Normally, resolutions by trade associations don’t dent the public’s attention span. These matters are usually only relevant to the association, and since they’re non-binding, only really important to the people who either support them, or detest them.

This is different, though, when it’s the Maine Medical Association, and the resolution is about wind power and public health. Here, the resolution — which stated the MMA’s belief about what regulators should do regarding possible health effects from turbines — carries a clear public importance.

Nothing was decided. The public health committee of the MMA convened on Aug. 24 to discuss the resolution, which led to a 9-1 vote against accepting it. The resolution would have encouraged government to perform independent studies of possible health effects of turbines, and “refine” energy generation and policy to mitigate them.

The one vote favoring the resolution came from Dr. Albert Aniel of Rumford, who has raised warnings about health effects of turbines stemming from inaudible noise, flicker and other factors of living near them. He prompted the MMA to address the issue.

By rejecting the resolution, it may appear the MMA doesn’t share his concerns. On the contrary, the vote was appropriate, as the resolution — as drafted — made an assumption about turbines and health. Until health effects are proven, it would have been inappropriate to say the state should change its policies to limit them.

The questions are this: Do they exist? And if they do, how serious are they? So far, there hasn’t been enough study to draw conclusions, much less direct regulators and policymakers.

If the MMA should resolve anything, it should be this: Dismissing possible health effects of turbines would be foolhardy, without examination first, and that studies should be done as soon as possible.

This is a good course. There’s no harm in studying a new, possible impact to public health to determine whether there is, in fact, a problem. With the way turbines are sprouting across Western Maine, this would not only make sense, but also inject needed facts into a realm filled with conjecture.

The MMA’s panel of physicians made a measured,
rational decision about this resolution based on available information, without the presumption
of conclusion. No surprise here: Doctors are very good at quelling fears, by offering facts.

This is exactly what the debate about turbines and health needs: less assumptions of effects and many more facts.  

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