August 17, 2017
Ontario

Clearview Wind turbines licence revoked

By JT McVeigh, The Enterprise-Bulletin | Wednesday, August 16, 2017 | www.theenterprisebulletin.com

CLEARVIEW TWP. – There may not be eight wind turbines spinning in Clearview Township after all.

In a decision released Wednesday, the Environmental Review Tribunal revoked the renewable energy approval for the project, saying the danger to human life and safety was too great.

Within the turbine sightlines is the Collingwood Regional Airport and a private air field owned by Kevin and Gail Elwood.

Eight turbines that were proposed for the Fairview project near Stayner would have seen the 450-foot-tall power-generating structures set up and serviced through connecting underground distribution power lines in locations to both the north and south of County Road 91.

The review had to consider were whether the project would cause serious harm to human health or serious and irreversible harm to plant life, animal life or the natural environment.

Other concerns involved endangerment to little brown bats in the area.

Although the tribunal accepted a mitigation proposal from wpd Canada, it deemed the danger to human health and safety, with the towers being so close to an airport, too great a risk and revoked the approval.

Challenges to the initial approval were issued by the Elwoods, John Wiggins, Clearview Township, Collingwood and the County of Simcoe.

In a statement, Collingwood Mayor Sandra Cooper expressed her relief with the decision.

“We are extremely happy with the decision issued today,” said Cooper. “The town has long expressed concern with the proposed turbines, particularly over the safety of aircraft utilizing our regional airport, and we’re pleased to see that the Environmental Review Tribunal has agreed that this is a serious harm to human health.”

The applicant, wpd Canada, had no comment, as it is reviewing the decision and has 30 days to appeal.

[rest of article available at source]


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/08/17/clearview-wind-turbines-licence-revoked/