Wind Turbine Bylaw Delayed as Residents Raise Health Concerns
The County of St. Paul is hitting pause on proposed wind turbine bylaw changes after residents raised health concerns tied to infrasound and turbine setbacks.
Council held a public hearing on Bylaw 202603, which proposes amendments to wind energy conversion regulations. The room was filled with residents asking for stronger protections and larger setbacks from homes.
One presenter told council:
“Infrasound can spread at least 10 kilometers at levels that have been proven to affect people.”
Another resident was direct:
“These wind turbines have no place in rural residential areas. They are just too harmful.”
Who Has the Final Say?
Planning representative Gary reminded council that while municipalities can participate in review processes, ultimate authority over large-scale wind projects rests with the province.
“The province Alberta and its agencies regulates large-scale commercial energy projects.”
He added:
“While a municipality can participate in the project review and is strongly encouraged to do so, the municipality is not the decision maker.”
That clarification underscored the limits of municipal control, even as council considers amendments to its own land use bylaw.
After hearing from residents and administration, council chose to defer second and third reading of the bylaw to allow more time to review the information presented.
Infrasound Research Raised During Discussion
A significant portion of the public hearing focused on infrasound — low-frequency sound below 20 Hertz that is often inaudible to the human ear.
Residents referenced emerging research, including a February 2026 German study by Lehmann et al., published in Infrasound and Human Health: Mechanisms, Effects, and Applications (MDPI). Reporting on the study by Mark Mallett of WindConcerns.com summarized the authors’ conclusion that infrasound can have “significant biological impacts” under certain exposure conditions.
The German researchers state that infrasound can travel long distances with minimal attenuation and may interact with biological tissues. They also argue that older studies, including the 2012 Health Canada study often referenced in regulatory decisions, did not measure the lowest frequency ranges now being studied.
The study discusses a process known as mechanotransduction — how cells respond to mechanical pressure — and suggests repeated exposure to impulsive infrasound may affect cardiovascular and neurological systems. However, the authors also acknowledge that causality remains complex and not uniformly experienced across populations.
Sensitivity levels vary, and not everyone exposed to infrasound reports symptoms.
Current Alberta Utilities Commission noise requirements focus on A- and C-weighted measurements down to 20 Hz. Critics argue this may not capture sub-20 Hz frequencies discussed in newer research.
What Happens Next
Council did not vote on final approval of the bylaw.
Instead, members chose to defer second and third reading to allow more time to review the significant amount of information presented during the public hearing.
The bylaw will return to a future council meeting for further consideration.
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Wind Turbine Bylaw Delayed as Residents Raise Health Concerns
The County of St. Paul is hitting pause on proposed wind turbine bylaw changes after residents raised health concerns tied to infrasound and turbine setbacks.
Council held a public hearing on Bylaw 202603, which proposes amendments to wind energy conversion regulations. The room was filled with residents asking for stronger protections and larger setbacks from homes.
One presenter told council:
“Infrasound can spread at least 10 kilometers at levels that have been proven to affect people.”
Another resident was direct:
“These wind turbines have no place in rural residential areas. They are just too harmful.”
Who Has the Final Say?
Planning representative Gary reminded council that while municipalities can participate in review processes, ultimate authority over large-scale wind projects rests with the province.
“The province Alberta and its agencies regulates large-scale commercial energy projects.”
He added:
“While a municipality can participate in the project review and is strongly encouraged to do so, the municipality is not the decision maker.”
That clarification underscored the limits of municipal control, even as council considers amendments to its own land use bylaw.
After hearing from residents and administration, council chose to defer second and third reading of the bylaw to allow more time to review the information presented.
Infrasound Research Raised During Discussion
A significant portion of the public hearing focused on infrasound — low-frequency sound below 20 Hertz that is often inaudible to the human ear.
Residents referenced emerging research, including a February 2026 German study by Lehmann et al., published in Infrasound and Human Health: Mechanisms, Effects, and Applications (MDPI). Reporting on the study by Mark Mallett of WindConcerns.com summarized the authors’ conclusion that infrasound can have “significant biological impacts” under certain exposure conditions.
The German researchers state that infrasound can travel long distances with minimal attenuation and may interact with biological tissues. They also argue that older studies, including the 2012 Health Canada study often referenced in regulatory decisions, did not measure the lowest frequency ranges now being studied.
The study discusses a process known as mechanotransduction — how cells respond to mechanical pressure — and suggests repeated exposure to impulsive infrasound may affect cardiovascular and neurological systems. However, the authors also acknowledge that causality remains complex and not uniformly experienced across populations.
Sensitivity levels vary, and not everyone exposed to infrasound reports symptoms.
Current Alberta Utilities Commission noise requirements focus on A- and C-weighted measurements down to 20 Hz. Critics argue this may not capture sub-20 Hz frequencies discussed in newer research.
What Happens Next
Council did not vote on final approval of the bylaw.
Instead, members chose to defer second and third reading to allow more time to review the significant amount of information presented during the public hearing.
The bylaw will return to a future council meeting for further consideration.
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