January 26, 2007
Ontario

Wind farm hearing date set

The date to discuss the future of Enbridge wind farms is set.

Beginning Monday April 23 for 8 consecutive weeks, both sides will be able argue their case to the Ontario Municipal Board at the Kincardine Municipal Offices.

A pre-hearing was held in Kincardine yesterday to allow the appellants to formally announce their intentions.

There were 42 by-law appeals from 37 individuals filed against the construction of 110 wind turbines in Kincardine.

However, not all appellants will be able to represent themselves during what appears to be a long hearing.

24 appellants, including Windfarm Action Group Spokesperson Kathy McCarrel, will be represented by Peggy Hutchison, a certified mediator.

Enbridge General Manager Bob Simpson says this move would hope to make the proceedings go a lot smoother.

He says from Enbridge’s end, this will make it easier to defend their position and hopes it can be done quickly.

Three will represent themselves but ten more have dropped their appeals.

This comes after Enbridge announced they will not build wind turbines on a stretch of land in North Bruce situated in a 911 corridor.

The corridor allows cell phone users can make emergency calls and a wind turbine at that specific location would interfere with those calls.

McCarrel says information about the 911 corridor came about last week and wonders why it wasn’t mentioned before Kincardine approved the by-laws.

McCarrel says she and her co-appellants were hoping to have the hearing after June order to prepare their case.

Part of their case will include a person from Holland who, according to Hutchison, is an expert in wind turbines.

McCarrel says their side has a strong case backed by expert testimony.

In addition, three people, who have made no appeals against the wind turbines, announced that they would like to participate in the hearings.

by Ken Hashizume

radioowensound.com


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/01/26/wind-farm-hearing-date-set/