Some opposition to large-scale wind facility

Caroline Rogers, who lives on County Road 905 near where a large-scale wind power facility is proposed by Scout Clean Energy, said she is troubled about potential government subsidies for a development in a fragile area she considers unsuitable for a large-scale commercial development.

“Everything I’m reading on the internet says if it weren’t for all the grants and tax credits, these wind companies couldn’t afford to build,” Rogers said. “These wind facilities are incredibly expensive.”

Scout has denied any government grants are being used to build the project. However, wind generation projects are eligible for federal tax credits. The Inflation Reduction Act extends and increases investment and production tax credits through 2024 for wind energy projects that begin construction prior to Jan. 1, 2025, according to windexchange.energy.gov/projects/tax-credits: “The Production Tax Credit (PTC) allows owners and developers of wind energy facilities (land-based and offshore) to claim a federal income tax credit on every kilowatt-hour of electricity sold to an unrelated party for a period of 10 years after a facility is placed into service.”

Rogers fears the heavy concrete support platforms, towers and turbines, plus the construction traffic on CR 905 and road building to get to the turbine sites could disrupt people’s springs, wells and underground caverns. There could be muddy stormwater runoff that could pollute local water. However, a representative from Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality was reported to be meeting with Iadarola March 14 to discuss stormwater controls and permits for the project.

“Just remember, everything flows downhill,” Rogers said. “Our waters support other wells and creeks below us. There are several chicken farms just below us on both sides of the ridge.”

Rogers said she has watched a number of YouTube videos posted by people who live near wind turbines who report health problems with humans and other animals. One report from Dr. Jay Tibbetts of Wisconsin said people all over the world who live around turbines are reporting troubling symptoms including ear pain, ear pressure, dizziness, chest pressure, inability to sleep, poor concentration and extreme depression.

Rogers said audible noise close to the turbines can be no louder than a house fan most times of the year but ten times louder during the winter. And she is concerned that infrasound, which may not be audible to the average person, is interpreted as a vibration in the body.

“Dr. Marianna Pereira said low frequency infrasound literally penetrates buildings and the earth,” Rogers said. “Another woman living 1,600 feet from a turbine, about a quarter of a mile, has house walls six inches thick with insulation but she can still feel the vibrations. So, this infrasound is an extreme problem.

“I also watched a YouTube video with a dairy farmer in Shirley, Wisonsin, who said within three weeks, his cows went down from producing 75 pounds of milk per cow each day to 28 pounds of milk per cow. After nine months, he had lost all 70 cows. Anyone who has cattle knows you don’t lose your whole herd like that. They don’t all of the sudden die off. He said it was from the infrasound. Animals feel it and it causes insomnia. They believe these animals are literally dying from lack of sleep.”

Rogers also said she watched videos that reported that within a few weeks of turbines beginning operation, chickens either completely stopped laying eggs or their shells were very thin.

Rogers said impacts might be associated with how sensitive you are to sound and infrasound.

“I am very sensitive to sound,” Rogers said.

Her other concerns include the number of trees that must be cut down for the turbines, the transmission lines and roads to the turbine sites. A road will be needed to each turbine site. And she is concerned about the deep foundations that must be built and filled with concrete for the turbines.

“I sincerely care for my neighbors, and I am concerned my neighbors haven’t studied the potential health consideration for themselves and their animals,” Rogers said. “There are cattle and other animals up here. I am concerned that the company itself, Scout Energy, only formed in 2017. Scout Energy is a young company and was recently bought up by another company. Who is to say the leases are still valid and won’t change? My neighbors only get paid if the wind blows and they sell the energy.”

Scout said the project is expected to generate electricity for 30 years and generate $14 million in lease revenues and $25 million in tax revenues. Scout said lease contracts call for removing the equipment after the project is completed and returning the site to nature. Rogers said 30 years seems a long way down the road for a company that seems to have changed hands quite a bit.

“I am concerned the eggs the landowners out here have put in their baskets may all be rotten,” Rogers said.

Brookfield Renewable said in a press release Sept 29, 2022, that it has agreed to acquire Scout Clean Energy for $1 billion with the potential to invest an additional $350 million to support the business’ development activities. The press release said Scout’s portfolio includes over 1,200 megawatts of operating wind assets, including 400 mg managed on behalf of third parties, and a pipeline of over 22,000 mg of wind, solar and storage projects across 24 states, including almost 2,500 mg of under construction and advanced-stage projects.