Evans, Prof Emeritus Alun. To ACNC in Support of Waubra Foundation
Professor Emeritus Alun Evans writes to Commissioner Susan Pascoe, ACNC
Dear Commissioner Susan Pascoe
I am writing to express my concern over the ACNC Assistant Commissioner’s, David Locke’s, ruling that the Waubra Foundation is not a Health Promotion Charity.
In coming to this opinion he summarily dismisses a wealth of evidence that the environmental noise pollution generated by placing wind farms too close to dwellings makes their occupants ill. Even if he dismisses this evidence, he cannot dismiss the fact that wind turbine noise causes sleep disturbance, indeed, some in the wind industry accept that this is the case.
As well as being a basic human right, an adequate night’s sleep is a physiological necessity, and lack of it is associated with learning and memory impairment, obesity in children, reduced cognitive function, psychiatric conditions and a range of Cardiovascular Diseases.
The Assistant Commissioner may want to argue that these associations are not causal, but be should be adopting the ‘Precautionary Principle.’ In trying to ensure that wind farms are sited well away from people, the Waubra Foundation must be accepted as a ‘Health Promotion Charity.’
Yours sincerely
Professor Emeritus Alun Evans
Visiting Research Professor
Centre for Public Health
The Queen’s University of Belfast
Institute of Clinical Science B
Grosvenor Road
Belfast BT12 6BJ