Cavan Monaghan “unwilling Host” for Industrial Wind Turbines

By Councilor Lynda Todd

Cavan Monaghan council declared Cavan Monaghan Township an ‘unwilling host’ for industrial wind turbines on May 6, 2013. However, it appears that an industrial wind power plant consisting of five 2 MW RePower MM92 turbines is planned for the Cavan area.  Called the Stoneboat Community Wind Farm, the project will span both Cavan Monaghan and City of Kawartha Lakes municipalities.  This could be the beginning of additional large scale power plant projects flooding the region, projects that produce intermittent energy at great environmental, social, cultural and economic costs. The turbines will be TALLEST structures to be found between here and Toronto.

Industrial wind turbines drive turbo-generators that create electricity, but to date, the energy created cannot be stored. The variability of generated wind power threatens the existing energy grid. In high wind conditions,  the turbines must be shut down. When customers have the greatest  energy needs such as calm hot summer or frigid winter days, wind power is characteristically not available. Energy not produced must be generated by conventional energy suppliers – gas, coal, hydro and nuclear to make up the shortfall.  Industrial wind turbines only produce on average 20% of their rated capacity and have a limited lifespan of about 20 years. The massive 148 foot long, 8 ton carbon composite blades cannot be recycled. Each turbine contains over a ton of toxic waste.   

Vast tracts of land are required to build a project such as the Stoneboat wind power plant.   Under the Green Energy Act the developer is NOT required to conduct full environmental assessments or produce a hydrology report. The construction of massive 1000 ton concrete bases, crane pads and access roads will result in massive displacement of sub-soils and will impact the Baxter Creek watershed.  Under the GEA, entire woodlands can be cleared and natural habitats removed.

Industrial wind turbines generate both audible and inaudible noise and can cast strobe flicker shadow effects over an area of more than 1.5 kms.  This noise and flicker shadow effect has caused immeasurable grief for many families worldwide; some to the point that they abandon their homes. In Australia, the entire town of Waterloo was abandoned after a wind energy factory was constructed. Several homes near existing wind plants in Ontario have been abandoned. Cavan Monaghan Township Council passed a motion in September 2010 requesting the Ontario Provincial Government to implement a moratorium on industrial wind Turbines until independent health studies have been completed.

Unfortunately, Ontario’s Green Energy Act by-passes environmental legislation and local building regulations thereby eliminating local individual and municipal influence over building in their communities. Cavan Monaghan council will use whatever tools at their disposal to ensure that the health of its citizens is protected as well as the township’s economic, social and environmental heritage.

 

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