A case recognised by Portugal’s Supreme Court in 2013 is back in the news after the family that won €30,000 in damages claims a wind farm is still damaging not only people, but animals. According to the Teixeira Duarte family, foals born on their breeding farm have been born with limb deformities because wind turbines at the São Julião park in Torres Vedras are too close to the property.
Ricardo Teixeira Duarte has told Lusa that “at least three” turbines of the 20 that exist are causing serious problems.
Last year, the Duarte’s victory in the Supreme Court dating back to 2013 finally saw four turbines shown to have caused ‘damages to the physical integrity’ of family members and their animals finally removed from the park.
The court had heard that effects on people included a form of vibroacoustic illness “more commonly suffered by airline pilots”, sleep problems and difficulties with memory – while effects on the horses were physical: a study undertaken in 2012 by veterinary investigators at the Technical University of Lisbon concluded that “since 2008, horses born at the farm and in stages of growth developed deformities of their thoracic limbs” (basically meaning leg bones).
But despite the Supreme Court ruling, the park’s turbines have persisted in causing problems, say the family which has now submitted a new criminal complaint.
A new investigation is currently underway, writes Lusa, while Grupo Valouro, the wind park’s bosses, refute the claims.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
