County News
Wind project approved
The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change has issued a Renewable Energy Approval to wpd White Pines Wind Inc. to build a 59 megawatt wind facility comprising 27 of 29 proposed wind turbines within Prince Edward County. Two turbines were not approved. The facility is known as White Pines Wind Project.
As a result of comments received from the municipality and local residents, conditions of the approval wpd White Pines Wind Inc. to:
- comply with the Ministry’s noise emission limits at all times
- submit an updated acoustic assessment report for the approved turbines that excludes turbines T07 and T11 within 10 days of the date of the approval
- carry out an acoustic emission audit of the sound levels produced by the operation of the equipment and the wind turbine generators
- submit a site-specific Stormwater Management Plan and Erosion and Sediment Control Plan, as outlined, to the Ministry at least one month prior to the commencement of construction, and to not commence construction until the plans have been approved in writing by the Director
- monitor turbidity levels, as outlined
- collect water samples to be analyzed for total suspended solids, as outlined
- not take more than 50,000 litres of water per day
- design, construct and operate a spill containment system, as outlined
- implement the post construction natural heritage monitoring program, which includes bird and bat monitoring
- contact the Director and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry if any of the bird and bat mortality thresholds are exceeded and implement the operational mitigation measures, as outlined
- ensure that activities requiring authorization under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 will not commence until necessary authorizations are in place
- follow avoidance techniques for Blanding’s Turtles, as outlined
- implement the recommendations for the protection of cultural heritage resources and protected properties, as outlined
- prepare a Traffic Management Plan to be provided to Prince Edward County and enter into a Road Users Agreement
- make reasonable efforts to keep Prince Edward County informed of construction and operation activities associated with the facility, and make reasonable efforts to ensure that all commitments made to Prince Edward County are met
- prepare an Emergency Response and Communications Plan to address each Project phase (construction, operation and decommissioning)
- properly address any archaeological resources discovered
- create a community liaison committee with members of the public and with the Applicant
- maintain ongoing communication with interested Aboriginal communities
- maintain records of the operation and maintenance of equipment and inspections and complaints related to the facility, and
- notify the Ministry of complaints received alleging adverse effect caused by the construction, installation, operation, use or retirement of the facility.
Ontario’s Renewable Energy Approval process ensures that extensive municipal, Aboriginal and public consultation takes place. All comments the ministry received regarding the project were carefully considered before a decision was made to approve this project.
The approval notice is posted on the Environmental Registry and a link can be found here: Approval Notice
The irony of this is that Ontario for all its money spent on subsidies for renewable energy, is not even reducing C02 emissions. We have been sold a bill of goods by our government, and by the environmental movement in general. Neither wants to admit that this scheme has been a huge failure.
OSPE (Ontario Society of Professional Engineers) have written a number of reports that show the difficulty integrating intermittent wind energy into the electrical grid. For details look at the document “Engineering Expertise Vital to Success of Ontario’s Electricity System: OSPE”, Jan 16, 2013.
http://www.ospe.on.ca/news/113930/Engineering-Expertise-Vital-to-Success-of-Ontarios-Electricity-System-OSPE-.htm
Engineers’ reports are significant because they are legally bound to report success (or failure) of their projects. Reading the reports you’ll see what we have suspected all along. Engineers must follow government mandate (move to Green energy), but they cannot show a reduction in C02.