I grew up in Highland Plantation, a proposed wind turbine site, and my husband and I have built a home here to raise my kids. I wanted to raise my kids the way I was raised, enjoying the beautiful outdoors.

I researched industrial wind turbines, and I found some very frightening facts on the effects they have on people’s health. Sleep deprivation, severe headaches, dizziness, vertigo, visual blurring, rapid heart rate, problems with concentration and memory, nausea, chest pulsations, ringing, buzzing, or fullness in the ears, nervousness, and panic episodes associated with internal quivering or pulsation are all symptoms caused by industrial size wind turbines. These symptoms have been given the name of Wind Turbine Syndrome. There are many studies from all over the world that have proven these to be real symptoms from living near industrial wind turbines.

I have also received an email from a woman who lives near wind turbines in Mars Hill and she experiences sleep deprivation, severe headaches, and depression. Her doctor has to keep changing her medication because her body becomes immune to it. It is so sad to see someone having to live with this. And, I am scared that we will become the next victims. The wind industry didn’t care about the health effects of people in Mars Hill, Vinalhaven and Freedom, so why would they care about my family’s health?

How would you feel if you were in my shoes and you found out your children and your spouse could suffer from these symptoms? I am a busy mom of nine (six still at home) with too many things to do than to create lies and fight this huge fight. I have spent so much time researching industrial wind, and if I honestly believed it was good for the environment, animals and people, and if I could find solid evidence that wind turbines actually reduced greenhouse gases, I would not be opposing this project.

I understand that some of my neighbors have different opinions, and I would gladly share my resources with them if they wanted me to.

I just want to be able to raise my kids in best place I know... Highland.

Heidi Emery and her husband, Rodney Emery,

are residents of Highland Plantation.