Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Report on the September 23rd Meeting

Report from Marion Thompson on the September 23rd meeting:

A huge thank you to Community Wind Concerns of Cavan Monaghan for the excellent Public Information meeting. They arranged to have most knowledgeable guests who spoke to many of the important issues that will be facing this area.

Ian Hanna, one of the guest speakers is a farmer from Big Island in the Picton area who is suing for an injunction to block the Ministry of Environment from issuing any renewable energy approvals for wind projects. Such an injunction would prevent the construction of almost all new commercial wind projects.

Ian Hanna is seeking a declaration striking down certain sections of O.Reg. 359/09 that could authorize renewable energy permits for wind farms. He argues that the Environmental Bill of Rights requires the MOE to consider the Ministry Statement of Environmental Values in its decision-making, and that the regulation breaches the precautionary principle because of uncertainty concerning the health effects of wind turbines.

A successful outcome to the Ian Hanna court case is the best hope for every citizen concerned about wind turbines.

The next important court date will be in January of 2011. Meantime, it is imperative to slow down the mandatory process that Energy Farming Ontario aka Wind Works must follow until a court decision is reached. If EFO gets final approval before the Ian Hanna court case comes to a conclusion, and hopefully a successful one, it will be too late.
Therefore, it is important that if possible, the Wind Works meeting to be held in the upstairs hall of the Millbrook Arena next Thursday, September 30th starting at 5 pm be halted, as the meeting room is not accessible to all citizens

Several have written letters of complaint to the MOE and Rick Johnson and others pointing out that the arena meeting room is not accessible.

The MOE has directed EFO to respond to the complaints. Hopefully, EFO will decide to reschedule once again their information meeting. Then everyone can head to Rolling Hills Public School located at 694 7A Highway just before you reach Highway 35 to attend the meeting there being held at the same time and see what Wind Works has to say.

For those interested in the organization Society for Wind Vigilance which Dr. Robert McMurtry referred to and participates in:

http://windvigilance.com/page002.aspx

This a worldwide organization which accepts submissions and studies by specialists in the field of medicine and physics studying adverse health effects caused by industrial wind turbines.

Dave Marsh pointed out a huge concern that many do not seem to comprehend yet. The wind farms will checkerboard the region, then fill in.

There are 5 wind farms proposed for the area. There will likely be a 6th wind farm since there is a test tower located on Hayes Line in Mount Pleasant.

Dave Marsh also pointed out that the company Wind Works has no interest in the community and their financial structure is suspect.