August 20, 2010
Ontario

Offshore turbines face new limits

By Jonathan Sher, The London Free Press, www.lfpress.com 19 August 2010

Ontario’s Natural Resources ministry is considering constraints on offshore wind farms but its not clear if the limits will appease a tidal wave of protest from those who live along Lake Huron.

The ministry this week published a draft policy that could place constraints on where turbines could be placed, including:

* Navigational lanes

* Areas of core commercial fishing activity

* Sensitive environmental and ecological areas and features

* Areas subject to important recreational activities

* Cultural heritage features

* Areas of natural gas activity

* Areas of inland lakes not subject to the proposed five kilometre exclusion zone

* Other inland waterbodies (eg Lake Simcoe, Lake Nipissing, Lake Nipigon, Lake of the Woods, etc)

Citizens will have until Oct. 4 to provide feedback and suggestions by phoning (705) 755-1499.

Three companies whose identities the Ministry hasn’t disclosed have applied to build 12 wind farms in Lake Ontario, one as close as 50 metre, the hoped-for development and uncertainty fueling anger among cottagers and residents who fear turbines will ruin their lakeside views and the tourism that is a cornerstone to beach side communities.

Ontario’s environment ministry has proposed creating a five kilometre buffer along the shoreline.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/08/20/offshore-turbines-face-new-limits/