RDOS board discusses problems in the wind
Rising interest in the region’s potential for wind power resources was the reason for some inspired debate at a recently held regional district planning and development committee meeting.
B.C. Hydro identified the interior region as one of four areas in B.C. with significant potential for wind generation in 2008. As a result, several Independent Power Producers (IPP’s) have been seeking tenure over Crown land in order to erect temporary wind test towers, known as meteorological (MET) towers.
The regional district has since received more than 21 referrals from the Integrated Land Management Bureau for the development of up to 82 test towers within an area of 105,000 hectares.
With no specific legislation in place to handle the requirements of IPP’s wishing to explore wind potential in the regional district, the board grappled with a staff recommendation that would have the RDOS begin amendments to zoning bylaws to “permit meteorological towers in all resource area zones, subject to safety and environmental regulations, and to exempt the towers from height requirements, and that the board direct staff to investigate and report back on options available to address future wind farm development on Crown land in the RDOS.”
Several regional district board directors expressed concerns about the proposed recommendation.
Unrestricted tower height, environmental impacts, and viewscapes were a few of the director’s concerns, although staff reminded the board that provincial agencies would ultimately be in charge of environmental issues .
Area “D” director Bill Schwarz expressed concern over tower height.
“We have a potential resource area near Okanagan Falls,” he expressed, “Allowing unrestricted tower height would be too close to the community in that area.”
Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells also advised proceeding cautiously with the recommendation, noting that Osoyoos was a small town that could face potential interface problems with bordering resource areas.
“We have to give independent power producers a bit of credit,” commented Michael Brydon, Area “F” Director. “We can’t throw barriers in the way of this – the sites for wind generation we are talking about are in the middle of nowhere – I agree with the staff’s report.”
Area “G” Director Elef Christensen noted that his advisory planning committee had discussed the prospect of wind farms in his area.
“We came to the conclusion that whatever we said didn’t make any difference with the province,” he said. “An environmental study would be done, and possibly an archeological study – we would insist on using existing roads, and if the towers were removed, the land should be reclaimed – but we felt what we said didn’t carry much weight.”
Area “E” Director Tom Chapman urged the board to consider their own backyards when considering the recommendation.
“The province has been sloppy in the way they have handled the run of river projects,” he told the board, a view that was also supported by Director Wells urging caution as “the run of river projects do not have a great track record – this could have an impact on the people you are representing. We need to look at many things.”
Penticton Councillor Dan Albas reminded the board that the discussion was to legislate test towers, not wind farms.
“We have green goals, but we are not doing things that make it better,” he commented, sentiments echoed by Princeton Councillor Randy MacLean, who also reminded the group they were discussing the implementation of test stations.
“If a wind farm should prove to be viable, there will be regulations to follow,” he said.
“We have people to look after these things. We are trying to create an alternative form of power.”
The board carried staff’s recommendation, Directors Clark and Wells opposed. The bylaw amendments will go through normal proceedings, including a public hearing prior to final reading.
By Steve Arstad – Keremeos Review
24 November 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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