Noise, Light, Smell

NOISE

Biomass facilities are notorious for creating noise during operation. In a 24/7 operation as proposed for Pownal, VT, the noise is constant, offering no respite. Residents in Eliot, Maine have complained that the biomass plant located across the river in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is so loud that it “sounds like a jet engine running all the time.” The residents of Eliot, Maine even paid to have an acoustical study done. The study showed that the facility violated sound ordinances in both Portsmouth, NH and in Eliot, ME. The sound ranged from 54 to 61 decibels, whereas 25 and 35 decibels was the norm. The facility in Portsmouth encountered this level of noise pollution, even with its 700 foot noise reduction wall.

Furthermore, the McNeil biomass facility in Burlington, Vermont has had many noise complaints. The noise was so bad that an offer was made to actually move the residents in surrounding neighborhoods. After many years of operation, the McNeil biomass facility manager John Irving said one lesson learned is that “it is best to site a biomass plant . . . far from residential neighborhoods.”

In Pownal, residences abut the plant, and this needs to be taken account seriously. The site was never intended to serve as an industrial/manufacturing facility. It once hosted a dog racing track. Residences and business (non-industrial/manufacturing) surround the track and are closely situated. Questions remain about whether or not biomass facilities should be located in residential communities due health and safety issues.

The rumbling of 70-100 lumber trailer-tractors per day back and forth down Rt 7 and the adjoining roads would significantly alter the experience of living in Pownal, VT, Williamstown, MA, and other nearby towns, particularly for the many whose residences actually line these streets, which is the case in all of these towns, given their layout.

LIGHT

Light pollution is also an issue. With a 24/7 operation, the facility is lit up around the clock. This would be a significant issue for residents in close proximity to the facility.

SMELL

In addition to noise and light pollution, smell pollution is a real concern with biomass facilities. This is a factor that should be taken seriously in locating these facilities in residential areas. Residents living close to the McNeil Plant have registered complaints of odors of ammonia coming from the plant, leading to headaches and nausea. In wood chip fermentation, the wood breaks down into various chemicals, which produce ammonia-like odors. The chemicals involved in this process include those that are a threat to public health—furfural, formaldehyde, and phenols. EPA considers these chemicals as toxic pollutants. Furthermore, ammonia is also used in the biomass process on a regular basis.