Print Article

Dear Nina,

Thank you so much for the research you are doing, and for caring enough to do it!

I live on an acreage in northern Iowa. We used to love it here. We had a beautiful landscape, and it was so peaceful here. We even have a campground in our grove that we’ve enjoyed many nights with family and friends.

That all changed a few months ago when the wind turbines started going up. We now live on a 180-turbine wind plant.

At my front door I can see over 60 of them, and the closest one to our home is 2000 feet.

There are 7 turbines directly behind our campground.

When they started going up close to my home I started doing my research. Finding your website was a blessing!

There are several negative issues with living within a wind plant, but I’m going to focus only on the health issues. My 6 year old has motion sickness. Even with medicine, a full stomach, and riding in the front seat he still gets sick. As a mother it’s heartbreaking seeing him get so sick in the car, and now, with this wind plant being built all around us, it’s been overwhelming.

I drive my son 15 miles to school each morning. Twelve of those miles will be through the wind plant, with turbines on both sides of the road for most of it. Turbines so close you can’t block them out of your corner vision. I can’t imagine what it will be like for him, soon, when we’ll be driving in turbulence with enormous spinning blades on both sides of us, and dealing with the shadow flicker, too.

Not knowing how much this will affect my son’s motion sickness has been very hard on me. I’m thankfull everyday that the turbines aren’t running yet. I know that even having them so close to our home could be a big issue, too.

I did talk to my son’s doctor, once, before I knew much about this issue, and she had not heard of it yet, she said.  But [she agreed] it’s a possibility. If he does get sick at home she said we’ll have to move immediatly.

We do plan on moving as soon as possible because we know we can’t live on a wind plant with our son’s health issues.

I think most doctors and the public don’t even realize that there can be health effects from living close to turbines. I know I never did until the wind plant was built around me. But I do think that the more people it affects, the more awareness there will start to be.

I’m looking forward to reading your book. And thanks, again, for caring enough to give us a voice! If you’re interested, Ill let you know what happens with my little guy and his motion sickness.

Thanks for your time,

Julie Sandry
Thompson, Iowa