Hull opens campaign with action on Ostrander Point concerns
Administrator | Sep 08, 2011 | Comments 4
Treat Hull officially kicked-off his Green Party Campaign Wednesday before an audience of about two dozen people who expressed interest in his work over the weekend to investigate pre-construction activity under way at Ostrander Point.
“The wind developer has not received final approvals for the project yet and many residents were therefore alarmed when a team with construction equipment moved onto the site and worked over the Labour Day weekend,” said Hull. “Investigation showed a team was conducting a search for unexploded ordinance (UXO) under the direction of the Department of National Defence.”
Treat Hull
Given widespread concern about what was going on, the ‘Give ‘em Hull’ campaign team chartered a helicopter Tuesday, Sept. 6th to get photos and video footage.
“The photos show significant impact on this supposedly protected habitat, all of which will be for nothing if the project does not proceed,” said Hull.
“Ostrander Point is a Provincial Wildlife Area home to at least two endangered species. The proposed current wind farm highlights the arrogance of the current government. The project is right in the Important Bird Area where migrating birds cross the lake, yet the McGuinty government went out and solicited developers to put up a wind farm on this site. Even supporters of wind energy such as Nature Canada have called this ‘the worst possible place’ to put a wind farm.
UXO sign photo courtesy Suzanne Pasternak
“Gilead Power, the wind farm developer, published a construction plan last year which specified that a check for UXO would be carried out, either by DND or by a Gilead Power retained contractor. It now appears they succeeded in getting the DND to do this first preparation phase for them at taxpayer expense.
“The Gilead project is not approved yet. The Ministry could refuse to issue the final permits as it did last week in the case of the Big Thunder wind project in Thunder Bay. If final permits are ultimately granted, local residents will most certainly launch an appeal to an environmental tribunal, which could also stop the project.
“The decision to proceed with site preparation without final approvals and just weeks before a provincial election which could decide the fate of the project shows an indifference, if not contempt, for both the environment and the democratic process.
“All activity at Ostrander Point should be halted until all final approvals are received. As a candidate and as an MPP I will continue to speak out on this important issue. For people who support other candidates in the election, I encourage them to contact their favoured candidate and make sure they also speak out now before more damage is done to the site.”
Photo 3 above (By Steven Draper, PolePics)
Aerial view of a portion of the area being worked on. In the top left hand corner of the picture is a circular area where the vegetation has been close cropped, The circle is 100m in diameter. This area was the centre of the target area. The lines running diagonally across the picture are the path of a bush hogg (approx. 2m in width). These paths were cut around the circle across an area of 500x500m. Photo shows significant disruption of a supposedly endangered habitat. Click here for more photographs
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Come and see the DND guys at the Fair. They’ve been hearing it all weekend.
What they did down there had nothing to do with Gilead. They were searching for (and found) un-exploded military shells. The timing is obviously most unfortunate.
The place looks like a war zone. And they haven’t even received final approval to go ahead? Reminds me of the acreage cleared along Bell Boulevard in Belleville, where the new racetrack, etc. was to go in. Land was stripped, deals fell through, and years later it still sits there barren and wasted looking, wildlife habitats ruined, trees gone, a real eyesore. That’s “progress”.
Nothing wrong! To come into that area with bush hogs with no regard to the environment or for wildlife is unbelievable. The photos show clearly the devastation to this significant wildlife area. It’s full bore ahead and to hell with approvals or local concerns.
The land at Ostrander Point belongs to the province. Certainly they are entitled to and should clean up unexploded devices on their own land. As a matter of fact it is prudent for them to do so!
As well, the land cannot be legally transferred without such a clean-up. This is the province’s responsibility. There is no wrong being done at Ostrander Point, Mr. Hull.