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Home My WebLink AboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-02-13, Page 1010 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, February 13, 2013 ENERGY: Plan calls for up to 46 turbines Paul Morden GNI Agency Plympton-Wyoming will defend its turbine bylaw if it isn't hon- oured by Suncor in its plans for the Cedar Point wind farm, says Mayor Lonny Napper. While the province only requires wind turbines to he at least 550 metres away from neighbouring homes, Plympton-Wyoming council passed a bylaw calling for therm to be no closer than 2 km. Suncor is holding three public meetings in early April for its Cedar Point Wind Power project, proposed for Plynlpton-Wyoming, Lanmbton Shores and Warwick 'Ibwnship. 'she company already has a con- tract to sell Ontario electricity from the project that calls for as many as 46 turbines to be built in rural areas, from Camlachie north to Ravenswood line. Some of its turbines would intermingle with Nextera Energy's 92 -turbine Jericho wind farm planned for Lampton Shores and Warwick. Suncor has said it would like to have provincial environmental approvals in place so its wind farm can be built and operating by 2014. "it's down to crunch time now and we'll certainly be defending our bylaws," Napper said. "We feel they're good sound bylaws and they're thele for the protection of the people:" Suncor spokesperson Michael Southern said, "'l'he setback that has been described by the munici- pality is not part (Atlas contractual agreement that We have to build the project:' But, he added the company continues to talk with the munici- pality about the issue. Draft versions of documents that wilt he part of Suncor's pro- vincial environmental application for the wind project are available now online, Southern said. "We're looking forward to receiving comments from the pub- lic between now and then, and certainly at the open houses:" Those meetings are schedulers for April 2, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Canllachie Community (:entre, April 3, 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at the Forest legion and April 4, 5 p.ln. to 8 i),I11., at \Vatford's (Cen- tennial l lall. Icon Schenk, a member of\VAI't' Plynlpton-Wyoming, said the resi- dents' group continues to oppose Suncor'~ plans. "We're having a (sleeting early next tveek to ratup things till again," he said. '1 he group has held several well- • CHET MORE T11:\N KNOWLIT)(F AS A RIWARD FOR READING THE: NEWSPAPER. Marketers and decision makers all across Canada are looking for your opinion, and they are willing to reward you for it. Sign up for easy online surveys and in return you can earn rewards from your choice of leading companies. You can even donate your points to the (Canadian Cancer Society. And every quarter, you are automatically enrolled in our sweepstakes for a new Samsung Galaxy'I:ib. Eley, it heats a poke in the eye. \I1\t) .\ 1 1'I \I\1 I' *MICanHiatt g. cal'ara,$.nw �i� Pisrlgge can�llNw, (� We a, knowledge the Ilnan, al ,uplxwt o1 the (w,7trnment of ( 1111111111 11 oh the Canaria Periodical 1 and of the Depart merit of t anadlan 11e11tage AD An initiative of the 4 anadlsn l onwnunny Nevnpaper♦ Mt°, nation and regional a,*o, arcane attended public meetings and handed out hundreds of anti -turbine signs. Schenk said WATT has also collected more than 2,5(X) signatures on it petition it plans to pass along to Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey. Plynlpton-Wyoming's (municipal coun- cil is one of several asking Ontario to halt the building of new wind farms until their impact on human health can be studied. "I'm Worried about the health effects, olid always have been right from day one," Napper said. "I think our provincial government's letting us down if they don't take a look at that:" Suncor's draft documents can be found online at www.suncor.con/ cedarpoint vind. pard. nurrdeis@ stunnredia.ea Wind farms say it's right thing to do John Miner OMI Agency Green energy companies, facing hostile and persistent rural Ontario opposition to their plans for massive wind farms, have begun backing everything from community golf tournaments to mental health centres. ((renewable energy giant NextEra Eneigv Canada says it's just trying to be a good cor- porate citizen. Anti -industrial wiled turbine activist Esther Wrightlmm says it is more like deep pockets trying to buy community support. K2 Wind Ontario ---- a limiters partnership of Capital Power, Samsung, and Pattern Renewable that's developing what will be Ontario's largest wind farm near (oderich has donated to more than a dozen com- munity groups, including agricultural socie- ties, minor hockey teams, a tractor -pull competition and (oderich and District (.hammer of (.oltllllt'rct'. last week, NextEra, which (las wind farms in the approval pr)ct'xti in Middlesex, i a mb- ton and 1luron counties, announced it is committing $1.1 million to help as many as 400 First Nation, limit and Metis youth across Canada t0 attend colleges and u11iversitit'S. The money %vile be awarded annually as bursaries to the students seeking education in engineering, science, commerce, busi- ness and renewable energy. Set up to run for 20 years - the projt'vted lifespan of a wild farm -- the bursary pro- gram is being managed in partnership with lnlspire, the former National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. In its work in Ontario and other parts of the country, NextEra became aware that scholarships and bursaries for aboriginal kids was a r'e'd, said Steve Stengel of Nex- tEnt Entergy Canada. "We are a company that believes in giving back to the community;" ht' said. NextEra is a subsidiary of Florida -based Next Era Entergy, the largest renewable energy company in the 1 1.S.. It's also in discussions with (municipalities for what it calls a Community Vibrancy Fund money that will he paid to munici- palities that are bonne to wind energy projects. 111 the case of 1 ialdimanl County, the payments over the 20 -year life of the wind farms have been estimated by NextEra to total $40 million. in Middlesex, NextEra has put money into SEARCI I, a community mental health services centre in Strathroy. It also spon- sored a charity golf tournament run by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority and (rand Bend's Aquafest beachfront festival. Stengel said NextEra in the 11.S. has a 1•t' history of hacking community initiatgge and the list of projects it is backing in Ontatio will expand as it gains a better understand- ing of individual community needs. "'11l' reason We slake these sort of contri- butions is because it is the right thing to do," said Stengel. As for softening opposition to wind farms with donations, Stengel said he doubts some people against wind farms will ever change their minds. "1 an not sure there is anything we might do to change their view, he said. Middlesex wind turbine opponent Wrightman said wind farm developers appear to be targeting the money to organi- zations and groups they would like to see quieted. By accepting the money, groups such as Sri\R(31 and the Conservation Authority, are compromised, she said. 1 low can Ix'ople mvith mental health prob- lems caused by Winll farms turn t0 it centra' receiving money from the wind farm com- pany, Wlightnlan asked. "it really is like a war" with the companies infiltrating a community and trying to get 11110 115 good grace's, sht' said. Opponents are fighting hack in their own vny: an anti -wind group has forced NextEra, developer of the 92 -turbine Jericho Wind Energy Centre, to move a public sleeting slated for Forest on Feb. 8. NextEra F.n'riry originally announl II %vas holding an open house that day at Kum - ball I !all in Forest, but the company's Josie 1 lernandez said it's now at 'lhedford's Leg- acy Recreation Centre. This is the second time the Nliddlesex- 14un1)ton Wind Action (roup has hooked a hall out from under NextEra. the anti -wind turbine group did the same last summer after the company announced plans for a public meeting in Ailsa Graig. NextEra had to move one of its public infor- nration sessions to an outdoor pavilion that time. "We try to do anything within our power to undel•Illine what they're doing," said Mar- cello (book~, a menthe'. of the action group. Meanwhile, Plympton -Wyoming will defend its turbine bylaw if it isn't honoured by Suncor in its plans for the Cedar Point wind farm, says Mayor Lonny Napper. While the province only requires wind turbines to be at least 550 metres away from neighbouring homes, Plynlpton-Wyoming council passed a bylaw calling for them to be no closer than two kilometres. jnl ul. ntine'r(risllnnu'rlia. t a