is sitting watching the TV and he thinks he hears the fridge humming. On other occasions, he has been out on the road around his home in Ballyduff in West Waterford, and the engine sounds as if it’s a car approaching him from behind.

Those are the more benign effects of the Barnafaddock Wind Farm, as he sees it. He is not alone, but neither are his problems shared with huge numbers in his rural community.

In most people’s view, the wind farm is in the mountains and its developer has compensated the community with funds for social and sporting clubs. They, however, don’t live on its doorstep, as Mr. Harris and some of his neighbors do.

“It’s been there since it started up,” Harris says. “It depends on the weather. If you get wind coming from the west, it can be very noisy and it’s worse in the winter. But it’s there all the time. It’s worst of all at night, or at least most noticeable because you don’t have noise coming from anything else at that time.” […]

The Harrises and their neighbors believe that noise limits stipulated in planning are being breached. But they also believe they have evidence that the wind farm has been constructed much bigger than allowed by planning, making it noisier, more obstructive, and, from the owner’s point of view, more productive. Their complaints have delivered a major headache to Waterford City and County Council, and raise questions that are applicable right across the country. …

[huldah1776]

Seems it’s not only windmills on the ridgelines in VT but also solar farms instead of dairy farms.

Destroying it all, soul and land...

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/opinion/comment-debate/2014/10/08/solar-industry-destroying-vermont-landscape/16879963/

[chimera]

Its all so unbelievably stupid and tragic. They ran Vermont Yankee out of town because they said it was dangerous. The plant ran for over 40 years and didn’t harm a single person, not one solitary soul. They said it “didn’t fit” with the Vermont environment. So they tear it down and put up 400 foot-tall whirligigs, as if those “fit” the Vermont environment. They bulldoze and build over thousands of acres of pristine land to put in solar arrays, which produce a pittance of energy, mostly when you don’t need it. And they prop up the price with subsidies and Renewable Portfolio Standards, which mandate by law that these boondoggles be built and their paltry output purchased at outrageous prices.

[Daffynition]

Lowell Mountain turbine pad (Photo by Steve Wright)

I was looking to buy a nice farm in Albany, VT with the most fabulous view. That view spoiled by turbines. Futgetaboutit. I understand the turbine company went belly up.....turbines only producing 4 watts.

Looked at another great place in Stamford, that had turbines on the mountain behind it. You could hear them.

I share your lament. These stupids [sic] [enviro-weenies] who are so concerned about every squirrel, chipmunk or newt, don't even consider the biodiversity and core habitat of big game. The moose, big cats, bear are hit first. Yea, they'll adapt, but in fewer numbers. Nevermind the sloppy roads they build to the sites.

Their next target Seneca Mtns

Searsburg

http://newsblaze.com/issues/environment/catastrophic-turbine-failure-at-vermont-wind-farm-raises-doubt_6738/

[Daffynition]

Or bribery by the Spanish developers. Look at Windham...

Vermont Wind Project Needs Support, So Company Offers to Pay Voters

[Daffynition]

The Poor Record of the Searsburg, Vermont, Wind Plant

[huldah1776]

:-( That can be fixed. DYNOMITE!!! LOL

I’ll be moving soon, too, but I’m looking at WV. I love VT powder but memories and now liberals keep me from going back. The beauty of the place balanced out the despair.

[hecticskeptic]

Having studied IWTs at great length, I can truly say that I’ve not found one good thing to say about them. It would be good say that ‘at least they generate power’ which is something useful that we all need (and thus a trade-off for the things that are undesirable) but in the grand scheme of things, one can’t even say that.

[huldah1776]

holy guacamole. 2 things...

1. "The project would consist of 24 turbines, each nearly 500 feet tall, and generate 82.8 megawatts of power, enough to light 42,000 homes for a year if the wind kept blowing, though the houses could be in Connecticut or Massachusetts."

so who lives in those corrupt states? Ruin your own state! grrrrrrr. I just hate windmills.

2. “A lot of Democrats in this room will be voting for a Republican governor for the first time,” Sally Hoover, 72, a retired accountant in Windham, said last week as Iberdrola hosted a meeting, where residents first learned of the cash offer.

I hope the republican wins. My x will have a conniption. ROTFL

nothing illegal--but it sure should be! Why not just talk to the Russians!

[piasa]

Oil rigs aren’t that obnoxious looking. I wonder what the vibration does to aquatic or sea life, especially during spawning?

[Daffynition]

https://wcfn.org/2016/02/02/wind-turbines-and-marine-mammals/

There's a good documentary on how the wind turbines are changing the character of Vermont. If I find it I'll ping you. A big topic up here in the Northeast Kingdom.