Turtles topple turbines as ERT revokes project approval
Administrator | Jun 06, 2016 | Comments 77
The County’s Blandings turtles, and nature in general, are victorious in the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists’ more than six-year battle to protect the south shore of Prince Edward County.
The Environmental Review Tribunal in the Ostrander Point industrial wind turbine hearing has decided “remedies proposed by Gilead Power Corporation and the Director (MOEE) are not appropriate” and has revoked the Renewable Energy Approval for the nine turbine project.
“The tribunal decision says that no matter how important renewable energy is to our future it does not automatically override the public interest in protecting against other environmental harm such as the habitat of species at risk,” says Myrna Wood, president of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists. “This was the basis of PECFN’s appeal. This decision not only protects the Blanding’s turtle but also the staging area for millions of migrating birds and bats and the Monarch butterflies.”
In their decision, ERT vice-chairs Heather Gibbs and Robert Wright state “The Tribunal finds that to proceed with the project, when it will cause serious and irreversible harm to animal life, a species at risk and its habitat, is not consistent with the general and renewable energy approval purposes of the Environmental Protection Act, protection and conservation of the natural environment and protection and conservation of the environment, nor does it serve the public interest.
“In this particular case, preventing such harm outweighs the policy of promoting renewable energy through this nine wind turbine project in this location.”
They also state the project would be located entirely within a Candidate Life Sciences Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI), which extends from Prince Edward Point to, approximately, Petticoat Point, and is roughly 2,000 hectares. “According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, it is a “candidate” ANSI due to “the combination of size, extent of shoreline, known species diversity and special features that make this site unique in the site district.”
“The tribunal decision reminds the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of its ‘Statement of Environmental Values’ that “As our understanding of the way the natural world works and how our actions affect it is often incomplete, [government] staff should exercise caution and special concern for natural values in the face of such uncertainty,” said Woods.
The Naturalists began their opposition in 2007 believing the south shore of the County “is the wrong place for wind turbines” – an important area to migrating birds, to bats and butterflies. It contains areas of natural and scientific interest, provincially significant wetlands, globally imperilled Alvar habitat and is the home and breeding grounds of avian, reptilian and amphibian species at risk.
“It’s been a long awaited decision and represents the efforts and determination of PECFN’s quest to protect the environment,” said Prince Edward County Mayor Robert Quaiff. “Congratulations to them. It further solidifies what everyone has been saying that the south shore of PEC is not a suitable location for industrial wind turbines.”
Todd Smith, Prince Edward Hastings MPP has also long campaigned that the south shore of Prince Edward County is the wrong place for wind turbines.
“It has taken a lot of time, money and effort to finally get to this point. My hope is that the Liberal government will actually listen to its own Environmental Review Tribunal that has ruled the south shore is a terrible location and that damage to the local environment outweighs any possible good that a wind turbine project could achieve,” said Smith. “Hopefully, this is the end of the Gilead proposal at Ostrander Point…Ultimately, this was not and is not, about the viability of wind power. This is about protecting the ecosystem of the South Shore of Prince Edward County. On that score, science and biodiversity won the day… The County is best served by being naturally green.”
Decisions with the White Pines project, also on the south shore, and the project at Amherst Island are still to be made.
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Sad note that our own councilor Daniel Mckillop is being questioned regarding his signing an abutting land agreement approval with his neighbour Jim Ford who works for Inverenergy A.K.A Inveridiots… with 84% of his constituents voting “NO” I’m at a loss why there was an agreement signed…. gotta be a some $$$$ for Councilor Mckillop down the road… again this whole procurement was done behind everyone’s back with absolutely no public input…..
http://Www.sttomastimesjournal.com for the article.
Thanks Jackie…. they can still go ahead with the IWT project if premier Wynnd decides that it is for the greater good of ontarions… to have a clean energy source and fresh air…… if this does happens we will sending a load of unregistered pitchforks for your residents to revolt!!!! Good luck with your fight….
reply to : notinduttondunwich
Turtles topple turbines as ERT revokes project approval
The County’s Blandings turtles, and nature in general, are victorious in the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists’ more than six-year battle to protect the south shore of Prince Edward County.
The Environmental Review Tribunal in the Ostrander Point industrial wind turbine hearing has decided “remedies proposed by Gilead Power Corporation and the Director (MOEE) are not appropriate” and has revoked the Renewable Energy Approval for the nine turbine project.
Which tribunal the Collingwood airport… or Amherst Island wind project??
Interesting interview on County 99.3 FM, Grape Vine today, 13 June 2016, hosted by Pamela Stag regarding the ruling by the Tribunal Judges. It is supposed air again at 6:10 this PM.
Good work barney… if you look in the literature that accompanies your mini turbine it specifically specifies that you consult your LOCAL MUNICIPALITY AND YOUR NEIGHBOURS BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH INSTALLATION !!!! Something that was not done on any level for a GREEN ENERGY ACT 50 STORY INDUSTRIAL WIND TURBINES!!!!!! MUCH BIGGER THAN 100KW WIND TURBINES! !!!! Knock yerself out bud… go green! !!!
Barney, thanks for the link. That looks really good. I have solar now. Wind soon. The price of energy (electricity and fossil fuels) affects everything, but we can at least eliminate the direct costs by generating our own electricity, and some day charge our own electric vehicles. Good luck with your turbines. The heaven of self-sufficiency.
Well it is all about if we can make $$ off this, right Barney. Wilma!!!!! Lol
To Sam::
Saw that note in my recent Hydro one statement. SOOO. Just signed a contract with :http://www.ontario-sea.org/Storage/39/3065_Small_Wind_Turbine_Purchasing_Guide_-_Off-grid,_Residential,_Farm_&_Small_Business_Applications.pdf
Building two 100 kw turbines on my land and probably will probably PI** of the turtle crowd but that dirty dozen have other worries.
News from 2 days ago: Ontario Braces for 69% Increase in Nuclear Power Costs.
God bless PECFN and the turtles! And all others that have stood up and contributed!
Dennis…. well said like the rest of your comments….
Thanks to all for your for your reasoned and well thought out comments re: the ERT ruling supporting our Field Naturalists fight against IWTs. This “hockeyman” who hides behind a silly name – well, many of you have said what he needs to hear – he has said nothing worth considering – so ignore him. I will too.
In response to ADJ: The drop zone for the bombs was west of the causeway. The project site was east of the causeway. I can still remember seeing that target above the cattails.
Hockey man …. first of all I’m not a city $#@!… I’m a country bumkin!! You obviously need to read some of the articles being published and listen to what people are saying…. you seem very upset about this… do you have an IWT project in your municipality????
No I am not a lease holder but I am for the turbines as a lot of people are but most are a quiet bunch and not vocal like all you city__s.
Ya hockey man. …. why you so upset…. you must be a leaseholders or someone directly in line with some green energy act doings…. you get screwed on your lease or didn’t get awarded a turbine contract? You got shares in hydro none?? I’m just curious cause there’s always two sides to every story… what up?
It’s all BS!!! But we’re just going to carry on hell or high water…. those turbines are going up….. ignore all the facts and make up the rest…. Ontarions like true Canadians are so passive that the liberals WILL just push aside bystanders just like justin treadeau did in the house last month….. here in DD we are all training… men…. women… children…. with pitchforks…. bend at the knees… thrust the fork forward…. twist… and pull back!!! Repeat….
Hey hockeynan, if you’re so tired of of “complained whining” (whatever that is), why do you bother reading the comments?
Hey Terry just wondering if the excavators brought up any of those target bombs that were dropped over the marsh. It too was used as a target area when Camp Picton was training airmen. I’m not sure if they were dropped in that area or not. Just curious.
Mr Fox you are so full of bull your eyes are brown.Like you and a bunch of others couldn’t care less about turtles but it is a good way to stop the turbines.You seem to know everything about every article on here but you know nothing.
Thanks Terry. Insightful. Another win for the environment.
I hesitate to respond in a thread that’s supposed to be about wild turbines, and not the Big Island Marsh, but Susan is absolutely correct. The Big Island Marsh, prior to the rehabilitation project, was as dead as the proverbial door-nail, and eutrophying rapidly as dogwoods, willows and no native Phragmites grass was taking over. With the exception of red-winged blackbirds and the occasional bittern, everything had virtually disappeared in this often two feet thick tangled mat of cattails and root masses. I was hired to photograph the ongoing project and was beside the hi-hoes on a daily basis. At no time did I see any wildlife brought to the surface as there was none to be seen. Today, the three ponds and interconnecting channels throb with life. Fish are migrating through the watercourses once again after more than 100 years of marsh stagnation; pied-billed grebes, loons and waterfowl are calling daily which I haven’t heard in the 40+ years that I have lived beside the marsh. Water is actually moving. The marsh is once again alive. Biodiversity has returned.
Unfortunately that quick buck is a smoke and mirrors … the liberal government can and will reduce the amount paid to the leaseholders… here in DD Inveridiots undercut the price per kwh and the leaseholders lost 4 cents /kwh right off rhe bat and there’s nothing they can do about it… if any leaseholders out there think that this Liberal government is not going to cut the payments back they are in lala land!!! When Wynnd can’t afford to pay HER bills you will see cuts to the leaseholders bottom line… or she will tax the leaseholders…. or both…. this Liberal government has shown it’s true colours … it does not care about you or your rights… it forces IWT on people who do not want them… It refuses to recognize that the green energy act is failing… and will continue to fail until premier Wyndd has exhausted all our resources and any chance of a decent future in this province….
It just about sums it up in the best way possible – the “hockeyman” agrees with “Wevil” and “Barney Rubbles.” How can anyone argue with such an astute group? It just goes to prove how great the victory was for the Field Naturalists – they have been running into such limited mentalities throughout this battle.
If I had neighbours like most of you I would move.Who needs a bunch of complained whining all the time about everything.I agree with Wevil.We need more Wevils and Barney Rubbles in this county
I suspect the Big Island marsh project injected sustainable life for the inhabitants as opposed to destroying an environment. Terry will be able to advise us.