Daily Archives: January 31, 2012
OFA looking out for property owners “suffering in silence”
Jan 31, 2012 Kincardine News
Dear Editor,
The OFA recently called for a suspension of FIT contracts until the noise and electrical issues of wind turbines are settled (good on them).
Further the OFA is very concerned about the community strife that these projects are causing, pitting neighbour against neighbour. As the statement says, “We are hearing very clearly from our members that the wind turbine situation is coming to a head -seriously dividing rural communities and even jeopardizing farm succession planning.”
So, the OFA, Liberal red to the core has abruptly thrown down the gauntlet and the Liberal caucus had no plan for war with its last ally in rural Ontario. What really made the OFA do this?
Besides the obvious panic that renewals might not be forthcoming, I found this comment by a local farmer both interesting and very believable. A small news item was announced 2 days before the OFA proclamation last week: a lawsuit by John and Sylvia Wiggins, who own a horse farm near Stayner. They are suing their neighbour who is the host landowner for a wind project of 6 turbines. Last summer they listed their 48 acres for $1.15 million and though initial interest was intense, buyers disappeared after the wind farm was announced. They are suing the wind company, WPD and the host landowner for $3.5 million for lost value. This is the first time a landowner has been named in a civil suit involving wind turbines. It was bound to happen.
There is case law to support the position, one being a situation back in the 1980′s where neighbours of a go-kart track in Niagara Falls successfully sued the landowner of the track. Their claim of loss of property value was accepted by the court. If the Wiggins are successful it would open the flood-gates to more lawsuits. Given the obvious visual (nuisance) impact of wind turbines, I’d say there is a high likelihood they will win.
The farmer said there is a real danger of “spill-over” effect. A win may provoke challenges against current farming practices based on noise, odour, view, whatever.
That’s something that all rural residents had better think carefully about. The OFA already is, and they are spooked.
Meanwhile, our dim-witted government insists that we rural residents are quite happy to accept wind turbines, “…for the greater good of society.” Like H… we are -suffer in silence so some comfy condo dweller can mitigate his urban guilt. NO!
Harvey Wrightman Kerwood
OFA has made a wise decision with IWTs
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has made a wise decision, with its recent withdrawal of support for new wind turbines in rural Ontario, for a number of reasons.
The issue has long been divisive in agricultural areas, pitting neighbour against neighbour, yet there is no democratic responsibility inherent in the implementation of the “Green Energy Act”. The power of municipal councils and their Official Plans have been usurped by Queens Park, where government politicians are comfortably far enough away from the controversy to remain unmoved. The latest election results should serve as a wake-up call to those who still believe that this kind of governance is appropriate in the 21st century. The direction of this debate has, no doubt, not gone unnoticed by OFA officials, many of whom are likely as keen on trying to keep their own jobs, as they are in faithfully representing the will of their membership. Regardless of the motivation, the result is the same the OFA must present the concerns and opinions of rural Ontario on this issue to those in power in Toronto. Read the rest of this entry
Wind turbine opponents not backing down
By PAUL MORDEN, The Observer Jan 31 2012
The Lambton-Middlesex Wind Action Group is spreading the word about its opposition to hundreds of proposed industrial wind turbines in the area.
Group members are scheduled to speak Feb. 7 to the Golden K Kiwanis Club in Sarnia, and they’re organizing a public information seminar Feb. 16, 7 p.m., at Grand Bend Public School.
“The Grand Bend area has a lot of projects surrounding it,” said group member Marcelle Brooks.
That includes the 150 MW Jericho Wind Energy Centre NextEra Energy is planning for Lambton Shores, and other projects wind energy companies want to build in nearby communities.
“We weren’t sure all of these folks were aware of what’s going on just outside of their town limits,” Brooks said.
NextEra spokesperson Josie Hernandez said the company is currently completing studies needed for the Jericho project to gain environmental approval from the province, and is aiming to have the project operating sometime in 2013.
It’s expected to erect between 65 and 93 towers, depending on which type of turbine is selected, Hernandez said.
The wind action group’s meeting in Grand Bend will feature real estate broker Doug Pedlar, speaking about the impact on land values, and electrical engineer David Colling speaking about electrical pollution. Scott Petrie, executive director of Long Point Waterfowl, will discuss impacts on wetlands and water fowl.
“We are more defiant and determined than ever,” Brooks said about the group’s opposition to industrial wind farms. Read the rest of this entry
Zephyr towers going up & blades arrive… & they ‘fix’ the roads again…
The intersection of Ebenezer and Churchill was built up quite a bit to repair the road when the tower pieces couldn’t make th corner. But then they spent another whole day building it up even more for the blades that arrived and they had to store at the barn (in the pic)… the flatbed with the blades wouldn’t make the turn.
Thursday morning at 9:00ish, two small trucks with 4 way lights, cop car all lights, flatbed and blade, cop car all lights, then two more pickups with all lights flashing SPEED came down Churchill. You’d think it was the bloody Queen in town!! All three blades are now on site since the road was modified and widened at the intersection (for the 2nd time). The tower will go up quickly now, as soon as the weather is clear.
48.7 meter blades on site.
Tower going up and road beign repaired, agian.
