September 8, 2017
Ontario

Water Wells First agrees to stop blockades

By Paul Pedro | Blackburn News | September 7, 2017 | blackburnnews.com

Water Wells First has agreed to stop setting up blockades at wind turbine sites in North Kent, but will continue to protest peacefully.

Spokesperson Kevin Jakubec says the group will not obstruct any of the local Pattern Energy sites and will remove a First Nations ceremonial fire on Bush Line after a court order to keep workers safe.

Jakubec says his group wants to keep things from escalating too far.

“The elders have agreed to remove the sacred items. The sacred flame, the thunderbird prayer sticks, and the sacred line of ash taken from the fire will be removed by proper ceremony and respect to First Nations traditions,” says Jakubec.

Pattern Energy has also agreed to stop construction at a site on Bush Line until their injunction hearing in court September 28.

All of this has to happen by 4pm on Friday.

The wind developer also says “the groundwater quality and supply issues are not a result of turbine foundation construction or pile-driving activities.”

Jakubec says he wants to keep tensions from rising.

“Both North Kent Wind and the judge and ourselves do not want to see tensions escalate. We have kept this a non-violent situation all along. We’ve been quite good in that and we want to continue that. So, we want to try and reduce tensions,” Jakubec says.

Jakubec says ten or 11 wells have been affected and the victims will be able to tell their story in court on September 28.

“We’ll have the opportunity to enter into the court record our victim impact statements and that’s something that’s never been done before. So, this will be precedent setting that while a wind farm is still under construction, we’ll be able to enter into the court record that it is in fact damaging the area’s aquifer,” says Jakubec.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/09/08/water-wells-first-agrees-to-stop-blockades/