HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2014-12-10, Page 5letter to the editor
Contradictions and
bias undermine
credibility of the
Health Canada Wind
Turbine Noise Study
An open letter to:
The Right Honourable Ste-
phen Harper, Prime Minister
The Honourable Rona
Ambrose, Minister of Health
The Multi -municipal
Wind Turbine Working
Group is comprised of
elected municipal council-
lors and appointed citizens
from parts of Southern
Ontario where approxi-
mately 30% of industrial
wind turbines are concen-
trated. Over the past sev-
eral years we have received
a growing number of dele-
gations from constituents
whose health has been
adversely affected by prox-
imity to the wind turbines.
It is not easy to listen to
people who continue to
suffer from ringing and
pressure in the ears,
pounding vibrations in the
head and chest, nausea,
dizziness and the ongoing
inability to sleep. Their
stories are especially dis-
turbing because we know
these people; we know they
are not lying; and it is our
responsibility under the
Municipal Act to protect
their health.
We are dismayed that the
recently released Health
Canada Wind Turbine Noise
and Health Study has
ignored the distress of real
people by hiding behind
meaningless "estimated"
noise projections and pre-
dictive modeling rather than
first making professional
clinical observations based
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on the histories of actual suf-
ferers. Investigation of anec-
dotal evidence is the founda-
tion of all medicine. The
Health Canada study sum-
mary contains no reference
to the growing body of
research that contradicts the
main theme of the summary.
Our Grey -Bruce Medical
Officer of Health, Dr. Hazel
Lynn has found 18 peer-
reviewed studies that "pro-
vide reasonable evidence...
that an association exists
between wind turbines and
distress in humans". The
Brown County (Wisconsin)
Board of Health has declared
its wind turbines a "public
health nuisance" and a
"human health hazard for all
people... who are exposed to
Infrasound/Low Frequency
Noise and other emissions
potentially harmful to
human health':
Key findings contradict
summary of results. The key
findings have been released
without data for verification
and without peer review.
Epidemiologists have
pointed out that the study
lacks scientific credibility.
Gaps, biases and errors in
methodology make it unreli-
able. For example, only 1234
out of the 2004 dwellings
selected responded to the
survey compromising its
validity. Only 20% of the
homes studied were "near"
turbines. And yet homes up
to 10 kilometres away were
included, diluting the results
from the homes near the tur-
bines. And the serious issues
of low frequency noise,
cyclical sound and ampli-
Wednesday, December 10, 2014 • Lucknow Sentinel 5
tude modulation were sim-
ply overlooked.
At the same time, the
study contradicts itself. It
found that wind turbine
noise is "statistically related
to several self-reported
health effects including
blood pressure, migraines,
tinnitus, dizziness, and dis-
turbed sleep". And yet the
key findings which have
been widely publicized
claim that "no evidence was
found to support a link
between exposure to wind
turbine noise and any of the
self-reported illnesses': Does
Health Canada no longer
advocate the precautionary
principle which calls for
rigorous caution when the
safety of any group is even
remotely threatened,
acknowledging that lack of
full scientific certainty
should not be used as a rea-
son for postponing measures
to protect them?
It is our belief that that the
premature marketing of the
key findings has been a dis-
service to the people of Can-
ada, an insult to those who
continue to suffer the
adverse effects of the tur-
bines, and has resulted in
loss of respect and credibility
for Health Canada. We await
your explanation as to how
Health Canada came to its
conclusion that there are no
health problems when
obviously there are.
Mark Davis, Chair,
Multi -municipal Wind
Turbine Working Group
Deputy Mayor,
Arran-Elderslie
NOTICE OF THE PASSING OF A ZONING
BY-LAW AMENDMENT BY THE CORPORATION OF THE
TOWNSHIP OF ASHFIELD-COLBORNE-WAWANOSH
TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh passed By-law Number 66-2014 on
the 2nd day of December, 2014, under Section 38(1) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, as amended.
AND TAKE NOTICE that any person or agency may appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board in respect of the by-law by
filing with the Clerk of the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, not later than the 30th day of December, 2014,
a notice of appeal setting out the objection to the by-law and the reasons in support of the objection, accompanied
by payment of the fee prescribed under the Ontario Municipal Board Act.
AMOUNT OF FEE payable to the Minister of Finance on appeal is $125.00.
Only individuals, corporations and public bodies may appeal a zoning by-law to the Ontario Municipal Board. A notice
of appeal may not be filed on behalf of an unincorporated association or group. However a notice of appeal may be
filed in the name of an individual who is a member of the association or the group on its behalf.
AN EXPLANATION of the purpose and effect of the by-law, describing the lands to which the by-law applies is
provided below.
DATED at the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, this 10th day of December, 2014.
Linda Andrew, Deputy Clerk
Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
R. R. #5, GODERICH, Ontario N7A 3Y2
(519) 524-4669
Purpose and Effect:
The proposed zoning by-law amendment adds provisions to the zoning by-law for Ashfield-Colborne-
Wawanosh for the purpose of automatically making necessary amendments to the zoning by-law as a result
of surplus farm residence severances.
When the County of Huron or its delegate has approved a severance of a surplus farm residence the
appropriate zone map in the zoning by-law shall be amended to change the AG1 Zone to AG1-37 for the
retained parcel and AG4-19 for the severed parcel.
The AG1-37 zone will prohibit a residence on the retained lands and the AG4-19 zone will recognize all
legally established buildings on the severed property. These changes will remove the requirement that
surplus severances be subject to an application for rezoning in addition to the severance application.
This By-law amends Zoning By-law 32-2008.