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MAINE COMPASS: Anti-wind group supports claims of health problems with false data

The Maine Medical Association, in its deliberations, has recognized climate change as a major issue, with diverse and significant health effects.

While the globe has warmed and cooled throughout its history, the use of fossil fuels has greatly accelerated these changes in the past century. It isn’t possible to stop the cyclic pattern, but we can and must utilize alternative fuels, such as solar, geothermal, hydro, wind, biomass, nuclear and others as they come along.

The first and basic response, of course, is conservation.

In Maine, although we are fortunate in our resources for wind, a small but vocal group opposes development of wind power, because of concerns about quality of place, of noise and of possible harm to health.

Claims regarding possible harm to health are not supported by medical evidence nor medical literature.

Nina Pierpont, M.D., cited as an authority of “Wind Turbine Syndrome” (the title of her self-published book), has no medical publications. Contrary to her claim, her book was not “peer reviewed,” but rather received approving comments from friends and associates.

A so-called “study,” involving some residents at Mars Hill and claiming negative health effects, by Dr. Michael Nissenbaum in Fort Kent, is in the same category of anecdotal reports. He simply reported what was said, with no objective confirmation.

The sound from wind turbines does create some troublesome problems to a few people in Mars Hill, Vinalhaven and elsewhere. These problems are being addressed, and potentially corrected, with technological advances.

Additionally, Drs. Monique and Albert Aniel have consistently opposed wind development on the same false grounds of harmful effects on health.

Dr. Albert Aniel, after the Maine Medical Association’s Public Health Committee rejected his initial resolution by a vote of 8-1 a year ago, submitted a different resolution at the association’s general meeting.

Although a comprehensive resolution about climate change already was approved, Aniel’s resolution encouraged further studies and dissemination of information about wind power, and it passed.

Passage, however, in no way suggested, or reflected, any concern by the Maine Medical Association regarding negative health consequences.

Now, however, the resolution is being used as a platform from which to present a distorted position of the Maine Medical Association, falsely portraying it as having legitimate and serious concerns about wind and health problems.

These allegations have been widely promoted and quoted, thereby creating fear and apprehension, leading in turn to the many delays and excessive restrictions set upon development of wind as an alternative form of energy, such as we have seen in recent months.

Despite this, the Maine Medical Association has been strangely silent, with no response to counter these false health claims made by a few of its members.

I speak only for myself when I say I am deeply embarrassed and disappointed by this silence, although I am a member of the Maine Medical Association and its Public Health Committee.

I do not understand those in leadership, whether there is lack of awareness of the crisis in which we are now immersed, or, like so many others, an inability to accept the reality of the need for urgent action.

Eric Pooley, in his recent book, “The Climate War,” and James Kunstler, writing “The Long Emergency” in 2005, clearly show some of the factors leading to our “cognitive dissonance,” which enables us to proceed as though all were normal and OK, while ignoring the consequences of our inaction.

As physicians, we are ethically committed to preserving the health of our patients, specifically, and maintaining the health and welfare of the populace, in general. There is no more critical and overwhelming threat to the health of all those on this planet than the present and increasing changes in our climate, compounded by the exhaustion of fossil fuel.

To fail to address essential measures of adaptation and amelioration by development of all forms of alternative energy is totally unacceptable.

There are things we all can do, and none of them is going to be easy. All will involve some change in how we live our lives and some degree of sacrifice. The first step, however, will be to acknowledge that we are in a crisis, and indeed, it is going to be, as Kunstler says, “a long emergency.”



Richard K Jennings, M.D., of Fayette is a member of the Maine Medical Association and its Public Health Committee.

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