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Editor’s note:  The following letter was formally submitted to the Australian Federal Senate as it ponders a bill to curb excessive wind turbine noise.  The bill currently goes by the name, Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Excessive Noise from Wind Farms) Bill 2012.  Whether the Senate passes such a bill remains to be seen, of course.

Click here to read Dr. Spring’s letter in the original (submission #136 in the list).

Dear Senators,

I support the provisions of this bill. I am concerned about the impact of unregulated noise pollution on people close to the wind farms. If noise pollution is occurring, and people’s sleep and health is suffering as a result, the proposed amendments will at least help to detect it.

As a Sleep Physician, working in Ballarat in Western Victoria, I have already been seeing patients from Waubra, Leonard’s Hill, Glenthompson and Cape Bridgewater who have disturbed sleep which has coincided with the commencement of operation of nearby wind farms. I do not believe that we yet know the full extent of the consequences to these people of their exposure to wind farms or even the cause of the untoward effects which may not just be from “noise.”  Nonetheless, assessment of noise is a start in the monitoring of what is going on.

I am happy to attend the Senate inquiry and answer questions in person depending on the day or alternatively appear by video link.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr Wayne Spring M.B., B.S., F.R.A.C.P., F.R.C.P.
Consultant Physician