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14 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Vandalism against wind turbines in
Huron County seems to have ceased
John Miner
QMI Agency
Huron County OPP are
hopeful vandalism attacks on
wind farms under develop-
ment in the county are over.
Incidents in September
and October did tens of
thousands of dollars damage
to construction equipment
and installations.
In one case, a turbine
tower was breached and the
computer control panel
heavily damaged.
But the damage has halted
since the last mischief inci-
dent was reported Oct. 23,
Huron OPP Const. James
Stanley said by e-mail: "Fin-
gers crossed, people have
gotten the message."
The last incident in Huron
saw vandals tamper with a
boring machine used to bury
cables and high voltage
lines. Debris put into the
machine's hydraulic lines
caused thousands of dollars
in damage. Vandals also
tried to damage other
machines by draining oil
from the equipment.
Other areas in Ontario
have seen sporadic wind
farm vandalism, including a
turbine set ablaze in
Haldimand County.
Stanley said police con-
tinue to investigate the van-
dalism and encourage any-
one with information to
come forward.
Decision from panel in landmark wind turbine appeal expected before January
System 'broken'
says lawyer
Jonathan Sher
QM! Agency
A judicial fight over the
future of wind turbines in
Ontario wrapped up Thurs-
day with the fate of the prov-
ince's green energy law in
the hands ofjudges.
On one side is big money,
wind energy giants like Sam-
sung and a Liberal
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government intent on
becoming a world leader in
creating green energy.
On the other are four fami-
lies in Huron and Bruce coun-
ties whose homes are close to
dozens of proposed turbines.
But while it seems a David
and Goliath affair, the under-
dogs have enlisted a legal
pugilist who Thursday
seemed to dance circles
around the arguments of his
adversaries, wrapping up a
four-day hearing in London
with an emotionally -loaded
challenge to three Superior
Court justices.
"The system has utterly
broken down," said Julian
Falconer. "You have been
tasked with keeping these
people safe"
Falconer was the most
dynamic of lawyers represent-
ing four families in South-
western Ontario battling the
building of wind farms.
It's not the first time law-
yers have challenged the
Green Energy Act in court.
Three years ago, wind oppo-
nents lost in court fighting a
decision by an environmen-
tal review tribunal to allow a
windfarm. But the 2011 effort
had a handicap this one does
not — it was a judicial review,
in which judges must give
deference to the tribunal.
This time, Falconer wants
the three-judge panel to:
Halt, by issuing what's
called a stay, wind farms
that are expected to be
tested in January.
Rule the environmental
tribunal violated the consti-
tutional rights of wind oppo-
nents when it refused to
allow new evidence from a
Health Canada study.
Allow wind opponents to
stop wind farms by showing
they might be seriously
harmed rather than proving
they had been harmed.
The judges expect to issue a
decision on the stay soon, and
while they didn't specify a date,
it's likely they'll act by January.
Environmental review tribu-
nals shield their eyes to con-
trary evidence, Falconer said.
"They keep the blinders
on. They're not interested in
new information. They're
interested in getting the tur-
bines up," he said.
But lawyers for the gov-
ernment and wind compa-
nies disagreed, one arguing
the Health Canada study
only showed a link between
turbines and annoyance and
the early results hadn't yet
been peer-reviewed.
"It's a work in progress,"
said Darryl Cruz, who repre-
sents St Columban Energy.
The decision by the
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environmental tribunal was
correct and wind companies
should be allowed to complete
their wind farms, he said.
That's a position one Nia-
gara wind opponent has
been fighting for about four
years, moving from her
Welland home to keep away
from planned turbines.
"It's just wrong," Catherine
Mitchell said.
Wind opponents say tur-
bines cause dizziness, head-
aches, heart palpitations and
other illness.
The government says
that's wrong and that neigh-
bours are protected because
turbines are placed at least
550 metres from homes.
Ontario has more than
6,000 wind turbines built,
planned or proposed, mostly
in the southwest. Turbines
account for about four per
cent of Ontario's power.
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