The CEC said that the AMA statement should provide additional peace of mind for communities living in the vicinity of existing or proposed wind power projects. CEC Policy Director Russell Marsh added that the AMA statement followed similar recommendations by health and acoustic bodies across Australia, to the effect that there is no evidence to link wind farms and adverse health effects.
“Other groups that have made positive statements on wind farm noise and health recently include the New South Wales and Victorian health departments, the South Australian Environmental Protection Agency and the Association of Australian Acoustical Consultants” said Mr Marsh. “The National Health and Medical Research Council, the national peak body for health research, also released a draft position statement several weeks ago that stated there was ‘no reliable or consistent evidence that proximity to wind farms or wind farm noise is directly associated with health effects’.”
Mr Marsh went on to report that no credible Australian health or acoustic organisations are opposing wind farms and that people should therefore feel reassured by that.
There has been a steady misinformation campaign in Australia over several years waged by those opposed to wind farms. This makes it even more important that developers of wind power projects should maintain good relations with the communities living in the vicinity of existing or proposed wind farms.
The CEC has now developed community engagement guidelines for wind farms in addition to a community expectations guide.
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