Field naturalists reject wind project

Continued from Page 5 of the Times November 17 issue

The Prince Edward County Field Naturalists (PECFN) have a mandate to foster and encourage conservation of natural habitat.  We initiated a popular Birding Festival that draws hundreds of visitors from Ontario, Quebec and the U.S. every May; helped build the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory that monitors migration on Lake Ontario in spring and fall; and initiated the establishment of the Prince Edward County South Shore Important Bird Area. (IBA) Prince Edward County is in the centre of an area of Lake Ontario where there are many  proposals for onshore and offshore industrial wind turbine installations.  We are especially concerned with proposals for industrial developments within the South Shore IBA or its migratory corridor.  In particular we insist that this project be denied for the following reasons:

Description and Location

Ostrander Point Crown Land is located in an Arc around the eastern end of Lake Ontario from Presqu’ille Provincial Park and Prince Edward County, ON, to Oswego , NY.  This Arc incorporates numerous islands and peninsulas that provide feeding and staging areas for birds and bats during spring and fall migrations.

Ostrander Point is in the centre of the south shore of Prince Edward County, a near-island cut off from the mainland by the Bay of Quinte.  The IBA consists of the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area (NWA) 560ha, Ostrander Point 324ha, and the Point Petre Provincial Wildlife Area [nd].  It has been designated a globally significant IBA under the congregatory species category and nationally significant under the threatened species category.

Ostrander Point, the NWA, and the adjacent South Bay Coastal Wetland form a Candidate Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) due to the presence of Provincially Significant wildlife habitats.

Ostrander Point and the IBA fits Environment Canada’s description of a Level 4 Category of Concern “Very High Sensitivity” site Re wind turbine projects on the  following criteria [1]: The presence of a bird species listed as “at risk” by the SARA, COSEWIC or provincial/territorial threat ranking, or the presence of the residence(s) of individuals of that species if listed under the SARA, or of its critical habitat. To be of concern, either the bird or its residence or critical habitat must be considered to be potentially affected by the project; Site is in an Important Bird Area; Site is adjacent to a National Wildlife Area; Site of fall migration of large concentrations of raptors; Site is on a known migration corridor; Site contains shoreline on a peninsula; Site will disrupt large contiguous wetland habitat; Site located close to significant migration staging area for waterfowl; Site contains species of high conservation concern, eg. Aerial flight displays, PIF/CWS priority species; Site is recognized as provincially important alvar habitat type.

Environment Canada Officer Denis Fell says:  “This is one of the most important landfall sites in Ontario.  Unique about this particular site is that birds are ascending and descending during migration, whereas normally they migrate over the landscape in a broad front above the typical height of wind turbines.  Since birds on migration in this area can therefore be found at tower height, and are typically very tired and stressed when descending, they may be more at risk of collision with wind turbines.”[2]

Fell looked at mortality figures available at the time from established wind facilities near Lake Ontario to predict mortality levels for this site but found them unsatisfactory comparisons as they were all inland sites.  Since then Stantec Consulting has released a mortality report on the Wolfe Island wind turbine site collected from July to Dec, 2009[3].  Over 600 birds were killed, equivalent to 6.99 birds per turbine and 1278 bats, or 14.7 per turbine for the “reporting period”, which was outside the most active spring migration and winter raptor periods.  It can be assumed that the mortality rate at Ostrander Point would be similar to that of Wolfe Island but probably much higher as it is on the shoreline of a peninsula and since the South Shore IBA is known to have a higher density of migrating birds than Pt Pelee. Therefore this wind turbine project can be anticipated to affect the function and significance of the IBA and the NWA.

Significant Wildlife Habitat Alvar Habitats

“All components of the Project are located within alvar habitat.”[4] “According to App. J of the SWHTG[5] all alvar communities found in Ecoregion 6E are considered provincially rare (ranked S1 to S3) and the highest priority for protection should be given to all provincially rare communities…Based on these considerations MNR considers all alvar communities on the site as significant wildlife habitat under the category of rare vegetation communities.”[6]

Alvar communities greater than 125ha are likely to have intact natural processes and good potential viability.  Stantec describes this site as having 301ha (out of 324ha total) of alvar natural and undeveloped habitat.  It has been undisturbed for 65 years (since  WWII military use) and before that for many years as farming proved unproductive.

Amphibian Woodland Breeding

The alvar habitat provides pools throughout the site during spring and early summer for breeding populations of Spring Peeper, Chorus Frog, American Toad, Grey Treefrog, Green Frog and Northern Leopard Frog.

Breeding success in frogs is related to male calling which may be affected by noise during operation of the wind facility.  Stantec expects some mortality of amphibians on the access roads during the construction period but will attempt to mitigate by timing the construction, if possible, outside of the spring breeding season   They will also post a speed limit for maintenance vehicles.  However, since the access roads on Crown land will be open to the public there will be no enforcement of slower speeds in any season if the project is built.

Additionally, the site provides year round habitat for Blanding’s Turtle (designated threatened on both Ontario and Canadian Species at Risk lists).  This turtle is long-lived (75 years), late in reaching sexual maturity (25 years) and has low annual reproduction rates making it especially vulnerable to loss of wetlands or surrounding terrestrial habitat.  Major threats are mortality on roads and nests and hatchlings being exposed to predators.

Adults emerge in March and April and nest in June; the hatchlings emerge in late summer and fall – the planned construction period.  During their active season in spring and summer they may use multiple waterbodies traveling long distances up to 7000m.  The Ostrander Point population may be traveling throughout the South Bay Coastal PSW.  The permanent overwintering and nursery areas on the site surround proposed Turbine #9.[7] Therefore this population of Blanding’s Turtle will be adversely affected for the life of the proposed industrial facility.

Seasonal Concentration Areas – Migration Corridors Radar studies conducted nightly by Acadia University [at Ostrander Point] in 2008 detected 70,355 targets during spring migration with 41% occurring within blade sweep height and 160,649 in fall, with 50% occurring within blade sweep height.  Relatively high raptor activity was also observed, with commonly used routes across the study area and 31% at blade sweep height.[8]

Recent radar work in the Great Lakes Basin indicates that forested areas near shorelines, such as this IBA, provide important stopover habitat for nocturnal migrants such as warblers, vireos, and thrushes.[9]

Turbine siting decisions Considering the heavy traffic of migrating birds and bats at this site it would seem that Ontario’s responsibility under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, is to require that the proponent seek an alternative location as Canada’s Guidelines recommend. (See footnote #1) And as the MNR emphasizes in its Guidelines for wind power projects, Appendix A: Best Management Practices:[10] ”Appropriate project location appears to be the key factor in preventing negative effects on birds. Landscape features in the area (especially ridges, steep slopes, valleys and landforms such as peninsulas and shorelines that funnel bird movement) may increase the risk associated with avian mortality at a wind power development.”

Breeding Birds Ostrander Point supports shrub/successional and woodland breeding habitats for species of conservation concern.  MNR bears management responsibility for these species as a participant in Partners in Flight (PIF) Region 13.[11] Stantec’s 2008 field surveys recorded 48 species possibly breeding, including 14 PIF priority  species:  Grassland/agricultural (Northern Harrier, Eastern Kingbird, Field Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Eastern Meadowlark)  [In addition, Upland Sandpiper nests within .05-1k of proposed turbine #6 along Babylon Road[12] Shrub/successional (Black-billed Cuckoo, Whip-poor-will,  Willow Flycatcher, Brown Thrasher, and Eastern Towhee) Forest (Northern Flicker, Wood Thrush, Baltimore Oriole, Ruffed Grouse and Scarlet Tanager) American Woodcock and Wilson’s Snipe, species whose aerial-display behaviour puts them at risk of turbine collision, were present in high numbers.

Whip-poor-will In 2009 Stantec conducted a special study of  on-site breeding Whip-poor-will which has been designated threatened on both the Ontario and Canadian Species at Risk lists. This alvar habitat supports all its breeding requirements: foraging, nesting, roosting and rearing of young.   Special concerns are raised by the project’s threats due to this species’ behaviour, such as ground nesting, foraging perches, aerial insect hunting in open areas, including roads, etc.

Stantec concluded that avoidance of Whip-poor-will habitat on site is not possible and that information on the direct effects of wind turbine operations to this species, and other foragers such as nighthawks and nightjars, is lacking.  Therefore, it recommends mortality monitoring and density surveys as mitigation during the operation of the facility which “will benefit the scientific community and other turbine sites in the County by furthering knowledge about this species”.[13]

Fall Raptors Stantec quotes fall migration raptor surveys which found relatively high raptor movement at Ostrander Point, peaking in early October with 70 observations/hour on Oct. 5, 2006 and 109 observations/hour on Oct 8, 2009.  Raptors appear to be more vulnerable to collision with turbines than other species groups, as shown in the monitoring report of Wolfe Island referred to above [footnote #3].  (Mortality count: 3 Red-tailed Hawks, 6 Turkey Vultures, 2 American Kestrels and a Merlin, as well as aerial insectivorous species.)   The evidence of the selective impact turbines are inflicting on certain groups, such as the aerial insectivorous birds like swallows and martins which are in serious population declines, raptors, and migratory bats provides justification for a policy of keeping turbine installations out of migratory corridors such as this one. Prince Edward Point is known for the exceptionally high numbers of Northern Saw-whet Owls banded every fall.  If they are traveling back and forth across the South Shore as other raptors are known to do in fall, they will also be at added risk.
Bats  Long-distance migratory bats that concentrate near the shoreline of the Great Lakes were detected at Ostrander Point flying at heights of 40-65m or within blade sweep range.  The Wolfe Island monitoring mortality report found 1278 bats, or 14.7 per turbine. (Footnote #3)   Given this evidence, it is not clear why the MNR has removed its previous requirement for pre-construction monitoring of bats. To leave bat conservation policies to mortality counts after turbine installations have been built (and are expected to operate a minimum of 25 years) is totally indefensible.  Migratory bat species in the Great Lakes region are already in a sharp decline from a new disease (white nose syndrome) and the loss of their mosquito predation can only boost mosquito-born diseases such as West nile. [14]

Monarch butterflies In 1996 Prince Edward County South Shore was designated one of three Canadian refuges for Monarch Butterfly in a Trilateral Agreement with the US and Mexico.  The entire South Shore’s remote location provides milkweed for reproduction as the Monarchs prepare to cross the Lake in their fall migration to Mexico.  Recent research has shown that a subspecies of Monarch migrates on the eastern side of the Appalachian mountains.  The researchers discovered that 88 per cent of the monarchs sampled originated in the midwest and Great Lakes regions.   “It means that the viability of east coast populations is highly dependent upon productivity on the other [east] side of the mountains.”[15] Lakeshore habitats on Lakes Ontario and Erie may prove to be crucial in maintaining the Monarch population, especially as industrial farming methods reduce its western habitats.

Species at Risk

Stantec’s 2008 field surveys found 19 listed Species at Risk at Ostrander Point.  These threatened and endangered species’ existence on this site, as well as other species breeding there, will be severely and permanently affected by the destruction of much of the habitat in the construction of the turbines and the access roads.  The operation of the wind turbine facility for 25 years will continue the displacement and deaths of wildlife.   It will not be physically possible to return the habitat after decommissioning.

Conclusion

We conclude that the only scientifically and legally defensible decision that can be made on this wind turbine project is to deny it.  All industrial construction projects should be denied in IBAs and migratory bird corridors in order to preserve declining habitats for species migrating to and from their breeding grounds in the Boreal forest and elsewhere in Canada.

Climate change is exacerbating this decline and therefore if renewable energy projects are to relieve the situation, instead of adding to it, policy must be based on a scientific evaluation of where these new technologies should be sited.  Industrial scale energy facilities should be sited on already-compromised land rather than on wildlife habitat.  Siting responsibility lies with governments, especially concerning Crown public-owned land.

In order to determine a policy that balances the need to conserve remaining wildlife habitat with the costs, both financial and environmental, of adding to the energy supply Ontario should  request that a Cumulative Environmental Assessment of proposed wind turbine projects in the migration corridor Arc of Eastern Lake Ontario be conducted by Environment Canada and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

MYRNA WOOD, Prince Edward County Field Naturalist

[1] Environment Canada. Canadian Wildlife Service. Wind turbines and birds: A guidance document for environmental assessment, February 2007.
[2] Fell, Denise. Letter Re Gilead project, Mar 4, 2008
[3] TransAlta/Canadian Hydro.  Wolfe Island Ecopower Centre, Post-construction follow-up plan – Bird and bat resources, monitoring report no. 2, July-December 2009.
[4] Stantec Consulting Ltd.  Ostrander Point Wind Energy Park;  Natural heritage assessment and environmental impact study, Aug. 2010.
[5] OMNR 2000  Significant wildlife habitat technical guide 151 p.
[6] Durst, Kenneth. Letter to Gilead, Mar 8, 2010.
[7] ibid Stantec NHS
[8] ibid Durst Mar 8, 2010
[9] Bonter,D.N. et al.2008  Characteristics of important stopover locations for migrating birds…Conservation Biology 23(2): 440-8.
[10] OMNR 2010  Birds and bird habitats; Guidelines for wind power projects.  Oct 2010
[11] http://www.acjv.org/bcr13_plan.htm
[12] Author’s observations.  Ontario population has declined 37%: Atlas of Breeding Birds, 2001-1005.
[13] ibid Stantec NHS
[14] EBR 010-9521. Bats and bat habitats; Guidelines for wind power projects.
[15] Norris,Ryan, Guelph Univ.  Biology Letters, July 2010.