July 10, 2007
Manitoba
Manitoba
Opponents and supporters of a planned wind farm west of Winnipeg voiced their views at a meeting in Elie Monday night.
The 99-megawatt project would be in the Regional Municipality of Cartier, about 16 kilometres west of the city. It is one of four in the planning stages in Manitoba by Winnipeg power company Sequoia.
Local farmer Ed Rempel said because of wet conditions this summer, he’s had to aerial spray his crops, something he couldn’t do if there were wind turbines.
He told local government and Sequoia officials that’s one of a number of issues farmers will have to deal with if the wind farm is allowed.
“You gentleman have a responsibility to make sure that ground applicators can get in at any time,” Rempel said. “The second challenge is to the principals of Sequoia. I think that they should locate their principal residences in the middle of one of their projects 500 meters from a wind tower.”
Those in favour say wind farms generate a green form of energy and provide rent money for local landowners.
But Rempel said he drove through Sequoia’s existing wind farm in St. Leon, near Morden, and didn’t see much electricity being generated.
“Did you know that 10 to 15 per cent of the windmills weren’t turning? Thought that was interesting,” he said. “So, you know, anybody here in the room worries about too many wind, too many blades turning … they’ll break down, don’t worry about it.”
Sequoia, supported strongly by the province of Manitoba and local municipalities, ultimately wants to build five wind farms in Manitoba, each with the potential to generate 99 megawatts of electricity.
The Cartier wind farm received its environmental licence last July.
About 100 local residents have signed a petition opposing the wind farm.
10 July 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/07/10/opponents-of-manitoba-wind-farm-voice-concerns-at-meeting/