A research article was recently released studying wind turbines and their effect on people’s health.

According to a study by the University of Iowa Environmental Health Sciences Research Center and Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and the Iowa Environmental Council, it states there is no authoritative evidence that sound emitted from wind turbines pose a risk to health among neighboring residents, and that the only causal link is an annoyance influenced by various factors. The study cited other reviews on the topic which stated that current evidence is limited between a causal relationship between exposure to wind turbine noise and sleep disturbance, and that evidence is inadequate to determine a link between exposure to turbine noise and stress or other health outcomes.

It concluded that wind energy is a benefit to the environment and should result in a net positive benefit to human health compared to fossil fuel production. The study follows a decision by the Adair County Board of Supervisors last fall to place a restriction on the positioning of turbines after receiving negative feedback from rural residents.