Turbine Noise Not a Concern for BP

 " I appreciate the feedback sir, we just don't see that as a genuine adverse environmental health impact for the project" said BP project Developer Richard Chandler.

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At the Bp public outreach meeting held this past Wednesday night at Rec Park, BP’s Project Developer Richard chandler was on hand to field questions.

  A concerned citizen addressed Chandler and explained that People in Cape Vincent have been complaining about the noise and vibration coming from the Wolfe Island Turbines. The citizen asked if BP could measure the noise/vibration.

 Chandler responded with I appreciate the feedback sir we just don't see that is a genuine adverse environmental health impact for the project.
 Then Chandler turned his back to the resident dismissing him.

 Complaints about the noise and vibration coming from Wolfe Island are not a new phenomenon.

 April 29, 2010 Clif Schneider prepared a report outlining the acoustic and visual impacts of the Wolfe Island Wind Project on residents 2 miles (3.2 km) across the St. Lawrence River along the Tibbetts Point Road, Cape Vincent

SUMMARY

This report outlines the acoustic and visual impacts of the Wolfe Island Wind Project on residents 2 miles (3.2 km) across the St. Lawrence River along the Tibbetts Point Road, Cape Vincent. Sound levels measured in January-February 2010, when the wind farm was operating, were 3 to 4 dBA greater than background sound levels measured in 2008, prior to construction of the wind farm. A mail-questionnaire was sent to 43 residents of the Tibbetts Point Road to assess their reaction to noise and visual impacts from the Wolfe Island Wind Project. Twenty-seven questionnaires were returned for a 63% response rate. Most respondents did not notice wind turbine noise, but at times, 38% were annoyed by the wind turbine sound. For the level of sound increase over background levels, respondents were more annoyed than New York DEC noise policy predicted.

Those respondents that heard the turbines described the noise as a low frequency/low pitched sound that is louder on summer evenings when winds were weak or non-existent. This supports other research linking annoyance with wind turbine noise and atmospheric stability.

Far more respondents (88%) were annoyed by the change in landscape view than with noise. Ninety-two percent said these changes were for the worst and the blinking lights at night were especially disturbing; some comparing them with a commercial airport. Policy makers should know that visual and acoustic impacts for non-participating, waterfront residents are likely more negative than they may have initially thought. Furthermore, current NYSDEC noise guidelines may not adequately predict human response to wind turbine sound levels. (Note respondent comments in appendix A of survey)

CONCLUSIONS

Sound levels measured in 2010 along the Tibbetts Point Road confirmed what a number of Cape Vincent residents reported, that at times they could hear the Wolfe Island Wind Project more than two miles away. Sound levels were measured during worst case situations when ground level winds were calm, but where winds aloft at hub-height were sufficient to operate turbines and generate noise as well as power (phenomena called atmospheric stability).

The average L90A and LeqA sound levels were 3.1 and 3.9 dBA greater than background levels measured in 2008, respectively, and were attributable to added noise from the Wolfe Island Wind Project... Moreover, the LeqA sound level was 3.2dBA less than what was predicted (e.g., 36 dBA) for shoreline residents of Wolfe Island in their sound study. This seemed to be a reasonable loss across 1.5 miles of frozen river.

According to New York DEC guidelines5, sound levels up to 5 dBA above background levels are considered “unnoticed to tolerable.” Responses from some Tibbetts Point residents, however, suggest wind turbine sounds may be somewhat more objectionable than DEC predicts.

Most of the Tibbetts Point Road residents reported they did not notice wind turbine sounds, but a considerable proportion did notice. Fifty-eight percent reported they did not notice wind turbine sounds. But for the others, 23% were “slightly annoyed” and 15% were“rather to very annoyed.” Only 11%, however, were annoyed on a daily basis. This suggests there are certain environmental conditions when wind turbine sounds are more noticeable and annoying. For those respondents who indicated they heard the Wolfe Island wind turbines, most (44%) described the sound as low frequency/low pitched, which given the distances away from turbines was a predictable response, (i.e., high and mid-frequencies are more attenuated than low frequencies). Regarding the perception of wind turbine loudness, respondents reported wind turbine sounds loudest: at night (55%), during summer evenings (58%), with weak or no wind (27%), and with the wind blowing towards their dwelling (25%). These descriptions were all compatible with what was reported by Dutch researchers and they confirm the view that atmospheric stability at night represents worst case conditions for wind turbine noise impacts (6, 7).

Although wind turbine sound was my principal interest in this study, visual impacts were clearly the dominant negative impact for Tibbetts Point Road residents. Although most residents (64%) were satisfied with their living environment, 92% indicated it had recently changed for the worst. Eighty-eight percent were “rather to very negative” about the impact of wind turbines on the landscape views, and the same percentage said they were annoyed by the changed view every day. Moreover, 65% were annoyed by rotor movement, but the factor that may have been most annoying was not a part of the actual questionnaire – the blinking lights at night. Many negative comments were directed toward the blinking lights; comparing them to living next to an airport.

The fact so many residents were so negatively affected by the changed view is not unexpected when you consider waterfront residents paid a premium for property with a view and pay a premium each year in additional taxes to continue to enjoy that view.

This report underscores the obvious, that policy makers should be aware that waterfront property owners are very sensitive to any changes in their view and very careful consideration should be given to undertaking any policies that may adversely affect those views. Regarding New York's noise policy, the increased sound levels due to wind turbine noise may have been acceptable by State guidelines, but a number (9 of 26) of Tibbetts Point Road residents said they were annoyed by the sound, more so than the “unnoticed to tolerable” response predicted by the DEC guideline. 
Wind turbine sounds have been described as more annoying than other noise sources, and at greater distances perhaps low frequency components are more noticeable and more annoying.
 Another factor to explain the unexpectedly high annoyance may be the overall negative view these residents have toward wind turbines and wind farms. However, at similar sound levels, researchers who studied human responses to wind turbine noise in Sweden, (8)found the noise was more annoying than other types of transportation noise and speculated, “This could be due to the presence of amplitude modulation in the noise, making it easy to detect and difficult to mask by ambient noise.

To read the survey Results link here

Link here to read Galloo Island acoustic study for mainland

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(5)NYSDEC. 2001. Assessing and Mitigating Noise Impacts. Program Policy. Albany, NY11

(6) Van den Berg, G.P. 2006. The sounds of high winds: the effect of atmospheric stability on wind turbine sound and microphone noise. PhD Dissertation. University of Groningen. Groningen, The Netherlands

(7) Schneider, C.P. op.cit.12

(8)Pedersen, E. and K. Persson-Waye. 2004. Perception and annoyance due to wind turbine noise—a dose– response relationship. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 116 (6), December 2004. 11pp.