Who monitors and who does one call when sound, vibration or low frequency harmonics exceed limitations?
Wind turbines most commonly produce some broadband noise as their revolving rotor blades encounter turbulence in the passing air. Broadband noise is usually described as a “swishing” or “whooshing” sound. Older wind turbines can also produce tonal sounds (a “hum” or “whine” at a steady pitch). This can be caused by mechanical components. This problem has been nearly eliminated in modern turbine design and through appropriate use of setbacks from nearby residences. It is a well-established fact for a new broadband, atonal noise source, such as a wind turbine, that a cumulative increase in the total sound level of about 5 or 6 dBA at a given point of interest is required before the new sound begins to be clearly perceptible or noticeable to most people. Cumulative increases of between 3 and 5 dBA are generally regarded as negligible or hardly audible and an increase less than this is not audible. During project development a qualified professional will be retained to conduct pre-construc
