Survey #1 Results

49 responses analyzed
Raw results & some combinations
Issues Ranked
Issue
Shorthandusedin
graphs
Sound&vibration
Shadowflicker
Healthimpacts
Propertyvalues
Visual,aesthetic
Tourismorrecreationalimpacts Tourism
Terrestrialwildlife,birdsandbats Wildlife
Culturalorhistoricimpacts
Safety(icethrow/bladethrow/structuralfailure) Safety
Roleofwindsubsidiesandincentives Subsidies
Economiccostsandbenefitsofwind(iswind'worthit'?) Costs/Benefits
Electricsystem(reliabilityandstability) Electricsystem
Netenvironmentalbenefits(displacementoffossilfuels) Env.Benefits
Naturalresources(watershed,headwaters,ridgeline)during
construction ConstructionImpacts
Naturalresources(watershed,headwaters,ridgeline)during
operation OperationalImpacts
Cumulativeimpactsofwidespreadwinddevelopment CumulativeImpacts
NavigationalInterference
OtherIssuesmentioned
as important included
Issue:
Alignment with town plans
Proper prediction of impact on all of above; accurate modeling of noise - if avoid
adverse impact, property value drops as issue
Local Control
Note -- the issues important to citizens is often different than the issues important to
decision-makers. Responses might vary somewhat if they did not include both in the
same response
Local economic benefits
Benefits to community, state, country
Distribution of benefits (are those being impacted being appropriately compensated)
Q2. Importance: Rank each topic according to its importance to citizens and siting
decision-makers determining whether a wind power facility is appropriately-sited.
Q3. Controversial: Rank each topic by degree of controversy in stakeholder
discussions.
Q4: Are the impacts, and therefore
information needs, associated with this
topic:



1. Site-specific: unique to locality or site
2. Common for similar topography / land use
3. Statewide
4. Regional
5. Industry-wide or generic
Q5. Scale: At which scale is this topic most applicable?
1. Community: individual turbines or small clusters of ~1-MW turbines
3. Both equally
5. Grid-scale wind farms many turbines together
Q6. Availability: Is legitimate, credible and salient information sufficiently available to
stakeholders on this topic?
Combining Availability with Importance
Q7. Maturity of data/research:
1. There are many unknowns about this topic
additional research highly useful in supporting well-informed decisions.
3. There is much data and research available
and while current research is insufficient to conclude that an impact is or is not
problematic, some stakeholders feel additional research may reveal a different conclusion.
5. This topic is thoroughly researched and well-established;
little will be gained by investing in new or additional research.
Combining Data/Research Maturity
with Importance
Q8. Amenable to Research and Data: Rank each topic by whether the availability of ADDITIONAL,
independent, legitimate, credible and salient information will influence stakeholders positions.
1. Not Amenable. i.e. more data will not influence positions of citizens and decision-makers.
5. Amenable. i.e. Additional independent, legitimate, credible, salient information is needed and
useful in influencing the positions of citizens and decision-makers on wind power in general or
whether a wind power facility is appropriately-sited
Combining Amenability to Research &
Data with Importance
Q9. Convergence vs. divergence of information in current use: Info used to influence wind siting decisions:
1. Supports wildly differing perspectives or conclusions
5. Supports a common perspective or conclusion (#s flipped to align w/ #10)
Q10: Convergence vs. divergence of data: In my opinion, fully informed stakeholders armed with all available
legitimate, credible and salient information on the topic are:
1. Unlikely to reach a common perspective on impacts/characteristics of appropriately-sited wind
5. Likely to reach a common perspective on impacts/characteristics of appropriately-sited wind
Combining Data Likelihood to Drive
Convergence or Divergence with Importance
Survey #2
Information Examples
(Property Value Impacts)
Across the Spectrum
Question 2: Bias
Comparing Bias to Usefulness & Credibility
Bias: 1 = most biased; 5 = least biased,
Credible: How credible do you consider this information on a scale of 1-5? (1 = not at all
credible/totally biased; 5 = very credible and objective)
Useful: How useful to citizens and decision-makers do you consider this information on a scale of
1-5? (1 = not at all useful; 5 = extremely useful)