Wind committee discusses noise

CLAYTON — The town's wind committee neared agreement on noise standards at its meeting Thursday night.

The 10-member committee discussed material presented at the Feb. 12 meeting by Gregory C. Tocci, principal at Cavanaugh Tocci Associates, Sudbury, Mass. That engineering firm evaluated the noise studies done in Clayton by consultant CH2MHill for Iberdrola and in Cape Vincent by consultant Hessler Associates for BP Alternative Energy.

Among his recommendations were that the town adopt a law that uses a certain number of decibels above ambient noise as opposed to the current flat allowed rate of 50 decibels. The state Department of Environmental Conservation recommends no more than six decibels.

Most of the members expressed support for that type of change. But at the beginning of the meeting, committee member Patricia A. Patchen pleaded with the committee to leave the setbacks and noise standards as is.

"The noise standards in the majority of all the ordinances in New York state is 50 decibels," she said.

She said noise levels should be measured during all seasons, not just winter when it is quietest, to reflect an average of the noise present in the town.

Ms. Patchen said she was confused by Mr. Tocci's presentation.

"He said one thing and then the next paragraph he was contradicting himself," she said.

Committee member Duane C. Hazelton said, "I think he was saying the jury's still out on a lot of these things."

Ms. Patchen replied, "My jury's back in."

But the committee quickly moved away from the 50-decibel level as a guideline to a certain level above ambient noise.

"The set amount of 50 decibels really isn't that loud," Dr. John W. Jepma said. "It is not necessarily the loud noise, it's the repetitive nature of it, it's the constant nature of it. Looking at it protection-wise, the recommendation we have is to measure ambient and have a set number above ambient."

And, he pointed out, Mr. Tocci said the ambient noise levels in the town would likely be in the 20-decibel range.

Other committee members added that the technology for turbines could change, making them louder or quieter. So having the amount over ambient would make siting easier.

But if turbines became very quiet, they also said, the town should have a law that gives a distance-based setback as well as a noise-based setback for turbines near residences or property lines.

The committee compared some of the setbacks and provisions in the current Clayton law to the controversial Lyme zoning ordinance.

Robert W. Cantwell III said, "They seem to have all the angles covered — right or wrong, I don't know."

The committee's next meeting will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Antique Boat Museum and will begin with a presentation from Paul G. Carr, professor of engineering at Cornell University, Ithaca, on noise, public safety and aesthetics.