October 22, 2012
Ontario

Majority opposes Manitoulin windmills

22 October 2012 | www.thesudburystar.com

Last week, the Star Poll asked readers: “Should Manitoulin Island continue with its wind-turbine projects?”

Among online respondents, a total of 68% said no – 39% citing adverse health effects from them and 29% because they will detract from the natural beauty of Manitoulin Island.

Twenty-nine per cent of online respondents said the projects should continue because we need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.

Three per cent were unsure about the wind turbines.

The numbers broke down along similar lines among those who answered the poll by telephone.

One woman, who called the line at least twice, said she was concerned about the wind turbines on McLean’s Mountain near Little Current “for obvious reasons.” She called them an eyesore and spoke of their adverse health effects. “I think it’s an atrocity,” she said.

A male caller pointed out that M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin has a wind-turbine plant and there don’t seem to be any problems with it. Nor have there been serious problems with wind farms in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, he said.

A female caller described wind turbines as “horribly noisy and very bad.”

“Get rid of them,” said another woman.

A male caller said wind-turbine projects on Manitoulin should be halted because there is “ample evidence” of health effects and they produce little power.

Another male caller called them “a blight on the land-scape.”

One female caller said she was unsure whether the projects should go ahead or not.

“I don’t know enough about them,” she said, “but they are kind of ugly to look at.”

“Without a doubt, yes,” said a male caller.

One woman called wind turbines “a very, very bad option.”

A female caller said wind power is “surely the way to go,” but questioned the placement of wind turbines. “Why ruin all the nice places?” she asked.

[rest of article available at source]

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/10/22/majority-opposes-manitoulin-windmills/