Stop the insanity of Green Energy Act 

The media reported on Aug. 8 in Tillsonburg that Premier Dalton McGuinty stated that Ontario has some of the most aggressive standards when it comes to the placement of wind turbines. The premier is quoted saying, “Our chief medical officer of Health for Ontario tells us that wind turbines and solar panels do not compromise our health.”

a) Ontario’s chief medical officer of health did NOT conduct evidence-based scientific research. In contrast, physician Dr. Robert McMurtry claims that evidencebased scientific investigation is required in order to establish what the safe setback distances are (if there are any) for the placement of turbines in Ontario.

b) Did you know that currently the placement and setback distances of turbines are based on computer modelling (i. e. turbines are not situated using evidencebased scientific research)?

c) Ask why the Ministry of the Environment doesn’t have the means necessary to enforce the 40 dBA audible noise sound limits and thereby enforce the Green Energy Act Regulations – regulations which are part of the “aggressive standards” that are supposed to protect Ontario citizens and their health. MOE insiders admitted this problem during the approvals process for the Shelburne-area wind projects – as revealed in the media by a leaked MOE memo earlier this summer.

d) Ask why the Green Energy Act and its regulations don’t contain provisions to protect Ontario Citizens against the dangers of low-frequency noise and infrasound. Ask why the removal of these provisions from the legislation was supported by turbine proponents.

e) Did you know that the minister of the environment has publicly admitted the shortcomings of his ministry’s inability to correctly monitor audible noise, low frequency noise and infrasound?

f ) In light of the aforementioned, ask why the Renewable Energy Act approvals process is allowed to continue.

Dr. McMurtry has publicly stated that anything that disturbs sleep (i. e. audible noise, low frequency noise or infrasound) is a nuisance. Lack of sleep compromises a person’s immune system and their abilities to function and to reason – the slippery descent towards declining health begins.

Health issues already exist in Ontario communities like Ripley, Shelburne and Norfolk County. Ask yourself why homes and farms in these areas are currently abandoned and/or are for sale.

If turbines don’t compromise health then why after two years of the GEA’s existence does the MOE currently employ an outside consultant in an attempt to establish uniform standards for monitoring audible noise? Why only now is the MOE starting to research low-frequency noise and infrasound? Should they not have had these answers earlier in this decade before starting out?

The current government claims that green energy is “emissions free.” Turbines can emit noise, and the facilities used to transmit turbine power to the grid (i. e. overhead and underground power lines, transformers) can emit electrical pollution (i. e. stray voltage, irregular sine waves aka “dirty electricity”).

The premier has publicly quoted David Suzuki as saying that opposition to the Green Energy Act is “insanity.”

Ask yourself … should it not be the insanity of the Green Energy Act that ought to stop first?

W. Dean Trentowsky

Mitchell