July 7, 2012
Ontario

Turbine safety by-law

by John Divinski | www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca 7 July 2012

Saugeen Shores’ attempt to create a bylaw prohibiting public access to the area immediately surrounding a wind turbine within the town has hit a wall.

Mayor Mike Smith says in order to pass a bylaw – you have to be able to defend it and justify its existence in the first place.

Smith says in order to meet those conditions, you need experts to agree that there would be elevated risks in that area around turbines.

Unfortunately they’ve been unable to find anybody that isn’t directly attached to this subject one way or the other.

He says they just haven’t found anyone impartial who could provide statistical information supporting such a bylaw.

Vice Deputy Mayor Doug Gowanlock says he’s always been on record that the turbines need to be made as safe as they can.

Gowanlock says they have to answer to public concerns and he was hoping the CAW turbine issue would be handled in that way.

However, it appears that’s not the case and he’s disappointed with the CAW move.

As a result of the roadblocks, municipal staff and legal counsel have been unable to draft a defendable bylaw prohibiting public access immediately surrounding wind turbines.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/07/07/turbine-safety-by-law/