The following 357 people made the submission below by post on 19 Feb 2014
Date 19 Feb 2014
No. NameCounty
1Michael SlevinWestmeath
2Sarah KeaneMayo
3John CoyneMayo
4John HessionMayo
5Olive DiskinMayo
6Paul O’ReillyMayo
7Siobhan HeneghanTourmckeady
8M. CaffertySwinford
9Sharon LyonsMayo
10Cathal SmithOffally
11Patricia FreyneCastlebar
12Mary HegartyHollymount
13Mary WalshMayo
14Carmel SmythWestmeath
15Michael SmythWestmeath
16Michael GossWestmeath
17Marie GossWestmeath
18Siobhan GeogheganWestmeath
19Nancy WillisWestmeath
20Pat HillWestmeath
21Darren Mc LoughlinMullingar
22Tony O’RourkeMullingar
23Niamh BradleyMullingar
24Mary LenehanMullingar
25? & Mary KeoghMullingar
26Michael LenehanMullingar
27Enda MontgomeryMullingar
28Edel MontgomeryMullingar
29Aiden O’NeilWestmeath
30Elaine ClyneWestmeath
31Vanessa ClyneWestmeath
32Eric ClyneWestmeath
33Eamon ClyneWestmeath
34Christine ClyneWestmeath
35Regina MorleyKillucan
36Venera ShafievaWestmeath
37Lynn Rhatigan Killucan
38Eamon GlennonKillucan
39Vincent GlennonWestmeath
40Chritinee GlennonKillucan
41Susanne EnnisWestmeath
42Francis ByrneWestmeath
43Wayne JonesKillucan
44Regina Groome Killucan
45Amy MasseyWestmeath
46Niall Doran Westmeath
47Susan Doran Westmeath
48Sandra Mc DonaldWestmeath
49Gerry Mc DonaldWestmeath
50Trevar GleesonKillucan
51Tracey GleesonKillucan
52Philip FlahertyKillucan
53Paul O’ConnorWestmeath
54Neville Rhatigan Killucan
55Kieran Kenny Westmeath
56Damian CroashWestmeath
57Brendan EnnisWestmeath
58Stephen MorleyWestmeath
59Denise MuldoonWestmeath
60Lisa GlennonWestmeath
61Nicola Feeney Westmeath
62Conor McGeeWestmeath
63Colin McGeeWestmeath
64Aidan McguireWestmeath
65Amanda McguireWestmeath
66Brian McClellandWestmeath
67Fiona PowellWestmeath
68Brian BerminghamWestmeath
69Niamh KellyWestmeath
70Rasa Fabijona VicieneWestmeath
71FlorenceWestmeath
72Paul MaloneyWestmeath
73Orla Dynes Westmeath
74Anthony HowleyWestmeath
75Carmel HowleyWestmeath
76Irene MasseyWestmeath
77Erica OHanlonWestmeath
78Catherine OHanlonWestmeath
79Peter OHanlonWestmeath
80Irene DalyWestmeath
81Joe DalyWestmeath
82Mary Meehan Westmeath
83Stephen Meehan Westmeath
84Kevin HannonWestmeath
85Caroline HillickWestmeath
86Stephen YoreWestmeath
87Yvonne StynesWestmeath
88Marcus SutcliffeWestmeath
89Tracey ObrienWestmeath
90Ciaran CosgraveWestmeath
91Rose RogersWestmeath
92Noel Rogers Westmeath
93Teresa WansboroughWestmeath
94Nicola BradyWestmeath
95David DoyleWestmeath
96Fran DoyleWestmeath
97James MurphyWestmeath
98Mary MurphyWestmeath
99Georgina Fox OConnorWestmeath
100Maciej GawkowskiWestmeath
101Agnieszka GawkowskaWestmeath
102Lisa HughesWestmeath
103Karl HughesWestmeath
104Owen GilliganWestmeath
105Pat McFeeleyWestmeath
106Clifford DarlingWestmeath
107Eamonn ByrneWestmeath
108Imelda ODonoghueWestmeath
109Martin AbelWestmeath
110Lisa ByrneWestmeath
111Ciaran MooneyWestmeath
112Cal OsiadiWestmeath
113Garry FearyWestmeath
114Esther DuignanWestmeath
115Chiara McDermottWestmeath
116Rachel ScallyWestmeath
117Stephen HarteWestmeath
118David BradyWestmeath
119Noeleen MulhallWestmeath
120Eamonn MulhallWestmeath
121Rachel NortonWestmeath
122Kathleen GeraghtyWestmeath
123Serena MaguireWestmeath
124Mary GeraghtyWestmeath
125Natalie GeraghtyWestmeath
126Joseph Finlay Westmeath
127Sara McKeownWestmeath
128Mick McKoewnWestmeath
129Elydell EllensWestmeath
130Una Whelan Westmeath
131Claire HealyWestmeath
132Stephen McDermottWestmeath
133Alan WhelanWestmeath
134Ellen SaundersWestmeath
135Jessica MurphyWestmeath
136Joe BinghamWestmeath
137Patricia OLearyWestmeath
138Brendan StaffordWestmeath
139Karen StaffordWestmeath
140Ciara SextonWestmeath
141Ronan Duffy Westmeath
142Trish GaughanWestmeath
143Jimmy DuffyWestmeath
144Una Mc LoughlinWestmeath
145Eamon Mc Loughlin Westmeath
146Claire DuffyWestmeath
147Janet QuinnKilucan
148Anthony CollinsWestmeath
149Lisa CollinsWestmeath
150StaffWestmeath
151Alex ColllinsWestmeath
152Jacqueline CollinsWestmeath
153Ruth CollinsWestmeath
154John LedwithWestmeath
155Brian Dolan Westmeath
156Kathleen Dolan Westmeath
157Martina Dolan Westmeath
158Niamh DolanWestmeath
159Martin CassidyWestmeath
160Joan WillisWestmeath
161Paul O’MalleyWestmeath
162Maria TyrellWestmeath
163Michelle GormanWestmeath
164Brendan Moran Westmeath
165Veronica Moran Westmeath
166Eva Daly Westmeath
167Alan RichardWestmeath
168Fergal KentWestmeath
169Alfred BaileyWestmeath
170Sheila BaileyWestmeath
171Sharon GallagherWestmeath
172Ann Eagan Westmeath
173Mareh TrzupekWestmeath
174Ryszard Trzupek Westmeath
175Marcin Kamil BisWestmeath
176Sam Hogan Westmeath
177Michael Hogan Westmeath
178Eddie TyrellWestmeath
179Michelle MorganWestmeath
180Theresa Morgan Westmeath
181Mark Lennon Westmeath
182ColetteScallyWestmeath
183Kevin LedwithWestmeath
184Ger NallyWestmeath
185Paul LynchWestmeath
186Frank Finneran Westmeath
187David BolanWestmeath
188Sinead YorkeWestmeath
189Debra BxxxxWestmeath
190David Tobin Westmeath
191Carmel RooneyWestmeath
192Margaret Macken-KingWestmeath
193Stephanie SweeneyWestmeath
194Colm GoonanWestmeath
195Doville MaherWestmeath
196Danielle BrennanWestmeath
197Sinead Marian HylandWestmeath
198Niamh MoriartyWestmeath
199Bernie DoyleWestmeath
200Piotr BielickaWestmeath
201Agniesika BielickaWestmeath
202Lisa L’EstrangeWestmeath
203Mary L’EstrangeWestmeath
204April LoveWestmeath
205Bernard SweeneyWestmeath
206Elaine MacNamaraWestmeath
207Brendan MacNamaraWestmeath
208Amanda CassidyWestmeath
209Niall Ennis Westmeath
210Brendan AustinWestmeath
211Fr Richard MatthewsKilucan
212Sheila Wilson LinghtKildare
213Marie WoodsWestmeath
214Gerarda O’LearyWestmeath
215Mary Waldron Westmeath
216Anne PurdonWestmeath
217Anne ClearyWestmeath
218Sean BurkeWestmeath
219Eileen O’DriscollWestmeath
220Pat & Katherine Dugdale Westmeath
221Andrew GaffneyWestmeath
222Pauline Gaffney QuinnWestmeath
223Thomas GaffneyWestmeath
224Geraldine & Pat Farrington Snr Westmeath
224Robbie AppsWestmeath
226Patrick DugdaleDelvin
227Jack MurrayWestmeath
228Lizzy & Paddy Farrington JnrWestmeath
229Deryck AppsWestmeath
230Michelle & John Paul Farrelly Westmeath
231Ann BurkeWestmeath
232John DonlonWestmeath
233Olly BurkeWestmeath
234Joan DonlonWestmeath
235Paddy & Patricia GeogheganWestmeath
236Mark CluneWestmeath
237Niall GallagherWestmeath
238David SharpWestmeath
239Loughlin Mc HughWestmeath
240Nuala Dargan Westmeath
241Patrick Dargan Westmeath
242Tommy FarrellWestmeath
243Annette Farrell Westmeath
244James FarrellWestmeath
245Angela CookeWestmeath
246Noeleen O’FlahertyWestmeath
247Jimmy CookeWestmeath
248Jim FarrellyWestmeath
249Christopher Mc KennaWestmeath
250Martina Mc KennaWestmeath
251Christine FarrellyWestmeath
252Julie DoyleWestmeath
253Fergus DoyleWestmeath
254Siobhan BoyleWestmeath
255Kathleen BoyleWestmeath
256Edward BoyleWestmeath
257Regina DoyleWestmeath
258Miriam Sheridan Westmeath
259Thomas HarrisWestmeath
260Elaine MulvaneyWestmeath
261Hans MulvaneyWestmeath
262Lee LawrenceWestmeath
263Maureen LawrenceWestmeath
264Brendan Joseph Smith Westmeath
265Brendan Smith Westmeath
266Michael Smith Westmeath
267Niall GraingerWestmeath
268Tom GraingerWestmeath
269Claire GraingerWestmeath
270Peter DoyleWestmeath
271Catherine DoyleWestmeath
272Mary DohertyWestmeath
273Rory LynchWestmeath
274Colleen LynchWestmeath
275Helen LynchWestmeath
276JJ DohertyWestmeath
277Kenneth Edmunds Patrick AustWestmeath
278George O’ NeilKildare
279John West Kildare
280John CurranKildare
281Mattie DunneKildare
282Lianna MaherKildare
283Marian KilcoyneDublin
284Julie WiltsireKildare
285Shane KilcoyneKildare
286Rosaleen MaherKildare
287Patrick MaherKildare
288Kristine MaherKildare
289Caroline KilcoyneDublin
290Barbara O’NeilKildare
291Patrick KilcoyneDublin
292Rachel HughesKildare
293Nigel HeaneyKildare
294Robert HeaneyKildare
295Dolores FarrellKildare
297Stanley KaneKildare
298Yvonne MolloyKildare
299Harriet ComerfordKildare
300Peter ComerfordKildare
301Aidan FlanaganKildare
302Siobhan O’HaraKildare
303Christopher O’HaraKildare
304Michelle HanlonKildare
305Michael HanlonKildare
306Denis NunanKildare
307Alice Hanlon Kildare
308Caroline BrebretonKildare
309Lorriane MollyKildare
310Tom MaherKildare
311John MaherKildare
312Ollie MolloyKildare
313Gwen CarthyKildare
314Kristyne O’Brien Kildare
315Ruth O’Brien Kildare
316Stephanie MolloyKildare
317Kathleen MolloyKildare
318Michael MolloyKildare
319Tom CarthyKildare
320Thomas MooneyKildare
321Gary GrayKildare
322Sylvia GrayKildare
323Anne MatherKildare
324Patrick Flanagan Kildare
325Anne DunneKildare
326Ethel FlanaganKildare
327Sharon AndersonKildare
328Wesley HendyKildare
329Fergus O’HaraKildare
330Susan Flanagan Kildare
331Sarah FlanaganKildare
332Frank MaherKildare
333Robert HendyKildare
334Lynda HendyKildare
335Amy Hendy Kildare
336Anita Hendy Kildare
337Jed CookeKildare
338Paul Corrigan Kildare
339Jason MooneyKildare
340Rita DunneKildare
341Gerard DunneKildare
342Jeanie ComerfordKildare
343Hazel Flanagan Kildare
344Thomas Maher Kildare
345Thelma Dunne Kildare
346Emer CrossKildare
347Clodagh CrossKildare
348Fiona CrossKildare
349Ann Dunne Kildare
350Greg Dunne Kildare
351Pascal CrossKildare
352Anne MolloyMayo
353Nora Anne HessionMayo
354John Keane Mayo
355Patrick FoxWestmeath
356Nicola Suffin Westmeath
357Martin Suffin Westmeath
Wind Energy Development Guidelines
Targeted revision issued Dec 12 2013
General Background
With respect to residential communities, the most critical consideration of on-shore Industrial Wind Energy development is the setback or separation distance from homes. This criticality is due to:
- the potential for noise impact on residents in close proximity and its associated affects on sleep and consequently health
- the impact on the value of residents property - the affect is particularly significant within 2km
- the potential for shadow flicker on a residents home
- the overall impact on the landscape and general amenity of residents
Therefore it is imperative that the combination of limits set by the Guidelines should ensure that the appropriate set-back is achieved for each and every home in the proximate area of a proposed Industrial Wind Development. The draft Wind Energy Development Guidelines (WEDG13), purport to strike a balance between the protection of residential amenity and facilitating wind energy. It is evident that they will certainly facilitate wind energy development, what is not clear is how they offer any level of protection to residential amenity.
The revised Guideline states that it “seeks to achieve a balance between the protection of residential amenity of neighbouring communities in the vicinity of wind energy developments, and facilitate the meeting of national renewable energy targets”. It is the my view, thus far, that the balance is firmly in favour of the developments and significantly removed from community concerns.
It is also deeply regrettable that the Department has considered it appropriate to consider only 3 aspects of the Guidelines, while there are firm proposals in place to develop 28,000MW and beyond, of wind-derived electricity in Ireland over coming years. This corresponds to almost 10,000 turbines (at 3MW capacity). The current level of turbines installed in Ireland at this point in time is approximately 1000. The entire Guideline as it currently stands, promotes irresponsible on-shore Wind development. It should, at the very least, set out up front, in a very transparent manner, the cost-benefit analysis for wind-derived electricity; this analysis requires a clear and honest evaluation of the net impact on Carbon emissions, as a result of wind development, taking a 15 year usage horizon into account
The recommendations below, as underlined, must be incorporated in the final draft of the guidelines.
(A) Noise limits
(1) Measurement:
The current Guideline promotes the used of the LA90 noise indicator. This is not appropriate.
Similar to speed measurement in km/hr vs miles/hr, the same situation arises when comparing the 2 noise indicators i.e. 120mile/hr is a lot faster than 120km/hr. With regards to noise, the WHO night noise limit is 40dB(A). It is measured using LAeq; if measured with LA90, it would 38dB(A).
LAeq. This is the noise indicator which must be used as it quantifies average sound levels experienced. This is in line with standards accepted and implemented across the EU;
LA90. Measures the noise level which is exceeded 90% of the time i.e. it disregards the noisiest 90% of the measurement period and is a measure of the loudest noise during 10% of the measurement period. It may be more appropriate for measuring background noise levels as it ignores singular noise events such as a passing car. Use of this measurement does not comply with international best practice for the assessment of new environmental noise sources. See Marshall-Day Report pg 10 for illustrative purposes. As the human ear does not disregard 90% of noise experienced, then this measurement indicator is considered inappropriate for Wind Turbine noise measurement.
(2) Limit:
40dB (LAeq) or 5dB above measured background noise levels, whichever is the lower.
Background noise levels to be measured at representative neighbouring dwellings, up to 2km from proposed turbine locations. Ignoring existing background noise levels is in breach of the EIA Directive (and the END Directive requirement for the protection of Designated Quiet Areas), so the consideration of background noise levels must be included in the WEDG. As the Marshall Day report highlights "a 5dB increase in sound level can be described as clearly noticeable", so in legalese 5dB is at the upper limit of what any 'reasonable' person could be expected to accept.
(B) Set Back Distance:
A default mandatory set back of 10 x base to tip height is required and there should be no option to waive mandatory set back
This recommendation is based on conclusions by many experts, such as Dr Chris Hanning(1), Consultant in Sleep Disorders, UK who discusses adverse impacts on sleep at distances of up to 2km and greater, based on a turbine height of 125m.
It is also the conclusion of the Japanese research paper by Yano(2) on Wind noise impact on residents, which specifically assesses severity of annoyance to residents, caused by Wind Turbine noise. Approx 750 individual homes were surveyed and it is clear, based on this study, that a minimum of 1.5km separation distance is required to minimise “severe annoyance”. Current and future (larger) turbines would require a correspondingly greater set-back distance. A formulaic distance is therefore appropriate rather than a set-point, hence the 10 x times-height as setback distance.
Furthermore, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Collette Bonner, advised Minister Jan O’Sullivan’s department (Nov 2013), in response to a request for input to the WEDG revision process, that "there is a consistent cluster of symptoms related to wind turbine syndrome which occurs in a number of people in the vicinity of industrial wind turbines. There are specific risk factors for this syndrome and people with these risk factors experience symptoms."
As a general recommendation Set-back Distance should be modelled appropriately via a thorough and transparent model based on noise. Such a model to be conducted for the range of Irish Landscapes: flat open farmland; cutaway bog area; hilly farmland terrain; mountain terrain; coastal terrains etc. and at a range of wind speeds. Concerned communities of Ireland must be allowed to appoint independent acoustic experts to verify the modelling protocol and associated outcome.
Land Development sterilisation impact: an opt-out provision can be made in the Guidelines to allow development within the set-back zone, post construction.
References:
(1) BMJ 2012; Wind turbine noise affects on Health344:e1527 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e1527 (Published 8 March 2012); Hanning & Evans.
(2) Dose-response relationships for wind turbine noise in Japan - Yano, Kuwano, Kageyama, Sueoka and Tachibana), presented at InterNoise (Noise Control for Quality of Life conference), Innsbruck, Austria, September 2013.
(C) Shadow Flicker
- The draft Guidelines introduces the concept of Shadow Flicker being an issue within 10 rotor diameters of a dwelling and which should be dealt with appropriately: “A condition should be attached to all planning permissions for wind farms to ensure that there will be no shadow flicker at any existing dwelling or other existing affected property, within 10 rotor diameters of any wind turbine. A further condition should be included which states that if shadow flicker does occur, then the necessary measures, such as turbine shut down during the associated time periods, will be taken by the wind energy developer or operator to eliminate the shadow flicker.” The language is too loose and does not put any legal obligation on the developer to adhere to this guidance.
- The Guideline revision does not prescribe mandatory conditions for eliminating Shadow Flicker incidence on dwellings. Mandatory elimination is a must.
- Given that the Noise limit for sensitive locations can be seen to have increased vs the 2006 Guidelines and set-back distance has remained the same, then it is now clear that Shadow Flicker controls provide no further amenity protection, with respect to influencing setback distances to a safe and responsible distance. In any case, the Shadow Flicker guidance is applicable only as a control to those residents living on the northerly side of the east-west plane of a turbine.
Noise Definitions
LA90 10min: In technical terms, LA90 10min is the tenth percentile of the distribution of the A-rated sound level measured over a ten minute period.
In non-technical terms, it is calculated by measuring the noise level over a ten minute period, disregarding the noisiest 90% of the time and taking the maximum noise level in the remaining (quietest) 10% of the time. As the human ear does not disregard 90% of noise experienced, then this measurement indicator is considered inappropriate for Wind Turbine noise measurement.
LAeq is the energy average of the noise over a given period.