October 23, 2014
Nova Scotia

Approval sought again for wind farm near Terence Bay

JoANN ALBERSTAT, BUSINESS EDITOR | The Chronicle Herald | October 22, 2014 | thechronicleherald.ca

The developer of a controversial wind project near Terence Bay, Halifax County, is making another attempt to get provincial environmental approval for the venture.

Chebucto Terence Bay Wind Field Ltd. filed more information about the three-turbine project with the Environment Department on Wednesday.

“It was primarily related to noise analysis regarding the wind farm, and particularly because it’s surrounded by protected land, ” Terry Norman, president of Chebucto Terence Bay Wind Field, said in an interview.

Environment Minister Randy Delorey asked for the additional details in August. The developer had sought department approval for the 7.2-megawatt wind farm in July.

The proposed project, which has encountered opposition from a residents group, would be constructed on private land in the River Road area.

A spokeswoman for the group, Friends of River Road, said Delorey should still reject the project because it’s too close to the Terence Bay Wilderness Area and some homes.

“(We) remain confident that the Minister of Environment will make the right decision – meaning a decision that evenly weighs information submitted by the developer’s contracted consulting company and that of all interested and concerned parties,” Lynn Slaunwhite said.

Delorey has until Dec. 11 to decide on the project. Nov. 21 is the deadline for the public to submit comments to the department.

Norman said he’s hopeful the minister now has the information he needs to approve the venture so construction can get underway in December. That work had been slated to begin in late summer or early fall.

“It has delayed us. We would have liked to be under construction by now.”

The wind farm would be operational in late 2015.

Chebucto Terence Bay Wind Field is a community economic development corporation whose majority shareholders are Chebucto Wind Field Ltd. and Renewable Energy Services Ltd.

The CEDIF also has 37 individual investors in Nova Scotia.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/10/23/approval-sought-again-for-wind-farm-near-terence-bay/