Tag Archives: due diligence

Location, Location, Location . . . Migration, Migration, Migration

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An indepth discussion on the McGuinty Liberals irresponsible handling of important bird areas, migration routes and sensitive wildlife areas in siting Industrial Wind Turbines.  Mr. Wegner has an Honours BSc in Environmental Science degree and has spent many years as a wildlife photographer, traveling from one coast of Canada to the other, and north to south as well.  He has no wind projects anywhere near him.

“This is truly an international problem, one that so many developers and local/state/provincial governments pooh-pooh as a NIMBY issue in order to slide the deals through.  This problem runs from the arctic to the tip of South America — and that is one helluva big backyard!”

Download entire article here (pdf)
As a biologist-photographer who specializes in the nature spectacles of Canada, I’ve seen my fair share of wildlife wonders over the years.  Continue reading →

Follow the Funding! **Must Watch**

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Continue reading →

Essex Councillors Bizarre Flip-Flop

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Hypocritical stance taken by R. Voakes and P. Innis

[Editor’s note: This bizarre reaction from the two Essex Councilors who did everything in their power to get a large land-based project shoved through.  … So it’s OK to site just meters from where children sleep and play….but not in the lake??]

By Gary Rennie, The Windsor Star  

ESSEX, Ont. — The Town of Essex wants the developer of a multibillion-dollar offshore wind turbine project in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair to come to a special meeting to explain it.

“It scares the living hell out of us,” said Coun. Randy Voakes. Continue reading →

The Dark Secret of the Wind Industry

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[Note:   After the release of this disturbing video, wind developers are simply dismissing it at meetings, saying the vulture was “shot” down by the cameramen.    You be the judge.]

Raptors such as vultures, eagles and hawks are the most vulnerable bird to turbine accidents.   The big birds typically soar at about the same height as the turbine blades – roughly 300 to 400 feet.  In one year, the entire population of White Tailed Eagles was wiped out at Smola, Norway.  In Ontario, it has been reported coyotes are numerous around turbine facilities.   Why?  To swoop in and pick up  the dead and injured.  Continue reading →

Gengrowth project slowed by town of Amherstburg

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Amherstburg Echo

Rick Fryer

…The issue also will be appearing at future council meetings thanks to a notice of motion by Councillor Rick Fryer. He said local municipalities should have a voice “in matters that affect local watershed planning” and that proposed offshore wind farms in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair raise concerns over water quality, human health along with animal and plant life.

Fryer’s notice of motion asks that those concerns be forwarded to Essex MP Jeff Watson and Essex MPP Bruce Crozier and “the relevant ministries,” that all other municipalities in Essex County be asked to endorse the resolution and that the county, Pelee Island, Windsor and ERCA be asked to develop “a joint regional position” regarding offshore wind turbines proposed for the Essex-Windsor region. Continue reading →

The Ontario government has put people in harm’s way

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By Jamie Smith  tbnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY – The Ontario government has put people in harm’s way and needs to address the situation says the chair of a provincial wind energy concern group.

Society for Wind Vigilance chair Bob McMurtry was in Thunder Bay Friday to talk about wind turbines and the adverse health affects associated with them. McMurtry, an orthopedic surgeon and professor emeritus at the University of Western Ontario, has been lobbying the provincial government to obtain third party studies on wind farms since 2008. He said since that time, 102 people have come forward across the province with helth issues from turbines, the most common being sleep deprivation.

“Our bottom line message is if you’re going to build them for Heaven’s sake don’t put people in harm’s way,” McMurtry said. “At this time we (Ontario) are putting people in harm’s way.” Continue reading →

Trillium Lakelands District School Board Supports Health Study

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More here – Peterborough Examiner

A loud cheer went up from parents at last night’s Committee of the Whole meeting as the Trillium Lakelands District School Board voted in  support of Manvers Gone with the Wind’s request for the completion of an independent health study before any approvals are granted for a proposed wind project in the Manvers area.

The Trillium Lakelands District School Board passed the following motion at the Committe of the Whole: 

“That Trillium Lakelands District School Board  support in principle the Manvers “Gone With the Wind” Community Group in their endeavour to obtain an independent study of the health effects of fully operational wind turbine projects, prior to the advance of the issuance of any permits and the commencement of any projects.” 

This vote will be ratified at the regular board meeting in two weeks time.

The message to wind farm developers was clear. Leave.

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Posted By Don Crosby  Owen Sound Sun Times

The message to wind farm developers was clear. Leave.

“What do we have to do to make you pack up your bags and go away?” said Durham-area resident Joan Rawski.

She was among about 400 people who packed the Durham community centre for a public information meeting on wind energy Thursday evening.

Florida-based Nextera Energy wants to put up about a dozen wind turbines east of Priceville and many residents of West Grey are opposed to the plan and say they will fight the proposal.

“We are not going to stand back and allow somebody to come up here and try and take away everything we hold dear and devalue our property. It’s not acceptable and we’re not going to let it happen and I think the mood in the room this evening was pretty indicative of that,” Rawski said. Continue reading →

Nextera told by 400 at meeting to Leave Town!

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The quality of the questions from ordinary people, their determination to gain back control over their own destiny and reinstitute democracy was very impressive.

DURHAM – It was an amazing meeting!  There were around 400 people in attendance.   The wind company was raked over the coals by everyone in the room! The speakers were great! The crowd was great!

Reporters and a few others were recording the proceedings from beginning to end.  One of the reporters had done a story beforehand to let people know about the meeting.   At least 7 municipalities, including Tiny township who said several more councils in Simcoe County would support a moratorium, and 3 counties were represented by one or more councilor and/or mayor.

Many of these people spoke in support of a moratorium on turbines and against the tyranny of the current provincial government, against the GEA, against the stripping of individual and municipal rights.    Continue reading →

Thunder Bay Council wants answers

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By Jamie Smith, www.tbnewswatch.com

A city councillor doesn’t know what to expect when Horizon Wind Inc. makes a deputation before council Monday.

Coun. Linda Rydhom said she wants to know why the company’s proposed 18-turbine wind farm has moved closer to Loch Lomond Ski area and Neebing residences since entering into a lease agreement for 17,000 acres of land with the city in 2007. The Big Thunder Wind Park was supposed to be closer to the former Big Thunder site and further away from people, Coun. Rydhom said.

“Horizon has moved the proposed location of the turbines over to Loch Lomond Ski Hill area and they have not as of yet explained why,” she said. Continue reading →

Bruce County pushing for research on wind turbine health effects

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By Pat Halpin, Special to The Kindardine News

BRUCE COUNTY is still pushing for research on the health impacts of wind turbines.

On Thursday the Agriculture, Tourism and Planning committee recommended support of resolutions from Grey County, Grey Bruce Public Health and Kawartha Lakes all calling for investigation into reports of adverse health effects reported by people living near turbines.

All levels of government are under pressure over reports of those adverse health affects, said Warden Mike Smith.  He wants a definitive study to determine if the reports are legitimate.

“There’s some question out in the community that there is some health effect to (turbines) in certain conditions,” Smith said.  “What we want is some clarification about if they’re legitimate and if it is it might perhaps affect how we site (turbines) or how we locate them.” Continue reading →

Thunder Bay Group Presents to Lakehead School Board

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Margot Freitag makes a presentation to the school board Tuesday.

By Jamie Smith, www.tbnewswatch.com

A citizen’s group has asked the Lakehead Public School Board to join the fight against the proposed Big Thunder Wind Park.

 Nor’Wester Mountain Escarpment Protection Committee health and safety co-chair Margot Freitag, who is also a school board employee, made a presentation to the board Tuesday evening to discuss health concerns for students and staff at Nor’Westerview Public School should the estimated 18 wind turbines be installed. Freitag said the project would be within 2.6 kilometres of the school which could lead to everything from night terrors to ocular strokes for staff and students. Continue reading →

Gengrowth Must Obey the Law!

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By Gary Rennie, The Windsor Star

AMHERSTBURG Residents opposing a $25 million wind turbine project along Con. 6 want to know which rules apply — the town’s tougher zoning bylaw or the new guidelines of Ontario’s Green Energy Act.

Town council didn’t have clear answers for them Monday on the future of GenGrowth’s 10 megawatt South Side project.  “When we run around in circles like this, I can see why people get upset,” said Coun. John Sutton. Continue reading →

AOK First Nation opposes wind project on health grounds

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Demands 2-2.5 km setback of turbines from reserve boundary

by Jim Moodie  Manitoulin Expositor

AUNDECK OMNI KANING-As Northland Power, with input from the Northeast Town, finalizes its plan for a 43-turbine wind farm at McLean’s Mountain, nearby Aundeck Omni Kaning (AOK) has made it known through a recent band council resolution (BCR) that the First Nation is firmly against the project.

A copy of the BCR, approved by AOK council on January 12, was distributed late last week to the mayor and council of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands, along with a cover letter from AOK Chief Craig Abotossaway.

The leadership of AOK “feels that such a project is not supported by the appropriate information, such as health studies (and) setbacks, to base a sound decision with respect to the overall project,” writes Chief Abotossaway. “Therefore, the council of Aundeck Omni Kaning is vehemently opposed to any such project development.”

The resolution states that AOK “categorically opposes Northland Power’s wind-farm project proposal until such time as all encroachments of noise, low-frequency noise, health effects issues, and environmental concerns that will affect the health of our membership is (sic) addressed and to our satisfaction.”  Read entire article here.

John “Conflict of Interest” Gerretsen’s Efficiency Numbers are Misleading

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Credit:  By Paul Schliesmann, The Whig Standard

A retired Queen’s University physics professor says wind farms don’t live up to the hype generated by energy companies and governments.

John Harrison says that for the final six months of 2009, the Wolfe Island wind farm operated at about one-quarter efficiency.

It’s misleading, Harrison said, for Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen and Trans -Alta, the company that recently bought the wind farm, to claim that the 86 turbines power 75,000 homes. Continue reading →

Canadian Professor Emeritus says people are suffering health problems from being too close to structures

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Professor (Emeritus) Ph.D. (Leeds)

By PAUL SCHLIESMANN, THE WHIG-STANDARD,  16 January 2010

Some might accuse John Harrison of tilting at wind turbines, but the retired Queen’s University physics professor says he’s got the science to prove that wind farms are bad for people’s health.

Harrison became an expert critic of wind technology — and an ally of those who oppose it — after learning that his retirement community of Amherst Island could become the site of a wind farm like the one on nearby Wolfe Island. Continue reading →

Municipality of West Grey Calls for Moratorium

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Posted By LAURA MACDUFF, The POST

The Municipality of West Grey is taking a stand against the proposed wind turbines coming to the area. In a resolution approved on Monday afternoon, the municipality is requesting the Province of Ontario to put a moratorium on the proposed wind turbines.

Before a handful of concerned residents of West Grey in council chambers at the municipality of West Grey, councillors passed their own resolution, with plans to send it to MPs and MPPs, as well as surrounding municipalities of West Grey and the County of Grey.

Continue reading →

Manvers Group Addresses School Board

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Posted By DAVE FLAHERTY, LINDSAY POST

LINDSAY-A group of citizens have taken their concerns regarding a proposed wind turbine project in the former Manvers Township on the road.

Manvers Gone With The Wind representative Heather Stauble spoke at Tuesday’s Trillium Lakeland District School Board (TLDSB) committee of the whole meeting, voicing concerns about the proximity of proposed wind turbines to Grandview Public School and Rolling Hills Public School near Hwy. 35 and Hwy. 7A. Continue reading →

Northumberland News: Province must examine possible health impacts of wind farms

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This is where the Ministry of Health must step in. Since there is limited research on the health effects of exposure to low frequency sound, it’s time for the province rein in its love affair with wind power. In-depth health studies on people who live near existing wind turbine projects must be done to determine whether or not the turbines are making them sick before any more wind farms are brought on-line. Continue reading →

Where are our 3 farm organizations when we need them most?

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Orangeville Citizen

The numerous wind farms being built should make apparent to everyone that southern Ontario will be covered with wind turbines from Lake Huron to Lake Erie & Lake Ontario. That is provincial government policy and the Green Energy Act “streamlines” the approval process to the benefit of the wind turbine companies. 

Sadly, all the farm organizations appear to have been bullied into submission and are not looking after farmers’ interests. Simply stated: Continue reading →

Response to CanWEA/AWEA Study

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Co-authored by Dr. Robert McMurtry & Dr. Michael A. Nissenbaum
 
Studies commissioned by Wind Energy Associations containing paid for results should not be considered independent. No original research was conducted, based on review of the literature a clean bill of health has been awarded. It is a low order of scientific evidence. It has not been peer reviewed.
 
The evidence may also be of questionable veracity since the recent revelations of evidence of the altering of scientific papers by Hayes McKenzie(UK). Just this week it has been reported that these very noise issues were suppressed in the UK to enable wind turbines to be placed closer to human habitation. Continue reading →

Australian Parliament Calls for 2 Km Setbacks

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INQUIRY INTO RURAL WIND FARMS

Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 5

Media Release:

…..during the Committee’s investigations, significant community angst and concern about the planning process, project design and monitoring of rural wind farms became apparent.”

Recommendations to address the issues raised during the Inquiry include implementing a minimum setback of two kilometres (unless otherwise negotiated with neighbours), providing improved certainty for wind farm decommissioning, increasing the period that Environmental Assessments are on public exhibition to 90 days, improving noise modelling and improving the consultation and complaint handling process.

Full Report

Website

Governed by the ill wind of deception

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This weekend it was revealed that a report commissioned by a government department into the noise made by wind turbines and the effect on those who live near them had been quietly doctored……And what of the other reports into noise, effects on wildlife and so on? Were they streamlined, too?.

Continue reading →

Ontario Research Chair Request for Proposals

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Download Request for Proposals Here

The Chair will commence his or her duties as early as possible in 2010 and will undertake the following: 

  1. develop and publish a body of research on the potential health effects of renewable energy technology beginning with studies that extend current knowledge of potential health effects related to energy from wind. Sources of renewable energy to be studied include those defined in Ontario’s
  2. build networks with other researchers and research bodies in Canada and internationally
  3. contribute to public understanding and policy development in the area of potential health effects of renewable energy technologies
  4. contribute to the training of highly qualified personnel.

EZT Council supports freeze on wind turbines

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East Zorra-Tavistock

By HEATHER RIVERS, Woodstock Sentinel Review

EZT councillors have added their voice to a call for an embargo on industrial wind turbine projects until more studies on their health effects become available.  In a recorded vote, five of the six EZT councillors voted in favour of the carefully worded resolution designed to show their support for a moratorium. Continue reading →

Grey County wants wind turbine moratorium

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BY CHRIS FELL
The Collingwood Connection, November 26, 2009
 
The list of those demanding a moratorium on the construction of wind turbines in the local area continues to grow.  

Grey County Council joined the chorus of folks demanding a moratorium on the construction of wind turbines at it’s regular meeting held on November 24th.  County council asked for the provincial government to study the health affects turbines have on people more comprehensively before allowing them to be built.

Former Warden and the longest serving member of county council Howard Greig brought forward a resolution asking for the province to impose a moratorium immediately until health affects are clearly studied.

 “There’s no denying – in my mind – these can affect your health if you’re too close to them,” said Greig, the Mayor of Chatsworth.  ” We need an independent, third party study to say where these turbines should be so there is no affect on the health of our citizens,” he said. Continue reading →

The actions of this government have turned the precautionary principle on its head

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SPECIAL REPORT  By Richard Vivian  Orangeville Banner

Provincial plans to create a streamlined approval process for renewable energy projects have been met with a bevy of objections — from proponents, municipal leaders, and those who believe wind turbines negatively impact human health — and a court challenge.  Read entire article here

Bruce County seeks wind turbine health study

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Huron-Kinloss Mayor Mitch Twolan

By Don Crosby, The Owen Sound Sun Times

Bruce County is calling on the province to study the health effects of wind turbines.

“The province has stated that they are not going to do a health study. We’re going to encourage them with a letter hoping that they will do an independent study for the health concerns that are out there now and possibly down the road,” said Huron-Kinloss Mayor Mitch Twolan. Continue reading →

Federation of Canadian Municipalities asks for Wind Turbine Research

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CBC News

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is asking Ottawa to fund more scientific research into the potential health effects of wind turbines.

The organization has asked the government to focus on two areas: low-frequency noise and electrical disturbances from industrial-scale wind developments. The issue was raised in September by three municipalities from Ontario at a national board of directors meeting. Continue reading →

The environment does not consist merely of landscape but of people

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Toronto Star

 It is discouraging to see the executive director of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment providing cover for the wind power industry. The environment does not consist merely of landscape but of people.

It is not enough to say that windpower “must be part of our energy mix.” The question is, what part?  People are suffering.  If Ontario’s chief medical officer of health knows of no scientific evidence “to date” of a causal connection between wind turbine noise and adverse health effects, then he or she is derelict in duty.  There is more than enough expert opinion and action in other jurisdictions to warrant an independent investigation. Continue reading →