Wind Wise Radio interviewed Cary Shineldecker of Ludington, Michigan on their January 20, 2013 show.
Cary said, "I am a resident caught in the middle of a wind development. Not only do these ruin our lives, but they ruin everything in nature we hold sacred. Wildlife, scenery, and the value of quiet places for generations to come. Put an end to this madness. Turbines cannot even create enough energy to pay for themselves. Stop development now."
Cary was kind enough to attend the Clinton County Planning & Zoning meeting and spoke about how negatively the turbines have affected his county. (Unfortunately, the commission members ignored him and voted to foist these on our community as well.)
Cary begins speaking at the 5:00 minute mark. He lives three miles from Lake Michigan in a quiet, rural area, with rolling hills filled with orchards. They had abundant wildlife - bobcats, eagles, ducks, deer, etc.
Now everything has changed. He is surrounded. He can see 18 turbines from his living room, and 29 from his front porch. He has 5 within a half mile, 13 within a mile, and 26 within a mile and a half. He doesn't hear anything natural anymore. Just mechanical noises. He said it has completely changed his world.
He said one thing he never knew is that even when the turbines aren't running, they make noise. Heaters, coolers, and fans inside the towers are the loudest sound outside all the time. He said it's constant and in every direction.
His son can't sleep due to pressure and headaches. He and his wife have developed constant headaches and ear pressure. Everyone wakes up. On gusty nights he and his wife sleep on an air mattress in the basement to try and get away from the noise and vibration.
Cary said he has a sound measuring instrument. When it's the loudest he routinely measures the sound at over 45 and in the low 50s. He's put in several complaints. With every complaint, they tell him it's not applicable. The company has a year to perform their own students, so the company has a year to run the turbines at full power, in any direction, however they want, without having to worry about compliance. He has made complaints on other factors too, and their response is 'Not Applicable.'
He said it's a big fight he didn't ask for. But for two and a half years, he's been fighting it every day of his life. He said he's not going to back down.
He ended with these words: "My community is filled with gracious, good, hardworking people who were born here, lived here, loved it here, and wanted to die here. And now they want nothing more than to leave."
Listen to Cary's testimony here.
