Tag Archives: Vic Fedeli

Mattawan wind farm halted: “we do not have community support”

17 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Last week, MPP Vic Fedeli said, “this is the wind farm we can stop”–the project was a combination of potential harm to the environment and the tourism industry, and it had no community support. This news release appeared just moments ago.

NEWS RELEASE

Innergex and its partner stop the development of the Nodinosi prospective wind project

MATTAWA, ON, March 17, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ – Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (TSX: INE) (“Innergex” or the “Corporation”) and its partner the Algonquins of the Pikwàkanagàn First Nation announce that they are stopping further development of the Nodinosi prospective wind project located near Mattawa, Ontario.

“We strongly believe in a collaborative approach to project development, because social acceptability is essential to a successful project. The many concerns expressed by residents and local authorities have demonstrated that we do not have social acceptability for the Nodinosi project, nor the context to develop such a collaborative approach” says François Morin, Senior Advisor at Innergex. “We will not pursue a project without the appropriate level of support of the community.”

The Nodinosi prospective wind project was located in the Townships of Phelps, Olrig and Mattawan of the Nipissing District. With a proposed installed capacity of approximately 150 MW, it was in the very early stages of development in view of a submission under the Independent Electricity System Operator’s Large Renewable Procurement Request for Proposals, which is a competitive process for procuring large renewable energy projects in Ontario.

The Corporation continues to pursue the development of other prospective projects in view of submitting them under the current request for proposals in Ontario.

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North Bay area wind farm exposes Ontario policy problems

05 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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It wasn’t enough that the Government of Ontario, by encouraging and supporting development of high-impact wind power generation projects in rural Ontario destroyed small-town and rural communities, now its “green energy” policy has set First Nations against each other.

In a proposal for a 150-megawatt wind “farm” in the Mattawa area, near North Bay, Quebec-based Innergex and Ontario has not only placed a power development in a scenic area valued for tourism and wildlife preservation, it is also endangering North Bay’s airport operation and attendant economic growth—part of which just happens to be a NORAD base. (Transport Canada? Will THIS wind power project get a rise out of you?)

Ontario’s new Large Renewable Procurement process is expected to encourage power development on Crown land and in partnerships with First Nations. When it comes to Mattawa, however, the First Nation participating for profits doesn’t even live anywhere near there.

A news conference will be held tomorrow by the First Nations who do, and who have been involved in negotiations with the government over rights for years. Should be very interesting.

Here’s the story from North Bay-Nipissing.

MPPs call for halt to wind power development in North Gower-Richmond

03 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by in Health, Ottawa, Wind power

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From the latest online version of the EMC Manotick-Winchester, an account of a news conference held by Conservative MPPs Lisa MacLeod, Vic Fedeli, Randy Pettapiece and Bob Bailey.

The story is here http://www.emcmanotick.ca/20120830/news/Conservative+MPPs+decry+wind+power+in+North+Gower

and here:

Conservative MPPs decry wind power in North Gower

Posted Aug 30, 2012 By Emma Jackson

EMC news – A group of Progressive Conservative MPPs joined Nepean-Carleton MPP Lisa MacLeod in North Gower on Aug. 21 to oppose the Ontario government’s commitment to wind power in Ontario.

A small group of North Gower residents have been fighting a Prowind proposal to build 10 industrial wind turbines just outside the village boundaries, and PC energy critic Vic Fedeli and MPPs Bob Bailey and Randy Pettapiece took time from the Association of Municipalities Ontario conference in Ottawa to show their solidarity.

Fedeli did most of the talking at the brief event at the Rideau Township Archives on North Gower’s main street. He said the McGuinty government’s plan to bring green energy into the province is failing.

“The government’s dream of bringing green energy was forced on Ontario by overpaying for FIT (the feed-in tariff program) and guaranteeing to buy the power whenever it’s made, which is usually at night,” he told a small gathering of residents. “And they stripped municipalities of their decision-making power.”

He said the PC party would like to reverse those three elements of the Green Energy Act, so that residents can have more power to decide what energy projects are built in their communities.

“When you want green energy in your community, (municipalities can ask) is it in a willing host community, do we need the power and is it at a price we can afford,” Fedeli said.

The party is also asking to put all proposed wind projects in the province on hold until a federal study on the health effects of wind turbines is completed.

Gary Thomas, owner of Thomas Tree Farm on McCordick Road, said his house and farm will be within one kilometre of “four or five” turbines planned for the area. He said he’s done some basic calculations and thinks that from about December to February he will experience shadows from the turbines in the afternoons.

“It would drive you crazy. I couldn’t live there, and we’ve been here for 32 years,” said his wife Ruth Thomas.

Thomas said he’s concerned that it will ruin his old-fashioned Christmas tree cutting events. “With the turbines across the road, I don’t know how old-fashioned it will be,” he said.

Passing on the family farm will become difficult as well, because his son’s family will likely refuse to come because of health concerns.

Thomas said he wishes he could be more supportive of such an initiative.

“If they were of any benefit, it would be a different story,” he said. The Conservatives have long lambasted the McGuinty government for their commitment to wind power, claiming that turbines are inefficient and less green than traditional sources of power such as hydro.

Fedeli said he wants the government to focus on retrofitting existing dams and hydro plants to harness water energy, which he said would be more environmentally-friendly and more cost-effective.

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