August 30, 2012
Ontario

ACW discusses wind turbine concerns

www.northhuron.on.ca 29 August 2012

Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township Council’s regular council meeting on Aug. 28 once again became focused on wind turbines as two groups: K2 Wind Ontario, a wind energy developer based out of Goderich, and concerned citizens discussed the future of the township.
K2, through a letter to council, announced that a $1,500 annual payment would be made available to “qualifying landowners” who own homes within one kilometre of a project turbine, substation or transformer station who are not already involved in the turbine project through land leasing.
Councillor Barry Millian, one of the four councillors who does not have a conflict of interest with the wind energy issues, stated that a lot of people are wary of the offer.
“Some people are feeling they shouldn’t sign up or participate in it,” he said in a recent interview with The Citizen. “They aren’t comfortable signing on.”
Two groups of concerned citizens also aired their beliefs about the turbines; one group for and one against, and Millian stated that the meetings aren’t really producing anything as of late because of the debating.
“Not a lot came out of this meeting or others,” he said. “It tends to get into situations where the people involved debate with one another. There isn’t too much actually happening though.”
The groups have asked council to take an official stance on turbines in the municipality, one for and one against, but Millian says that he believes council has already done that.
“They’re asking us to take a stance, some for and some against and, obviously, we can’t do both,” he said. “We can’t support one in one resolution and the other in the next.
“Our council, did, however request a moratorium be put on wind turbines in the province pending a review of the health concerns,” he said. “Some councillors feel that’s as far as our opposition can really go at this point.”
He said that council will try and answer the questions of the groups but indicated that when it comes to issues like the annual payouts by the K2 Wind Energy project, council has little to no say in the issue.
“As far as negotiating the Community Renewable Energy Benefit, that’s between the property owners, their neighbours and K2 Wind,” he said. “Council has no say in that issue.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/08/30/acw-discusses-wind-turbine-concerns/