By Ellwood Shreve, Chatham Daily News
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton delivered a bottle of turbid water to Environment Minister Chris Ballard in the Ontario legislature Tuesday to emphasize the impact wind turbine construction has had on area water wells.
Here is an excerpt from a report on the recent meeting in Clinton, announcing the launch of the Huron County public health investigation into wind turbine noise.
A few notes: as far as we are aware, the “study” is actually an “investigation” under the Health Protection and Prevention Act of Ontario, in which reports of adverse health effects may be reported and investigated. The only association with the University of Waterloo was the review by the ethics committee of that university — the university is not involved in any other phase of the project.
Wind Concerns Ontario had proposed to carry out Phase II of the study which would involve follow-up measurements in homes identified as problematic by the Health Unit, as part of a research study by a multi-disciplinary team. Although federal government funding was not achieved for that proposal, efforts to fund that initiative are ongoing.
This project is the first of its kind in Ontario; it was initiated based on reports of adverse health effects by residents of Huron County made to their health unit, and is supported by them.
For more information about the Huron County Health Unit project please visit the website here.
By John Miner
ONTARIO FARMER November 7, 2017
Huron County’s on-again, off-again study on the health impact of wind farms is moving ahead with warnings from the researchers about what it can’t accomplish.
Even if the results in the end definitely show that wind farms are damaging the health of residents, the county’s health unit will not be able to order the turbines stopped, a public meeting was told.
“We do not have the authority to curtail or shut down wind turbines. If you are thinking of participating in the study in the hope that we will shut down the turbines, we want you to understand we cannot do that,” Dr. Erica Clark, an epidemiologist with the Huron County Health Unit, announced at the start of a public information session attended by about 60 people.
Courts have determined that Ontario health units do not have the legal ability to issue orders to protect public health in cases where the provincial government has given that responsibility to another body, Clark said.
In the case of wind farms, the government has given the power to regulate wind turbines to the Ministry of the Environment, not public health units, she said.
Dr. Maarten Bokhout: “If research indicates there are health issues, that can be raised with the Ontario government”
Dr. Maarten Bokhout, Acting Medical Officer of Health at the Huron County Health Unit, said while he cannot step on the Environment Ministry’s toes and he does not have the power to write orders against wind turbines, the results of the study will be published online, including interim reports.
The health unit’s one-year study, established in collaboration with the University of Waterloo and reviewed by the university’s ethics committee, will look at how people are annoyed by noise, vibration and light [shadow flicker] from wind farms.
The goal is to establish how many people are bothered by wind turbines in the county and determine if environmental conditions that make the noise, vibration light and sensations from wind turbines worse.
The study will rely on residents living within 10 km of a wind turbine who volunteer to keep a diary of their experience within their own home.
Participants are asked to record their observations at least once a week.
The researchers will not be making any actual sound or vibration measurements for the study.
Huron County is home to more than 300 industrial wind turbines and some of the largest wind farms in the province.
Some residents have blamed the turbines for a series of health problems, including headaces, nausea, dizziness and insomnia.
Clark, who is principal investigator on the study, said they want participation from both people who have been bothered by wind turbines and those who haven’t experienced any problems.
The 10-kilometre study zone around wind turbines means thousands of Huron County residents are eligible to sign up for the project, including all of the towns of Goderich and Exeter.
…
See the print edition of Ontario Farmer for a related story: Rural residents skeptical government would act on wind
Source: http://www.windconcernsontario.ca/huron-county-wind-turbine-noise-investigation-launched/
To be able to sleep
A successful goal setting retreat was recently hosted by Mothers Against Wind Turbines (MAWT) and West Lincoln Glanbrook Wind Action Group (WLGWAG). Participants came from wind action groups,area residents and other interested stakeholders. Under the skilled guidance of Facilitator: Georgina Richardson a meeting of the minds occurred. Helping those of us negatively impacted by industrial wind turbine sort through chaos, set mutual goals and put into place action plans on how to move forward and what to leave behind.
The fight is far from over.
Today, November 2/17 marks the one year anniversary the Niagara Region Wind Farm (NRWF) joined the Ontario Grid with production.
In acknowledgement of this date a few of us took to the corner of Elcho Rd & Road #27, the new location of an Enercon facility, to express our varied concerns.
At this point we were being pelted with rain for just over an hour and soaked from muddy road spray from passing trucks and vehicles. Worth every minute! Thank you ladies!!!
A vibrant, informed and concerned citizen, Catherine Mitchell, schooling the local gents at the nearby Tim Hortons. She had them engaged and they asked wonderful questions.
Way to go Catherine!!!
Sandy
🚫NO INDUSTRIAL WIND TURBINES🚫
Wallaceburg and area have formed a wind action group and are actively fundraising to appeal at the Environmental Review Tribunal if the anticipated approval for the Otter Creek wind project being developed by Boralex and Walpole Island First Nation is issued. Water well contamination is a hot issue as they learn from reports of dirty well water in other areas such as Chatham Kent and the North Kent wind project.
By David Gough
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
The Wallaceburg and Area Wind Concerns group is prepared for a fight.
The group held their first public meeting last week at the UAW Hall where they outlined their concerns, as well presenting their plan on fighting the proposed Otter Creek wind project.
The group is currently raising money so they can try and stop the wind turbine project. The group has set up an account at Wallaceburg’s TD bank, and estimates that a legal fight will cost at least $10,000 and possibly much more, depending on a number of variables.
Recruitment is now underway for the new wind turbine study.
This study has been reviewed and received research ethics clearance through a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Committee (ORE 22115). However, the decision to participate is yours.
The Huron County Health Unit Medical Officer of Health will not be writing an order under section 13 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act. A single study will not provide enough evidence to prove causality. Further, the Medical Officer of Health does not have the authority to write an order under section 13 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act to curtail or shut down wind turbines. An Ontario Health Services Appeal and Review Board decision and Ontario Superior Court of Justice judicial review outline the limits on a Medical Officer of Health’s authority to write orders.
You are eligible to participate if you are an English speaking Huron County resident and live within 10 km of a wind turbine. To see if your household is eligible, please view the eligibility map [PDF]. If you are having trouble opening the PDF, please see below.
If you live within five km of a wind turbine you will be mailed an information letter and consent form. If you live 5-10 km from a wind turbine you can still participate by reading the information letter on this website, downloading and printing the consent form, and returning the completed consent form to the Huron County Health Unit by mail or in person. You can also find copies of the information letter, consent form, parent permission form, child assent form, Registration Survey and Observation Diary at any branch of the Huron County Library. A copy of the map showing what areas of the county can participate in the study is also available at all branches of the Huron County Library.
You are invited!
WLGWAG & MAWTi would like to extend a warm welcome to our goal setting retreat.
Facilitator: Georgina Richardson
Where: Silverdale Community Hal, 4610 Sixteen Rd, St. Ann’s
When: Saturday November 4, 2017 – 10am to 5pm
Topics for discussion:
Have more you would like to discuss?
Please email Mary Kovacs to add to the discussion list.
Pot Luck Lunch: 12pm – 1pm
RSVP: mkovacs@vaxxine.com
The image remains seared into the consciousness of everyone who witnessed the grotesque spectacle. The full power and fury of the state and its legal might, side by side with one of most powerful law firms in Canada, arrayed against the grey-haired volunteers of the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists. Five Goliaths against one David.
One side funded by taxpayers and corporate interests, the other by donations and the kindness of individuals in this community. One side working to forestall the demise of species at risk, the other side hungrily pursuing profits. Alongside them were government lawyers dispatched from Toronto to defeat the County’s Field Naturalists.
How did we get here? How did the people of Ontario become the enemy of the state?
Mothers Against Wind Turbines Inc. 