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'Torture' is the right word for noise
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04/mar/2010 |
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'Torture' is the right word for noise
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 10:16 AM EST Editor:
I am writing to clarify what Clear Skies Over Orangeville is asserting in its petition, now under review by Judge Patrick NeMoyer in Buffalo. In the Feb. 11 edition, The Daily News reported that our petition contains "the allegation that wind turbines can be equated to torture," and the Town of Orangeville has said this is no more than "rhetoric" ("Suit detailed," Feb. 11).
The place in CSOO's petition where "torture" is mentioned characterizes a comment letter submitted by CSOO's acoustic engineer during the public comment period on the rezoning last year. Richard James, who was a member of the acoustic standard-setting body that publishes standards for noise assessments, evaluated the town's decision to allow 50 decibels of wind turbine noise for up to 90 percent of the time sound would be measured to determine compliance with the town's standard. Mr. James evaluated the town's noise limit in light of published standards for noise control, including the state Department of Environmental Conservation's noise guidelines. The latter state that an increase of 20 decibels over the existing background sound level in a community should be classified as "very objectionable to intolerable." An increase of 6 decibels can be expected to generate community complaints, according to NYSDEC. Mr. James pointed out that measurements he himself has taken in Sheldon and other communities in the region show that the existing background sound level in locations where turbines would be sited is about 25 decibels.
The World Health Organization has published Night Time Noise Guidelines, which state that sound levels at night in rural areas should be limited to 30 decibels to preserve the ability to sleep undisturbed. WHO's guidelines also state that chronic sleep disturbance causes several adverse health effects.
Finally, Mr. James commented that the "50 dBA L10" limit adopted by the town would allow sound levels to reach 70 dBA for several hours at night (unlike the standard in Sheldon, which is 50 dBA without the L10, which means any instantaneous excursion over 50 dBA in Sheldon violates the law). On the basis of this and his review of the published standards summarized above, Mr. James concluded that the town's noise limit results in "a form of torture."
CSOO said this to the Orangeville Town Board in hopes of convincing the board that such a standard is irrational. They didn't listen. Now we'll see whether the judge will.
Lynn Lomanto
Orangeville
(EDITOR'S NOTE: A Daily News story published on Feb. 11 included quotes -- "allegation (of) torture" and "rhetoric" -- that were drawn from the Town of Orangeville's court filing in response to a lawsuit filed by Clear Skies Over Orangeville.
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