Issues with wind ads
The Chronicle Journal | November 7, 2012 | www.chroniclejournal.com
As part of its stepped-up public relations campaign to portray itself as a good corporate citizen, Horizon Wind Inc., has run a series of large advertisements in The Chronicle-Journal to gain support for its Big Thunder Wind Project. Some of these ads contain misleading or inaccurate information. I will cite just two examples.
1. “Horizon will ensure the current conditions of the ski trails will be preserved.”
The truth is that the access roads will bisect the trail system in several places and due to potential ice throw from the turbine blades there will need to be a restricted travel zone around each turbine during the winter months. At Dorion there is a sign warning people to stay at least 305 metres away from each turbine during the winter. A comparable restriction at Big Thunder would eliminate the future use of the entire upper trail system.
2. “The project will create 30 direct and 90 indirect jobs.”
There is a discrepancy here between this assertion and Horizon project developer Nhung Nguyen’s response to former Mayor Lynn Peterson’s question during a presentation Horizon made to council. When asked about the number of permanent jobs created in Thunder Bay by this project, Nhung rather sheepishly responded there would be three. This is significantly different from the 30 direct jobs specified in the ad!
Do not believe everything that Horizon states or writes as this company is desperately trying to generate public support for its project. Remember that Horizon Wind Inc., is the same “good corporate citizen” that sued the City of Thunder Bay for $126 million when our council voted to request Horizon to relocate four of the turbines further away from the edge of the escarpment.
Ron Lappage
Thunder Bay
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/11/08/issues-with-wind-ads/