Group fed up with Gerretsen’s lack of concern over wind-turbine health issues – Calls for resignation
The Coalition for the Protection of Amherst Island is so fed up with John Gerretsen’s lack of concern over the serious health problems being suffered by Ontarians living too close to wind turbines, that they have decided take out the advertisement set out below in the Whig Standard charging that Mr. Gerretsen, as Minister of the Environment, is ignoring the right of Ontarians to a ‘healthful environment’ as provided for under the Environmental Bill of Rights.
The advertisement also accuses the Ministry of the Environment of ruining people’s lives by allowing his Ministry to approve siting wind turbines too close to homes. Further, the ad. states that his Ministry has shown a chilling indifference to the harm caused by the 86 turbines now turning on Wolfe Island knowing that 266 dwellings would be located at or within 1 km of these turbines. The Coalition is calling for a moratorium on further construction of wind turbine farms while full independent medical and noise studies are conducted, and is asking Mr. Gerretsen how many more Ontarians may be put in harm’s way. The media are urged to seek answers to these questions.
The advertisement appeared in the Whig Standard on Saturday, July 4th.
About the Coalition to Protect Amherst Island. The Coalition to Protect Amherst Island was formed in 2006 in response to a proposal to build a 100-turbine wind power plant on Amherst Island. Amherst Island is one of the Thousand Islands in Lake Ontario
Contact: Coalition for the Protection of Amherst Island, General Delivery, Stella, Ont. KOH 2S0 — ProtectAi@kos.net.
Media Contact: Janet Grace – 613 389 8166
Further information and documents can be provided upon request
M.P.P., MINISTER OF THE ENVIRONMENT
HAS QUESTIONS TO ANSWER
Marysville, Wolfe Island. Photo courtesy Brian Little.
Which community will be next,
courtesy of John Gerretsen?
Ontarians are suffering serious health problems because industrial wind turbines are placed too close to homes.
- You are responsible for this disgraceful state of affairs as Minister of the Environment. How could this have happened Mr. Gerretsen?
Dr. Robert McMurtry, M.D., F.R.C.S.(C), F.A.C.S., presented interim results of a health survey of people living near industrial wind turbines in Ontario to a Committee of the Ontario Legislature last April. At that time, 53 residents (but now tragically at 78 and growing) reported an average of 5 health complaints, which they clearly associated with wind turbine noise, including: depression, palpitations, migraines and sleep deprivation.
They are classic symptoms of wind-turbine syndrome that has been documented around the world. These Ontario victims live within 400 m to 1.6 km (780 m average) of these massive machines. [Go to windconcernsontario.wordpress.com to read the health survey.]
Your ministry approved the siting of these wind turbines using its own industry-biased noise guidelines that systematically understate wind-turbine noise and place 140 m high turbines as close as 400 m to homes.
- People’s lives have been ruined in this utterly avoidable tragedy. These victims suffer chronic sleep deprivation due to both hearing and “feeling” low frequency noise that can’t be shut out of their bedrooms. Do you sleep well at night, Mr. Gerretsen?
Your ministry was made well aware of the woeful inadequacy of your noise guidelines and yet it still approved the siting of 86 industrial wind turbines on Wolfe Island knowing that 266 dwellings would be at or within 1 km of them (739 m average), according to the developer’s noise impact assessment.
- How does your Ministry answer the charge, Mr. Gerretsen, that Ontarians have been irresponsibly put in harm’s way?
With a chilling indifference to the harm it has caused, your Ministry now proposes to incorporate the noise guidelines in the Green Energy Act regulations and use them to allow a minimum setback of 550 m for even the largest wind-turbine plant. And we know already, Mr. Gerretsen, that a setback of 550 m does not come close to protecting the public health of Ontarians. The French Academy of Medicine recommends a minimum 1.5 km setback from homes for large wind turbines. Numerous medical experts concur. Dr. McMurtry calls for a moratorium on further construction while full independent medical and noise studies are conducted.
- So how many more Ontarians will be put in harm’s way, Mr. Gerretsen?
- What information do you have that these medical experts don’t, Mr. Gerretsen?
- Have you consulted one competent independent medical authority on this subject? If you have, please produce the report.
- Have you even spoken to any of the victims?
- Ontarians are entitled to a “healthful environment” under the Environmental Bill of Rights — Do you care?
Mr. Gerretsen, hasn’t the time come for your resignation?
General Delivery, Stella, On, K0H 2S0
ProtectAI@kos.net
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy, Health, Noise
Some possibly related stories:
- Health worries of wind farm opponents should be taken seriously by government
- Wind turbines can cause adverse health effects: North American wind industry
- Wind Turbines — Health
- Gerretsen and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment have betrayed the people of Wolfe Island
- Wind Turbines Driving People From Their Homes
- Those Wolfe Island giants aren't so quiet
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