Turbines will affect us all
Jan 24, 2013 | www.niagarathisweek.com
The hotly debated subject of industrial wind turbines is arguably one that will affect all people of Ontario, both financially and socially, for decades to come – even those not yet born. If you have not cared to know, you should start.
These turbines planned for Niagara will be, I am told by the multi-million dollar companies planning to build them, the largest ever in Canada at 600 feet tall, from top of blade circle to ground. That astounding size is regulated by the government minimum standard setback distance to a building/house, of 550 metres, an old standard not yet updated to address the current technology.
When the CEO of one multi-million dollar wind turbine company, and a senior representative of the economic development branch of the Niagara Region, make statements citing legal action, if anyone (West Lincoln town council) passes a two-km setback, as did Wainfleet, there is extreme cause for concern by every citizen. That is to say that striving for anything above a minimum standard is wrong. This does not demonstrate a moral or corporate conscience toward the concerns of the affected community, or any attempt to co-exist within it. This is a blatant disregard for the environment of the people, now called noise receptors, who will live among giant wind turbines.
There are however, two simple solutions to implementation problems that our government needs to address very quickly.
Firstly, increase setback distances, if for no other reason than to err on the side of caution, for the human environment.
Secondly, apply zoning laws to these multi-million dollar wind energy projects. As it has been done for centuries, proper efficient land zoning, allowing the minimum square kilometres to create a multi turbine power generating factory, void of human habitation, needs to be in place.
Jody Sadler
West Lincoln
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/01/24/turbines-will-affect-us-all/