| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
K2 Wind project subject of court fight
Credit: Protesters oppose Huron wind farm | By Paul Cluff, QMI Agency | Friday, March 1, 2013 | www.lfpress.com ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Shawn and Trish Drennan got some vocal support before heading into the Huron County Courthouse for another round of a legal battle against a proposed wind farm in their home community.
About 75 protestors gathered outside the Huron County Courthouse early Friday to voice their opposition to wind turbines.
The Drennans are fighting the proposed K2 Wind project, which could see upwards of 140 turbines erected in Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township.
It’s a provincewide issue.
“It is really important that were are here today, said Lorrie Gillis, of Flesherton, in Grey County. “There are 91 communities now who are saying no to turbines. But the new Wynne government seems determined to carry on with this. We use every means possible to fight this.”
Stan Franjkovic said the Bornish project near his home in Parkhill has raised big concerns for community members, including health issues and declining property values. Franjkovic, a realtor for 25 years, is angry with the Liberal government.
Franjkovic said he left communism behind in the former Yugoslavia only to “find it again” in Canada.
Drennan, represented by high-profile Toronto lawyer Julian Falconer, has asked the court for an injunction to stop the Ministry of the Environment from issuing approval of the project until federal health studies are completed.
Drennan said the province and K2 have brought their own injunction against him to try and strike his claim and have it move forward in court.
A near full day of arguments was expected Friday in Superior Court of Justice. Opponents of wind farms have protested throughout the province and the issue remains on the front burner at all levels of government in Ontario.
Before he entered the courthouse, Drennan said there is a long list of literature pointing to adverse health effects of wind turbines. The provincial government knew that people were being harmed, he said, according to information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
Protestor Bill MacKenzie can attest to the negative health effects.
Living at the north edge of the Enbridge project near Kincardine, he suffered through years of sleep deterioration, a common complaint from residents living near wind farms. He went on holiday for a month and “slept like a baby.”
“When I got back it came back immediately.”
MacKenzie’s home is almost two kilometres from the nearest turbine. He has talked to others in the area living closer to the wind farm and they share health problems.
Property values are a big concern, he said.
MacKenzie has left his home and moved in with his partner.
“I was lucky, I had a house to go to.”
The closest wind turbine would be 650-metres from the Drennan family farm. Another 11 would be within two kilometers. A 270 MW substation is planned close to the Drennan home.
Drennan said his family has lived in the area for generations. His great-grandfather was a Huron County Councillor from 1919 until 1921.
“I can show the maps where my family has been here since the beginning (of the township). I grew up here. I love this place. I don’t want to see it spoiled.”
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
 (via Stripe) |
 (via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=34032 ]
