Reasons to oppose wind turbine project proposed for the Bethlehem watershed

To the editor,

This is in response to Don Miles’ recent letter. I am a Sierra Club member, but I oppose the construction of 37 industrial wind turbines in the largely intact Bethlehem Authority watershed. National Sierra Club’s “Wind Siting Advisory” states that, “Site studies should evaluate data on wildlife from at least a one-year period before construction to evaluate potential wildlife impacts. Each site of concern should be evaluated for potential avian and other biological and habitat effects.” How can Don Miles support this project before the studies have been completed?

As president of Juniata Valley Audubon Society and president of Save Our Allegheny Ridges, I have been studying the effects of industrial wind on forests, wildlife and people in Pennsylvania for 10 years.

The Bethlehem wind project is especially disturbing:

1. An industrial wind project built in a forest not only kills bird and bats outright, it also fragments it. The wide linear cuts through the forest for roads, turbines and associated infrastructure will forever affect the ecological balance. Wide clearings invite nonnative invasive plants, dry the soil, create barriers for amphibian dispersal, and provide corridors for predators. This forest is an important habitat for bird species that only breed successfully in large blocks of unfragmented forest.

2. Two of the roads are proposed for the Yellow Run Barrens, a unique community with few occurrences in Pennsylvania. National Sierra Club’s “Wind Siting Advisory” includes a “Hierarchy of Development Preferences.” The Yellow Run Barrens appears to be a “not appropriate site: “Critical habitat for Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species or habitat for indigenous species critical to a region or state’s biodiversity.” The advisory states that Sierra Club may oppose wind development in these areas.

3.Miles is correct about the noise restriction from the turbines. It is limited to 45 DBA at the outside of a person’s home. That is in addition to background noise. If rain is 50 decibels, the addition of 45 decibels from turbines will have a significant impact. Turbines may produce a pulsating noise that sounds like jets circling the house. The World Health Organization recognizes that sleep disturbance leads to severe health issues. Turbines also produce low frequency and infrasound, which can make some people ill. Some residents near wind projects have abandoned their homes because the turbines made them sick. National Sierra Club’s “Wind Siting Advisory” states, “Wind developers … should respect the rights of neighbors, especially regarding noise impacts.” Iberdrola’s failure to provide a comprehensive sound study shows a lack of respect to hundreds of residents living next to the proposed project.

4. DEP regulates wind projects by controlling impacts from road runoff. Extensive roads, an increase in impermeable surfaces, and wide clearings will degrade this exceptional value watershed with rare plants and animals. Other than the NPDES permit required by DEP, state agencies do not regulate industrial wind projects. There are only voluntary guidelines — at the state and federal level.

5.Miles believes that turbines have “no measurable impact on home values.” Ask the people who live next to wind projects who try to sell their homes but can’t. Studies may actually show that property values do drop — if the data only include properties adjacent to wind projects: A 2012 study in Germany, conducted by E. ON (a wind company) found that turbines close to a property cause “significant negative impacts on the surrounding property values.” Realtors in the U.S. also confirm this.

6.Miles implies that this project will help Pennsylvania reduce its carbon footprint. Wind turbines produce very limited electricity in Pennsylvania due to mediocre wind resources. It would take thousands of wind turbines on hundreds of miles of ridgetops to shut down fossil fuel plants.

Why should a healthy, working forest with rare habitat and rare species that produces wonderfully clean water for thousands of people be degraded by an industrial power plant? This forest has been logged and was destroyed by fire, but the trees grew back. The clearings that Iberdrola proposes will never grow another tree. The surrounding communities love this forest and understand that an industrial wind project will not help one iota in solving our climate crisis.

Laura Jackson, President

Juniata Valley Audubon Society

Save Our Allegheny Ridges