Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County P.O. Box 173 Milford, Ontario K0K 2P0 Final ERT Testimony on Harm to Human health Milford, ON/ June 13, 2013 — The Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) appeal on the Ostrander Point wind project concluded on June 7 with the reply evidence of Dr. John Harrison and Dr. Robert McMurtry. This appeal by the Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County (APPEC) has raised fundamental questions about the health risks of wind power development in Ontario. Dr. Harrison, a physicist who has studied turbine noise since 2006, testified that noise assessment protocols are inaccurate because of the failure to take sufficient account of amplitude modulation and atmospheric and ground conditions. Errors are typically in the magnitude of 3-8 dBA. Despite improvement in the Ministry of Environment’s (MOE) noise guidelines and measurements, variations are still possible of 1-5 dBA. This means that many wind turbines are not in compliance with the MOE’s noise limit of 40 dBA. Dr. Robert McMurtry, an Order of Canada physician who has researched, since 2008, the effects of wind turbines on human health, outlined the consequences of inaccurate noise modeling and monitoring. Severe annoyance, sleep disturbance, stress, and psychological distress can lead to a range of medical conditions, from migraine to tinnitus, depression to vertigo, high blood pressure to cardiac events. The plausible biological mechanism for these symptoms is the audible and low-frequency sound and infrasound emitted by wind turbines. The World Health Organization has stated that “a high level of annoyance caused by environmental noise should be considered as one of the environmental health burdens” (Burden of Disease from Environmental Noise: Quantification of healthy life years lost in Europe, 2011). The adverse effects are reported among rural residents of all ages living near currently-operating Ontario wind projects. Eleven wind victims have testified at the ERT on their own suffering. Their homes are as far as 1.5 km beyond the MOE’s minimum residential setback of 550 m, yet noise and vibration still intrude day and night, in all seasons, when turbines are operating. Given these facts, the compliance of the Ostrander Point project with the MOE’s regulations is irrelevant. The issue is clearly whether existing noise limits and setbacks provide satisfactory protection for Ontario citizens. APPEC has presented strong evidence that “serious harm to human health” will result. The ERT now appears to have the proof required to cancel the Renewable Energy Approval of the Ostrander Point wind power project. -30-
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:35:25 +0000
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