“A good man” (Maine)

Jan 26, 2011

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Calvin Luther Martin, PhD

This arrived in my In-Box this morning, from a friend and neighbor of Art’s.

Art Lindgren, a leader of the effort opposing excessive noise from Vinalhaven wind turbines, suffered a heart attack last night at a board meeting of the Fox Islands Electric Cooperative.

Lindgren had been in the midst of an evening presentation about the reporting by Fox Island Electric to ratepayers and ongoing complaints about violations of state noise standards. The informal entity Mr. Lindgren leads—Fox Islands Wind Neighbors—has urged the  State of Maine to enforce the law against Fox Islands Wind, the turbine operator.

At considerable effort, cost, and often under severe weather conditions, Mr. Lindgren mastered complex acoustic measurements, providing data from wind turbines from this rural, quiet area in Maine.

Lindgren was airlifted from Vinalhaven, ten miles from the Maine coast, by LifeFlight helicopter last night after being resuscitated by observers.

He is under treatment at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, ME.

Art Lindgren, Vinalhaven, ME

Art & I had been in correspondence just yesterday.  He said he was about to put together a submission for the Australia Senate’s inquiry into wind turbines. He kept referring to the tremendous stress he was under, daily, from the infernal turbines next door.  Often, no sleep, etc.

View from Art & Cheryl's window, Vinalhaven, ME

On hearing the grim news, I went back to Dr. Sarah Laurie’s “Blood pressures elevating dangerously after nighttime wind turbine exposure“—and wondered.

Preliminary results of investigations (24-hour blood pressure Holter Monitor) are showing that some people living adjacent to turbine developments (distance of 3 to 4 km = 1.9 to 2.5 mi) are getting episodes of hypertension (high blood pressure) at night, sometimes dangerously high, while they are asleep and while the turbines are operating.

As this will mostly be asymptomatic, people generally will be unaware that it is happening to them until this investigation is done on a night when the turbines are operating.

—Sarah Laurie, MD

Looking for Nina, I found her sitting cross-legged on the carpet in our bedroom, happy as a clam.  Knitting.  (Her great love!)

She snapped into “doctor” mode.  “Eastern Maine Medical Center needs to insist that everyone exposed to those turbines is given a Holter Monitor with blood pressure cuff—through the night!  They need to be monitoring 24-hour blood pressures, not just EKG’s for abnormal rhythms.  On all those people!”

I grieve.

You are welcome to post “good wishes” to Art and his wife Cheryl, here.  (Art confessed he was a regular reader of WTS.com.)  And send Art an email—yes, at Eastern Maine Medical Center.  Click here.

And I know for a fact he loves flowers!

  1. Comment by Ann WIrtz on 01/26/2011 at 5:39 pm

    My thoughts are with this man and his family! I hope he has a full recovery and can somehow live in peace after…

  2. Comment by T3 on 01/26/2011 at 5:56 pm

    Hi Calvin and Nina,

    I support your findings about blood pressure and turbines. I am experiencing the same old trama to my health as before – symptoms – same. I am currently living approximately 6kms from the turbines. I spent much of the past two days of the weekend at the place I currently reside. I believe I have become very senitive to lfv’s. How discouraging and limiting this is.

    Awake in the early hours on Monday morning, and feeling so terrible, I thought it would be good to take my blood pressure. The first reading was 153/117. Subsequent readings were in the 150 – 110 range. Vision was blurred, this has not happened before. I remained calm, took more bp medication, layed down and meditated. I eventually got it down to a safer level.

    My cuff is accurate. I have checked it this week with one in a drug store and my Aunt’s as well. I am doing better today.

    A friend recently told me that drinking beet juice will instantly lower your blood pressure significantly. Have you heard of this? I haven’t been able to find it in the local grocery store; will keep looking. I am eating sensibly – avoiding salt, making a point to get some exercise albeit shovelling snow … in the dark, as I spend much time away from home. Don’t worry, I do the best I can.

  3. Comment by Anne Britton on 01/26/2011 at 7:04 pm

    Thank you for sharing your stories. My heart goes out to all of these victims. I am sorry that you are going through this.

    The scene from the window is nothing less than HORRIFIC! ..and I just heard that NYSERDA is giving $200M+ to these jerks.

    Wake up WORLD!!!

  4. Comment by Brad Blake, Cape Elizabeth, ME on 01/26/2011 at 8:04 pm

    Art is one of Maine’s more ardent wind activists. This citizen campaign against well-financed, powerful, and devious wind developers is extremely stressful. I can understand how this good man, a seeker of truth and fairness whose life has been ruined by Fox Islands Wind, could reach the point of a heart attack.

    I have the highest possible regard for Art & Cheryl, and send prayers for a full recovery for Art.

    I call on the State of Maine to shut down those turbines. Stop the ruination of people’s lives NOW!!!

  5. Comment by Marsh Rosenthal on 01/28/2011 at 2:19 pm

    Art, I hope that you are on the mend and will feel more comfortable each day.

    Your work has been crucial for all and you are a hero to me.

  6. Comment by Addriene on 10/25/2011 at 2:38 am

    You have the monopoly on useful information. —Aren’t monopolies illegal? 😉

    Editor’s reply: You just made my day!

The comments are closed.