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Ottawa Wind Concerns

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Ottawa Wind Concerns

Tag Archives: wind farms Ottawa

November 5 update: What YOU can do today

06 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by ottawawindconcerns in Health, Ottawa, Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

North Gower wind farm, North Gower wind power project, Not a Willing host, petition Not A Willing Host, Richmond wind farm, wind farms Ottawa

Our volunteer canvassers are out EVERY NIGHT and we are delivering paper petitions daily to the citizens of the North Gower area who will be affected by the proposed wind power generation project, should it be approved and constructed.

STATUS of the project: all large wind power project applications are on hold until Energy Minister Chiarelli announces the new application process, expected to be January. Prowind has told us they plan to reapply, once they’ve seen the new requirements.

KEY: community ownership and approval will be a factor. That’s why our Not A Willing Host effort has meaning: we will show that this is NOT a “willing host” community for very good reasons. We must speak up and take action: doing nothing results in nothing.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

-attend the last public signing of the petition Saturday November 9, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Alfred Taylor Recreation Centre

-download the petition here NG-PETITION-final

The petition MUST have your signature on an actual paper document, and be witnessed; return it to us at PO Box 3 North Gower ON  K0A 2TO or email us at ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com for pickup

-email us for a petition to be delivered to you

-plan to attend the Not A Willing Host event in Toronto at Queen’s Park later this month, details to follow

-our online poll is still active for another day or two. Please have residents of Ottawa go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LZSDL9N

The petition will be taken IN PERSON to the City Clerk at the City of Ottawa.

 

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Another danger: lightning strikes

19 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by ottawawindconcerns in Health, Ottawa, Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

cost benefit wind power, green wind power, wind farm North Gower, wind farm Richmond, wind farms, wind farms Ottawa, wind turbine safety, wind turbines

Lightning is a serious danger to wind turbines

 

With the tumultuous weather of the last few days, including a thunderstorm, one wonders, what happens to turbines in bad weather?

Answer: plenty.

Lightning strikes are commonplace and according to this article are responsible for 80% of the insurance claims for damage to turbine parts. They are also responsible for turbine equipment and blade fires. Read the article here: http://www.nachi.org/wind-turbines-lightning.htm

Note that the authors say the higher the turbine heights, the greater the risk of events. At 626 feet or 190 meters, the turbines proposed for North Gower-Richmond will be the tallest in North America. The turbines will be FOUR TIMES the height of the radio towers seen on prince of Wales Drive. (Why so high? Because there is NO WIND here on a regular basis, so they have to use taller equipment to catch what there is.)

A few weeks ago, a turbine caught fire near Goderich, Ontario. The wind power developer is now being criticized for a complete lack of safety controls (the supervisor drove around with his car window down to detect smoke) and for not notifying the municipality for more than 12 hours that a fire had occurred.

And of course, when equipment is on fire at that height, there is nothing you can do but let it burn and hope to control fires on the ground, caused by the flaming pieces. At Goderich, the debris was thrown 200 meters from the actual turbine tower.  Noxious smoke filled the air as the petrochemicals inside the nacelle burned.

But of course, wind power at this scale is “green” and “good” and helps the environment, says the industry lobby

Email us at ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com and donate please to help us cover legal costs and post box rental at PO Box 3, North Gower ON   K0A 2T0

Province knew about health effects in 2008

13 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by ottawawindconcerns in Health, Renewable energy, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Amaranth, Dalton McGuinty, Green Energy Act, health effects wind farms, health effects wind turbine noise, health effects wind turbines, indirect health effects wind turbines, infrasound wind turbines, Lisa MacLeod, Melancthon, moratorium wind power projects, Orangeville, Ottawa wind concerns, Tim Hudak, wind farm North Gower, wind farm Richmond, wind farms Osgoode, wind farms Ottawa

At this point, no one is surprised that the Government of Ontario knew there was a potential for health impacts from wind turbine noise … but went ahead with its Green Energy and Green Economy Act anyway, which stripped away municipalities’ rights to plan local land use where “renewable” energy projects are concerned, and ride roughshod over the rights of citizens.

Here is an article from this week’s Niagara This Week which puts it all together.

The link is: http://www.niagarathisweek.com/

Province knew about health effects from turbines

Released documents show ministry aware of concerns as far back as 2006

 

Province knew about health effects from turbines. Documents released through a Freedom of Information request reveal the government was aware of adverse health effects caused by industrial wind turbines as far back as 2006. Toronto Star file photo

Documents released through a Freedom of Information request from an Orangeville resident reveal the government was aware of adverse health effects caused by industrial wind turbines as far back as 2006.

While Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak says he is not shocked to learn the government kept this information from the public in relation to the 200-megaWatt Melancthon EcoPower Centre (located in Amaranth and Melancthon Township, near Shelburne, Ont.), he says he is disappointed.

“I wasn’t surprised. Concerns have been raised across Ontario and in other jurisdictions,” says Hudak, whose own riding of Niagara West-Glanbrook is poised for the installation of several industrial wind turbines.

“What it is, is disappointing. It appears as through they were trying to cover something up.”

In the released document, ministry officials report “complaints of adverse health effects by area residents are for the most part justified.

“MOE Provincial Officers have attended at several of the complainant’s [sic] residences and have confirmed that despite the noise emissions apparently complying with the applicable standard … that the noise emissions are in fact causing material discomfort to the residents in and around their homes,” reads the document, written by provincial officer Gary Tomlinson.

According to the ministry, to develop the guidelines for noise limits, ministry scientists and engineers consulted with local community members and noise experts including representatives from major acoustical consulting firms. At the time of the Melancthon project, there were no minimum setback distances, only a provincial noise guideline of 40 decibels, which was maintained in the Act.

The documents state that “at least two families have moved out of their homes due to noise impacts” and that the MOE was aware of “at least six cases where the wind developer bought out resident’s [sic] homes to address and silence their ongoing concerns.”

Tomlinson writes, “reasonable people do not leave their homes to sleep elsewhere for frivolous reasons.”

Melancthon is Canada’s largest wind energy installation to date. Construction on phase one began in 2005, and phase two was completed in 2007. The project has a capacity close to 200 megawatts — roughly 30 megawatts less than the largest project proposed for West Lincoln by Niagara Region Wind Corp.

The Melancthon EcoPower Centre, made up of 133 turbines, was approved before the province passed its controversial Green Energy Act. The Act established a minimum setback distance of 550 metres between residential dwellings and turbines, which is 100 metres more than the minimum setback distance used in the Melancthon project.

Projects approved prior to the passing of the GEA had to meet provincial noise guidelines but the setback distance was to be negotiated between the developer and municipality.

The Melancthon turbines, however, are much smaller than those proposed for parts of West Lincoln. NRWC is proposing to erect 77, three-megaWatt turbines designed by Japanese manufacturer Enercon, which is building facilities in Niagara to manufacture both the towers and electrical components. Fourty-four of those turbines will be built in West Lincoln, three in Wainfleet and 31 in nearby Haldimand County. The concrete towers of these turbines measure to a maximum of 145 metres to the hub, about the length of 13 school buses stacked bumper to bumper. The blades stretch close to 50 metres, roughly another five school buses across.

The turbines used in the Melancthon project are 1.5 megawatts and are manufactured by GE. They measure 80 metres in height, with blades nearly 40 metres long.

While some local residents claim Enercon suggests a greater setback distance for the model being used by NRWC, a company spokesperson said she was unaware of it.

“Enercon has to sign off on everything we put forward,” said Randi Rahamim. “They have signed off on the full design.”

Hudak’s colleague, Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, wants to know why the government moved ahead with the Green Energy Act when it was aware of health concerns.

“I’m absolutely disgusted,” said Thompson, who is the PC energy critic. “It’s sad, because, at the end of the day, it hurts that the Liberal government chose to play word games with people’s health. It comes back to my point of how and why did this Liberal government become so arrogant that they can blatantly play with people’s health just to further their own agenda.”

Thompson was further disappointed with the response from Ontario’s environment minister, St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley, to a letter she sent to him Jan. 9 in light of the FOI information.

“His response was that there is no direct impact,” said Thompson. “Of course, the odds of a blade falling off and hitting someone are rare. But too many people have come forward with concerns, and their complaints have gone nowhere.

“This further emphasizes the need for a moratorium, which I have tabled twice now,” said the MPP whose own riding not only includes the Bruce Power nuclear energy plant but is poised to see 1,700-1,800 wind turbines primarily along the shoreline of Lake Huron.

Thompson said her office is getting ready to table a motion when the house resumes Feb. 19.

“I will continue to put forward efforts to make this government accountable,” said Thompson. “I am not going to let go of these redacted documents… They point to a larger problem of this Liberal government: it doesn’t matter who is in charge, hiding things and driving its own agenda on the taxpayer’s back. It’s got to stop.”

Despite several attempts to reach Bradley, he did not provide comment on the recently revealed document. His press secretary did provide the following: “The ministry is aware of health concerns and has reviewed literature on the potential impacts of wind turbines, including the 2010 report from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health which found there is no scientific evidence of a direct causal link between wind turbine noise and adverse health effects.

“The ministry will continue to review emerging scientific and engineering studies to ensure Ontario’s requirements remain in line with the best available science.”

The FOI documents pertain to an abatement plan the ministry put in place in relation to the Melancthon project. The ministry worked with both the municipality and wind developer to address concerns which resulted in several turbines being shut off at night and sound barriers being built around a transformer.

Hudak says it appeared ministry staff were trying to be forthcoming in their reports but that the government withheld that information.

“We need a moratorium on these projects,” said Hudak. “It’s been a position that I took up shortly after I became leader in 2009 for a number of reasons.”

Hudak’s issues with the Green Energy Act range from “expensive studies which fail basic economic sense” to how it strips away the decision-making powers of local governments.

Hudak and his PC government have called for several moratoriums on wind projects. In April 2010, at Queen’s Park, Hudak brought forward a bill to halt industrial wind turbine development. In March 2011, he was joined by West Lincoln Mayor Doug Joyner and Wainfleet Mayor April Jeffs at West Lincoln township hall to renew that call. This past June he was joined by his federal counterpart in the riding, MP Dean Allison, in demanding an immediate moratorium on industrial wind turbine development until a federal health study is complete.

Several other PC MPPs, including Thompson, have tabled similar motions.

The PC party will be introducing another motion when legislature resumes, both Hudak and Thompson confirmed.

“Lisa Thompson, in her capacity, brought forward motions in legislature for a moratorium. We will do that again, now that the house is back in after four months of inaction,” said Hudak, who has met with new Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.

“We discussed ideas for job creation and balancing the books. One recommendation I made was a moratorium on these types of projects,” Hudak said. “I’ve brought it to the premier, I hope she takes my advice.

“I’m not going to give up,” said Hudak. “I’m going to keep fighting for what I think is the right thing to do.”

…..

Note that in the North Gower-Richmond area (which is only the beginning if this project were to proceed, as one of the landowners has land from Richmond to Osgoode) more than 450 homes would be within the 2-km Turbine Zone.

Join our email list! ottawawindconcerns@yahoo.ca

Citizen writer owes us all an apology

17 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by ottawawindconcerns in Health, Ottawa, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Dalton McGuinty, Health Canada wind power study, health effects wind farms, Henri Garand, indirect health effects wind turbines, infrasound wind turbines, Kate Heartfield, Lisa MacLeod, moratorium wind power projects, North Gower wind farm, Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa wind concerns, Pierre Poilievre, Richmond wind farm, wind farms Ottawa, wind power projects Ottawa

August 17, 2012

Yesterday, writer Kate Heartfield, who claims to live in the south Ottawa area near to the proposed wind power generation project, published an opinion piece in the Ottawa Citizen that she thought was a colossal joke. Doing absolutely no research herself on the whole issue of wind power generation, she took aim at Nepean-Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre for what she felt was inadequate references for the petition he circulated to constitutents last week.

(The petition states that there is evidence for health effects from wind turbine noise and vibration and that Health Canada is now doing a study; Premier McGuinty of Ontario ought to halt approvals on the North Gower-Richmond project until results of the study are in. For a copy of the petition, please see our documents tab.)

She also claimed that the group of international scientists working on this issue were “amusingly” named the Society for Wind Vigilance  ( a five-minute read would have revealed what an important group of scientists and health care professionals that is), she denigrated well-known and peer-reviewed independent health researcher and former health policy analyst and editor Carmen Krogh as “a retired pharmacist” and finally, claimed that for 20% of the population to have health effects from wind turbine noises was neither here nor there.

If you are a regular reader of these pages and our former blog the North Gower Wind Action Group blog, you’ll know what a puff piece Heartfield’s article was–there is plenty of evidence to show that there are health problems, and that research needs to be done to develop policy for health and safety because, clearly, Ontario’s 550-meter setback based on noise modelling (not reality) is not safe.

Our final comment is, Since when is a health issue the basis for humour? We note that it took just nine complaints about Jeeps in the U.S. to result in a recall of hundreds of thousands of vehicles. Now you have hundreds of noise complaints in Ontario, and yet the government still approves these projects? How many people have to become ill before it is too much? And before people like Kate Heartfield can take seriously the damage that is being done?

We are grateful for the continuing support of MPP Lisa MacLeod and MP Pierre Poilievre. Thanks too to all those who wrote in and congratulations to writers Mike Baggott, Judi Atkinson, Francesco Macri, and Henri Garand, for having been published in the Ottawa Citizen today.

Email us at ottawawindconcerns@yahoo.ca

MP Pierre Poilievre releases petition vs North Gower wind project

14 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by ottawawindconcerns in Health, Ottawa, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Dalton McGuinty, Health Canada wind power study, health effects wind farms, health effects wind turbine noise, indirect health effects wind turbines, moratorium wind power projects, no community support for wind turbines Ottawa, North Gower wind power project, Ottawa wind concerns, Pierre Poilievre, Richmond wind project, sound pressure wind turbines, wind farms Ottawa

Nepean-Carleton MP Pierre Poilivre has prepared a petition for everyone concerned about the health impacts from the proposed North Gower wind project. The signed petitions, which asks that Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty not approve the project until the results of a Health Canada study are released and evaluated, will be taken to the House of Commons.

Here is an excerpt from the news release from Mr Poilievre’s office.

Poilievre launches petition to stop local wind turbine project

Nepean, ON

—Pierre Poilievre, Member of Parliament for Nepean-Carleton, announced that he has started a petition calling on Premier Dalton McGuinty to put the safety of North Gower residents first. The petition asks for a halt to the construction of industrial wind turbines in the community until the Federal Health Canada study can determine whether or not they are safe. This follows his open letter to Premier McGuinty and his public call for a moratorium several weeks ago.

“Since my public call for a moratorium on the wind turbine project proposed for North Gower, many of my constituents have been contacting me to voice their support,” said Poilievre. “The Premier and his Ministers of Health and Environment have both agreed to consider my request and I think that a petition will show them just how much support that a moratorium would have from the general population.”

Last week, the petition was mailed to thousands of households in the village of North Gower and the surrounding areas. Poilievre is also inviting anyone wishing to sign the petition to drop by his constituency office at 250B Greenbank Road, located just north of West Hunt Club Rd.

The Marlborough Wind Farm, initiated in 2008 by Prowind Canada, proposes 10 IWTs in close proximity to the village of North Gower and Poilievre believes that the majority of the villagers will be supportive of this call for a moratorium. There is too much information that is unclear when it comes to the potential health effects caused by noise pollution from industrial wind turbines.

In several locations across Ontario, noise from turbines has caused residents who live close to them to report serious health problems, including sleeping disorders, anxiety drugs and vertigo. Even Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer has admitted that the government does not have enough data on turbine noise and its health consequences.

….

We support this 100 % and ask that everyone sign the petition, and have their friends, neighbours and other concerned individuals sign it. The petitions may be sent to the MP postage-free.

Email us at ottawawindconcerns@yahoo.ca

Get the petition HERE: Wind Farm – petition

The simple truth about wind power: it doesn’t achieve the goal

06 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by ottawawindconcerns in Health, Ottawa, Wind power

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

communities protesting wind power, cost benefit wind power, EPAW, Helen McDade, John Muir Trust, North Gower wind power project, Ottawa wind concerns, Richmond wind project, wind farms Ottawa, wind power project Ottawa, Wind Wise Radio

Guest Helen McDade of Scotland’s John Muir Trust hit the nail on the head on the August 5th Wind Wise Radio show (always a great show, check in Sundays at 7 p.m. to the Internet show at http://www.windwiseradio.org). She said, wind power generation is being sold around the world as the way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The problem is, she said, it doesn’t work: there is no evidence to show that wind power makes any appreciable difference in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

What is does make is plenty of money for the people developing wind energy as a resource, and what it also does is cost taxpayers and ratepayers plenty of money in subsidies. Electricity rates in Britain are skyrocketing, McDade and subsequent guests said.

Wind power developers claim that the experience in the U.K. and Europe is unblemished and positive. You could think that if you never read anything, or if you never heard of EPAW, the European Platform Against Wind, which has more than 400 member community groups protesting wind power developments.

Wind power: expensive, unreliable, and it doesn’t achieve the goal set for it.

Share that message with your friends, coworkers, neighbours and family!

Email us at ottawawindconcerns@yahoo.ca

Announcing: Ottawa Wind Concerns

26 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by ottawawindconcerns in Health, Ottawa, Wind power

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Health Canada wind power study, health effects wind farms, health wind power, North Gower wind power project, Ottawa, Ottawa wind concerns, Richmond wind project, Wind Concerns Ontario, wind farms Ottawa

 

 

COMMUNITY GROUP EXPANDS FOCUS TO REPRESENT ALL OF OTTAWA

OTTAWA, JULY 26, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The group representing citizens of the North Gower and Richmond areas of Ottawa facing a huge industrial wind power project has changed its name and its focus to represent all of Ottawa. The North Gower Wind Action Group has changed its name to Ottawa Wind Concerns.

“The number of gigantic wind power generation projects proposed for Eastern Ontario is multiplying,” says Ottawa Wind Concerns chair Jane Wilson. “Everyone in our community needs to be aware of what these industrial projects really do: electricity rates will rise, property values will drop, and a proportion of people forced to live next to these power generation facilities may become ill from the environmental noise and infrasound.”

On July 10, Health Canada announced it is launching a two-year study into the health effects caused by the noise and vibration from industrial wind turbines, due to increasing reports of ill health. Last week, Nepean-Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre and MPP Lisa MacLeod demanded the province halt the proposed project in Ottawa and wait for results of the health study.

“We already know there are health problems,” said Wilson about the study. “Let’s get the science in place to determine how far away from people these huge noisy machines should be—this should have been done before Ontario started paying subsidies for wind power plants, not after.”

Email us at: ottawawindconcerns@yahoo.ca

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