Category Archives: Environment

Animals and turbines, Destruction from turbines, Environment, harm to wildlife, Ontario Wind

Wind Turbine Bird & Bat Mortality Reports, with Summary- Ontario, Canada

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Posted on 01/24/2017 by

Below is a summary Maureen kindly assembled from all of the reports retrieved through the FOI. Have a good hard look at the numbers per project. Individually, these projects have got off scot free – they have never been challenged, never been questioned, never been charged, or even slapped on the wrist for these astounding kills. Dan tallied the actual raptor deaths on the right hand side, as many raptor deaths were ignored as “incidental” – not killed at the right time/place…more on that later. There is much more to glean from these reports – please share what you gather. This is a draft that will be added to and amended as we go.

Click here to download and view in full screen

Follow link to see all of bird and bat kill reports: http://ontario-wind-resistance.org/2017/01/24/wind-turbine-bird-bat-mortality-reports-with-summary-ontario-canada/

 

Environment, ERT Appeal, Green Energy, Unite the Fight!

Pack The Halls! SAVE the County!

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pec-blockThe final oral submissions of the APPEC/Hirsch Environmental Review Tribunal ERT will be heard in the County. We encourage all to attend. Filling the hearing room to capacity for these final submissions will show the Tribunal that PEC cares.

The next major event of the White Pines ERT is Friday, January 27, 2017 when the ERT will convene in Prince Edward County to hear closing arguments. This will be our LAST opportunity to present our case to the Tribunal before it adjourns to make a final decision on the White Pines wind project.

This is also the last and ONLY day in over a year that the Tribunal has deemed to hold a public hearing, with the past ten months of this ERT taking place entirely behind closed doors. This is your opportunity to let the Tribunal know that County residents did not appreciate being left out of the appeal process. In order to make that point – and to make clear where you stand on the White Pines wind project – you will need to be there!

The hearing will be held as follows:

Date: January 27, 2017
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Wellington and District Community Centre, Highline Hall, 111 Belleville Street, Wellington.

More information please contact CCSAGE: https://ccsage.wordpress.com/2017/01/14/white-pines-ert-friday-january-27-10am-wellington-community-centre-lets-pack-the-hall-and-save-the-county/

Contracts Cancelled, Cost Benefit, Environment, Green Energy, Unite the Fight!

New Year New Resolve

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dscn1859The Multi Municipal Group is starting off the New Year with a public declaration and continued resolve to fix Ontario’s Green Energy Act.

January 3 2017

Public Declaration Concerning : the exploitation of rural Ontario by the Government of Ontario and the wind power development industry

 

 

Adverse Health Effects, Contracts Cancelled, Environment, ERT Appeal, fighting big wind.

We Won! Project is harmful to health & environment

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Clearview residents halt wind turbine development

Wind turbines
Wasaga SunBy Ian Adams  Published January 1, 2017

NEWSMAKERS 2016 – They went in with an outside shot, but no one would have put money on a group of residents putting a stop to a wind turbine development.

Related Stories Clearview wind turbine project… ERT should revoke approval for… Clearview wind turbine approval…

While WPD Canada has been granted a remedy hearing to present how the company plans to mitigate its eight-turbine Fairview Wind project from affecting the local population of the little brown bat, opponents to the project still hope the Environmental Review Tribunal will revoke the project’s renewable energy application.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change approved the REA for Fairview Wind last March, a decision that was immediately challenged by John Wiggins, Kevin and Gayle Elwood, and the residents’ group Preserve Clearview. They were joined by Collingwood, Clearview Township, and the County of Simcoe, which were concerned about the project’s proximity to the Collingwood Regional Airport.

In October, the ERT ruled Fairview Wind would cause harm to both human health and the environment.

The company asked for the remedy hearing to address the bat issue, while counsel for the opposition told the ERT it’s a moot point given the ERT’s decision regarding human health.

A remedy hearing has been scheduled for late February.

READ AT: http://www.simcoe.com/news-story/7026958-clearview-residents-halt-wind-turbine-development/

Adverse Health Effects, Cost Benefit, Destruction from turbines, Environment, Health, Noise

WLGWAG Public Meeting 2016

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“This is a community that has said enough is enough,” said Mike Jankowski. Chair WLGWAG

MPP hears of health concerns, excessive tree removal and a new machine to monitor noise

West Lincoln Glanbrook Wind Action Group meeting
MPP Oosterhoof with Sidney Thompson of WLGWAG

West Lincoln Glanbrook Wind Action Group meeting

Alexandra Heck/ Staff Photo

MPP Sam Oosterhoff with Sidney Thompson of the West Lincoln Glanbrook Wind Action Group. The group held their Annual General Meeting, where the MPP attended and gave a talk on hydro in the province.

Grimsby Lincoln News December 8,2016

By Alexandra Heck

SMITHVILLE—Sam Oosterhoff isn’t an expert on windmills, but the newly elected MPP, did have one thing in common with the members of the West Lincoln Glanbrook Wind Action Group — they both wanted to decrease hydro rates.

Oosterhoff, whose election platform centered on the cost of hydro, connected with the group in their mutual concern about the production of energy in Ontario.

He attended the group’s annual general meeting where he heard about their efforts over the past year and the current state of wind energy in the wake of the Liberal government halting green energy plans.

“Even though the demand for hydro has gone down, our supplies have increased and our costs have increased,” Oosterhoff said to the crowd from inside the Covenant Christian School in Smithville. “We need to be seeing what we can do to make sure it’s competitive across the board.”

Oosterhoff encouraged the crowd to come forward with ideas to tackle the hydro issue and to join the PC Party.

“This is a community that has said enough is enough,” said Mike Jankowski, director of the group.
Speakers at the event reiterated their concerns about the turbines, about the proximity to homes and the physical effect it may have on people. They spoke about the removal of thousands of trees in the area to make way for transmission lines; trees that they say were promised but never replaced.

They also spoke about the overproduction of electricity in the province and the unnecessary amount of debt being incurred by green energy projects such as those in Smithville, Wainfleet and across the province.

The group has now aligned with Wind Concerns Ontario and have purchased equipment that they hope will prove that wind turbines are affecting their health.

 “We have purchased a noise monitoring system,” said Jankowski.

The system, he said, aligns with the Ministry of Environment and Climate change’s monitoring standards.

He hopes that by monitoring the low level noise that is undetected by the human ear they can lay some sort of foundation for government research on the effects of placing wind turbines close to residential dwellings.

Some members of the audience at the meeting spoke of an inability to sleep, a ringing in their heads and a general sense of discomfort since the turbines have went up.

“My goal when I started was, let’s at least erase any doubt as whether or not wind turbine emissions are inside people’s homes,” said Jankowski, who says so far they are picking up noise emissions in nearby homes.

West Lincoln Councilor Joann Chechalk was also present and said she were there to listen.

“I’m very much listening with an open mind,” said Chechalk explaining that she has heard much of the information before.

“The province holds the collar on understanding what that machine is recording; it’s the province that’s going to have to determine whether or not that machine is capturing the information the way that they want it captured.”

READ HERE: http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/7007936-oosterhoff-talks-hydro-rates-with-anti-wind-power-group/

Animals and turbines, Destruction from turbines, Environment, harm to wildlife

Raptors are being Slaughtered By Wind Turbines in Ontario

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turkey-vulture-a
“The infection in her eye had also abated, but she had likely suffered some permanent loss of vision.”

“A volunteer had found an injured turkey vulture beneath a wind turbine and brought her to Salthaven where triage revealed she was suffering from head trauma. She didn’t have any lacerations or bone fractures (injuries commonly sustained by birds that have collided with turbines), but one of her eyes was badly infected…”

By Jenna Hunnef   Published: Tuesday, November 22, 2016 5:40:53 EST PM 

Special to Londoner

The North American turkey vulture isn’t accorded the same dignified status as its fellow raptors, such as the eagle, hawk, or falcon. Instead, it has traditionally been feared as an omen of death or reviled as a scavenging scoundrel. But we tend to think a little differently here at Salthaven.

The turkey vulture possesses many characteristics that distinguish it from other birds of prey, making it an adept custodian of the natural world. Like hawks, falcons, eagles, and ospreys, turkey vultures possess an acute sense of vision, but they are doubly gifted in the avian world with powerful olfactory senses attuned to certain odours—a rarity among North American birds. The gregariousness of turkey vultures is another key feature that distinguishes them from their raptor kin. Outside of breeding season, it is common to see them congregated in large flocks (“kettles”), which can consist of hundreds of individuals….”

READ AT: http://www.thelondoner.ca/2016/11/22/salthavens-patient-of-the-week-if-at-first-you-dont-succeed

Adverse Health Effects, Animals and turbines, Environment, Green Energy, Health, Ontario Wind

Public Information Meeting 2016

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Blue Heron
Blue Heron

“This Great Blue Heron was found injured along a fenceline south of Smithville on August 28, 2016. Its location was approximately 600 meters west of an Industrial Wind Turbine that had been in testing phase for several previous days. The SPCA was called and the bird was taken away. Remediation was not practical, for both legs were broken. The bird was euthanized a few days later.”    Loretta Shields presentation

West Lincoln Glanbrook Wind Action Group(WLGWAG) held their annual general meeting which was followed by a public information meeting held in alliance with Mothers Against Wind Turbines Inc. (MAWTI). Good eats, good people and good discussions ensued. The meeting was well attended including local West Lincoln Council members and the newly elected MPP of Niagara West- Glanbrook, Sam Oosterhoof.  The MPP took multiple questions ranging from rising electrical rates and included impacts and harms of the wind projects.  The area is the unwilling host of several wind projects including HAF Wind Energy and Niagara Wind.  The groups are hard at work to ensure protection of all residents from the risks now present in our communities.

Public Information Meeting and AGM – December 1st, 2016

The following documents were presented and discussed at WLGWAG & MAWT’s Public Information Meeting session;

1.) What’s New? – Dec. 2016 Update – By Mike Jankowski:
In Niagara, one of the world’s largest wind power generation facilities has risen above our landscape. Here, we discussed a brief overview of recent events, what we are doing about it and who we will work with to see it through.
Click here to view Mike’s presentation.

2.) The High Costs of Keeping the Lights On – By Deb Hughes:
From 2006-15, electricity costs have risen over 60% and continue to. Here, Deb discussed how this happened and explains how Wind Power Generation is playing a significant part in this.
Click here to view Deb’s presentation.

3.) Why We Didn’t Need Wind Capacity and What Really Replaced Coal? – By Catherine Mitchell:
In Ontario, businesses are challenged to be profitable and people struggle to pay their bills due to the high cost of electricity. Here we discuss why we already had extra power capacity without wind and that actually Hydro and Solar did more to replace coal than wind.
Click here to view Catherine’s presentation.

4.) Tree Cutting: Consequences to Ecological Services & Destruction of our Roadside Landscape – By Loretta Shields:
One of the main drivers behind the Green Energy Act was to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.  Carbon dioxide is considered a greenhouse gas, and shown to have a role in climate change.  Trees absorb or “sequester” carbon dioxide, and provide a means to store atmospheric carbon for many, many years.
West Lincoln, Wainfleet and Haldimand lost thousands of trees which were cut down or trimmed to make way for industrial wind power.  Ironically, no remediation plans for the replacement of these trees has been announced by the Niagara Region Wind Farm.  Our Community is now in a deficit position in terms of carbon sequestration.  Other ecological services provided by trees, including oxygen production, habitat for wildlife, the reduction of home emissions due to shading homes (cooling effects) and windbreaks (reducing heating costs) are now also reduced.

US Forest Carbon Calculator:  Click here

Click here to view Loretta’s presentation.

5.) Reporting Issues: What and Where Should I Report? – By Anne Fairfield:
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has authority over wind power generation and is the regulator mandated to protect communities. If you experience issues you suspect are due to wind turbines, it is essential you report them. If you do not report – it didn’t happen as far as the documented record is concerned – they can’t manage what they can’t see. Learn what to report and how.

Spills Action Centre: 1-800-268-6060     Call at any time to report
Click here to view Anne’s presentation.
Environment, Green Energy, Health, legal challenges, UK Wind

Environmental Risk Assessment of Water Sources due to wind project

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sneddon-law-windWind development includes risk of contamination to water sources. In Scotland planning conditions are to be reviewed in a public hearing for the proposed Sneddon Law Community Wind. The project has appealed to discharge conditions meant to be protective of water sources for its wind power complex.

Sneddon Law Community Wind Project details can be reviewed here: http://www.communitywindpower.co.uk/projects/sneddon/16.htm

An environmental risk assessment hearing was prompted by information contained in the recently published Sneddon Law WF Private Water Supply Risk Assessment (PWS RA): https://app.box.com/s/61683trl1bryoq9sjlyp1wvffufpk945

Dr.Rachel Connor who is Chair Moscow and Waterside Community Council outlines concerns and background in a letter which can be read at the following link: https://scotlandagainstspin.org/2016/11/sneddon-law-windfarm-water-supplies-and-rights-of-representation-request-for-help-from-dr-rachel-connor/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

The public has until 21st December 2016 to submit comments.
Send to the Case Officer: Colin Bell   Colin.Bell@gov.scot

The full case can be viewed at www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk Case No PPA-190-2058 and at
https://www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/CaseDetails.aspx?ID=117448

PUBLIC NOTICE OF HEARING

 

 

 

Destruction from turbines, Environment, Green Energy, Property Rights, The problem with Wind Turbines

Ocotillo Wind Turbine 126 Collapse

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November 21, 2016  turbine 126 suffered a catastrophic structural collapse as documented in photos shared on Facebook. Ocotillo Wind Energy consists of 112- 2.37 MW Siemens  wind turbines. The project was built on California public lands by Pattern Energy and began commercial operations in 2013.  It is now 3 years and the project continues to demonstrate ongoing structural and operational issues for this ill conceived facility.

The project responded with the following statement:

“Ocotillo Wind

On November 21, 2016, one of the turbines at the Ocotillo Wind facility fell within the designated setback zone surrounding the turbine’s base. No one was injured in the incident. We are working closely with the turbine manufacturer, Siemens, to identify the root cause of the failure and a full investigation is currently underway. Relevant authorities have also been notified.

Our first priority is the safety of our employees, contractors, neighbors and the environment. We are taking this issue very seriously and will communicate more information as it becomes available.

Pattern Energy is proud to be part of the Imperial Valley. Our Ocotillo Wind facility is an investment in the region that is creating many economic benefits, including jobs and substantial growth in the property tax base.

The facility supports local initiatives through the Ocotillo Wind Community Benefits Program, which established the Ocotillo Wind Community Fund, Ocotillo Wind Education Fund and Ocotillo Wind Imperial Valley Fund, and is administered by the Imperial Valley Community Foundation. Sign up here to receive updates about the community benefits program and facility news.

Pattern Energy is focused on being a responsible community partner by respecting the land, its resources and the people of the Imperial Valley. The Ocotillo Wind facility is located on public lands administered by the BLM, with a small portion on lands under the jurisdiction of Imperial County. The permanent footprint is approximately 120 acres, which is less than 1% of the total project area, allowing the overwhelming majority of the project land to be preserved in its natural state and allowing the project infrastructure to be sited in areas that do not directly impact cultural resources.”

READ AT: http://www.ocotillowind.com/

Animals and turbines, Destruction from turbines, Direct Effects, Environment, Green Energy, harm to wildlife

It’s not a migration it’s an obstacle course

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not-a-migration

The work of cartoonist Adrian Raeside illustrates some of the cumulative harmful impacts from human activities to migrating avian species that use the global flyways.  Habitat loss, avoidance and mortalities are direct adverse impacts arising from the installation of wind power generating facilities.  Killing the natural world one spin at a time.

Enjoy his work at:

https://www.creators.com/read/the-other-coast/11/16/188957