As many as 80 people attended a town hall meeting Tuesday evening, some to learn about and some to oppose a planned wind generation project in southeast Neosho County.
The Neosho County Commission held the meeting at the Galesburg Community Center with representatives of Apex Clean Energy to discuss the project to place 100 to 130 wind turbines in a 100-square-mile area roughly between Anderson and Platt roads and between 140th and 50th roads.
“We’re here tonight because we want to hear from you,” Commissioner Jennifer Orr told the gathering, “not because we’ve made a decision.”
Chris Ollson of Environmental Health Management gave a slideshow about the health issues involved in wind farms, including the flickering shadows caused by moving blades, the noise levels and risk of ice or debris from a damaged turbine being thrown.
The turbines will be located 1,200 feet from homes, where the noise level would be about 50 decibels. An attendee at the meeting said the community center’s air conditioning system measured 65 decibels at the far side of the hall.
Turbines could be located at least 1,400 feet from homes that are not participating in the generating leases, and one mile from Galesburg.
(Read more: The Chanute Tribune – news,news/)