Whitley Co. wind turbine controversy

WHITLEY COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - Whitley County Commissioners are still working on drafting an ordinance for wind turbines. Wind Capital Group hopes the county will house the turbines, but not everyone's convinced it's a good idea.

A group called Whitley County Concerned Citizens invited David and Stephanie Hulthen to speak at a meeting Tuesday. The Dekalb County, Illinois couple lives within a mile radius of 13 wind turbines and said quality of life has changed for the worse.

The Hulthens said quiet country living has been replaced with an almost constant noise and strobing effect from wind turbines.

"We were told all of these things we wouldn't have issues with them, but we do have issues. And it's not just us. We're not an isolated case," said Stephanie Hulthen.

Once the Hulthens went viral with their problem, they started receiving e-mails from others who felt the same. They were told the noise generated from the turbines would sound like a refrigerator, but said once the turbines went online they experienced something different.

"They were just misleading because often times they sound like airplanes that are circling our home," Stephanie explained. "And there's a different air pressure at our home and we can even feel a different air pressure in our home."

The Hulthens are encouraging people who live in Whitley County to require turbine companies build farther away from homes. They said it's gotten so bad, they're considering selling their house. "This is a home my husband built with his own hands and from the area he grew up in. All of our children came home from the hospital to this house and it's like an estate to us," said Stephanie.

"We are not against alternative energy. What we're looking for is an ordinance everybody can live with," said Larry Long, the president of Whitley County Concerned Citizens.

So far 19,000 acres of land have been promised to Wind Capital Group to build turbines. A new ordinance will be drafted before turbines go up.