‘Site is poorly chosen’

Canada geese rest on the shore of Point Traverse.

Tribunal stops White Pines wind project

Another industrial wind project has been stopped by the Blanding’s turtle in Prince Edward County. This time the turtle got help from the little brown bat and migrating birds. On Friday, the Environmental Review Tribunal, considering the appeal of the White Pines development—comprising 27 turbines scattered from Milford to the edge of the federal wildlife preserve at the tip of Long Point— concluded the project posed serious and irreversible harm to these two endangered species. It further recommended the developer study more carefully the risk the project would pose to migrating birds—particularly as they land and take off from the area.

While the Tribunal could not ultimately conclude, from the evidence before it, that the risk to migrating bird species was serious and irreversible, it came very close.

“Clearly, the Project site is poorly chosen from a migratory bird perspective,” wrote the Tribunal in its decision.

It is a view shared widely according to Orville Walsh, chair of the Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County (APPEC).

“This tribunal agrees with everyone else who has looked at the project,” said Walsh. “Everybody but the proponent sees this. The Tribunal confirmed what we all know.”

Many conservation and bird and wildlife advocacy organizations in Canada have condemned the prospect of an array of industrial wind turbines spinning over the south shore of Prince Edward County as a threat to migrating birds and the habitat for a host of wildlife species, including the Blanding’s turtle. Now, a second Tribunal has determined the risks are too great in this sensitive part of Prince Edward County.

The developer, wpd Canada, views the decision as a desire by the Tribunal to see the mitigation efforts toughened, that it wants to see more detailed plans to limit the harm to these endangered species.

A healthy little brown bat.

“We’ll begin to work with our subject matter experts very soon to determine the appropriate remedy acceptable to both the Director of MOECC [Ministry of Environment and Climate Change] and the Tribunal,” said Kevin Surette on behalf of wpd Canada.

The fact that the Tribunal was required to allow the developer to propose remedies has tempered the reaction of APPEC, John Hirsch and others who are cheering the Tribunal’s decision.

“They [the developer] get a second kick at the can,” said Walsh. “They are allowed to suggest a remedy. So just like the Ostrander case, the developer gets to go away and come back with a plan to mitigate the harm to the endangered species.”

A lot is riding on the ruling of the Ostrander Point Tribunal, expected within days or weeks. Should the developer succeed in persuading the Tribunal that gates will protect the Blanding’s turtle, wpd Canada will likely be encouraged to proceed.

Blanding’s turtle.

If the Tribunal decides, however, the risk to the endangered species is simply too great—the hurdle for the developer will be extremely high.

Walsh was adamant this isn’t just an APPEC victory.

“It is the whole community here in South Marysburgh,” noted Walsh. “It’s the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists, the Hastings Prince Edward Land Trust, Point to Point and the South Shore Conservancy. It was a lot of individuals and organizations, working together, that did this.”

He added a special mention for council support from members past and current including Barb Proctor (last term) and Steve Ferguson as well as Mayors, Peter Mertens and Robert Quaiff.