February 19, 2016
Ontario

Neighbour fears aerodrome closures

By Gisele Winton Sarvis, Special to Postmedia Network | Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | www.thebarrieexaminer.com

CLEARVIEW TWP. – With a province as large as Ontario, it is inconceivable that there is a need to shoe-horn eight wind turbines tight beside two aerodromes that may result in the closure of the aerodromes, said Kevin Elwood, owner of the Clearview Aerodrome.

Elwood’s aerodrome is on his home and Clearview Nursery business property on County Road 91, immediately adjacent to that where the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) gave approval Feb. 11 to wpd Canada to construct the turbines.

The pilot has spent thousands of dollars personally fighting the project for years.

“The province has knowingly approved a project that will have long-lasting negative economic impacts along with risks to human health by approving turbines in close proximity to our community airports,” said Elwood, who is a Clearview Township councillor.

The end of the Collingwood Regional Airport is just more than three kilometres from two of the turbines to be built on the north side of the road. The turbines will be closer to his airstrip.

While the surrounding municipalities, over 200 residents, the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association and Preserve Clearview have submitted opinions, facts and professional studies detailing the safety and economic detrimental effects the wind turbines could have, the fact that the government approved the project shows that it is allowing itself to be bullied by renewable energy industry, Elwood says.

“The province buckled to legal arguments and litigation threats from the renewable energy industry,” he said.

Approval was given the day before a Feb. 12 court case initiated by wpd Canada against the MOECC was to begin.

“This is another example of how the Liberal government has mismanaged energy policy in Ontario to the point that industry has taken control. The Liberals have a noose around their necks and proponents tighten it as needed,” Elwood told the Enterprise-Bulletin.

“There can be no other answer considering the government has just knowingly approved 500-foot wind turbines beside two aerodromes putting the flying public at risk of a turbine-caused fatal accident,” he added.

[rest of article available at source]


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/02/19/neighbour-fears-aerodrome-closures/