Category Archives: Schneider Power
I was naive — I submitted a comment
There may be people who still believe in filing comments with the Ministry of the Environment about the wind project proposed in their area – the government might actually listen to you and take your concerns into consideration- at least that’s what they say they will do.
Do you ever wonder why the government and wind company push for you to fill out those forms at Wind Company public meetings? Why they insist you follow public process? “Submit Comments!!!”, they seem to scream everywhere. Well, when you’ve been to the end, the Environmental Review Tribunal as an appellant, you might be witness to where all those oh-so-harmless looking ‘comments’ that you provided to your government, in good faith, go: Directly to the MOE’s evidence to use against you in any way they can. See my name below for the Zephyr appeal…. Esther.
Zephyr Wind flipped to Schneider Power already (with help from Samsung)
The Zephyr project in Watford isn’t even fully operational and its just been sold. Flip flip flip and scram scram scram. Note that the the project is targeted to generate $60 million in revenue over 20 years while the community of Brooke-Alvinston receives nothing except for the noise and all the other negative affects. What a disgusting scam.
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April 25, 2012, Market Watch
Quantum’s Schneider Power Subsidiary Acquires 10 MW Wind Farm in Ontario – Targeted to Produce $60 Million in Revenues Over 20 Years
IRVINE, Calif., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. /quotes/zigman/3949076/quotes/nls/qtww QTWW +8.18% today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Schneider Power Inc. (“Schneider”), a leading developer and owner of renewable energy power plants, backed by the Schneider family’s 120 years of experience in renewable energy has acquired a newly constructed 10 megawatt utility-scale wind farm in Ontario, Canada.
The Zephyr wind farm (“Zephyr”) generation facility will supply electricity to the Ontario Power Authority under a 20-year renewable energy purchase contract, generating in excess of $3 million in estimated annual revenues. The project commenced power generation testing at 25% capacity on April 20th 2012, and is projected to go into full production on or about May 5th, producing more than 26.7 Giga watt-hours of clean electricity per year, enough to meet the needs of 3,000 Canadian households. The project is financed by Samsung Heavy Industries of Korea.
“This acquisition is part of our long-term strategy to evolve into a leading independent power producer in North America,” said Alan P. Niedzwiecki, the President and CEO of Quantum. “We seek to increase our revenues and nameplate capacity under 100% ownership, leveraging our experience in the fast-track development of profitable renewable energy projects.”
“We are pleased and honored to be working with Samsung for financing this project,” said Thomas Schneider, the President of Schneider Power. “Quantum and Schneider Power are active in several renewable energy projects in various stages of development, and we are actively pursuing additional opportunities in Ontario with its attractive feed in tariff programs.” Read the rest of this entry
Zephyr Wind- What monsters look like
Brooke-Alvinston– I’m sorry. I wish the wind companies and the Ministry of Environement were too.
And for those who need to know the differnce between a ‘windmill’ and a ‘wind turbine’ – the photo below and 500′.
Brooke-Alvinston wind farm appeal withdrawn
By PAUL MORDEN The Observer
Wind farm opponents have withdrawn their appeal of Ontario’s approval of a four-turbine Zephyr Farms project near Watford.
Several weeks of hearings were scheduled to begin next week in Alvinston.
Esther Wrightman, with the Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group, said it made the decision to withdraw its appeal Thursday following a recent pre-hearing decision by the Ontario Environmental Review Tribunal.
That came after the Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment submitted “about 170 questions” about medical, real estate and other records the government wanted answered by 23 witnesses the wind group planned to call at the hearings.
Wrightman said the tribunal ruled, just six days before the start of the hearings, that it wanted to see the information the ministry requested.
“It’s like being tripped on the last lap of your race,” Wrightman said.
Gathering and compiling all of the information being sought before the hearing date wasn’t possible, Wrightman said.
“As much as we’d like to, it would have been a shoddy job,” she said. “You have to do it right.”
Going ahead with the hearings, in light of what the tribunal said, wouldn’t have been fair to the group’s witnesses, Wrightman said.
They included people living in communities around Ontario where wind farms are already up and operating.
A lack of clear rules at the tribunal make it a challenge for group’s filing appeals, Wrightman said.
“They’re not specific in the way they run it and they clearly say when you’re there, “Well, you know what, we’re just learning as we go here.’”
But, Wrightman said the lessons learned this time can be used by the group’s lawyer, and other wind opponents, in future appeals of other wind energy projects.
“At least we have a clearer vision of what they want to see,” she said.
If the tribunal rules a renewable energy project will cause serious harm to human health, or the environment, it can revoke or alter the approval given by the province. Read the rest of this entry
Zephyr ERT withdrawn – Will continue with Mapleton ERT once evidence is collected
Important Message from Harvey Wrightman: The upcoming ERT hearing (Zephyr Wind project) is focused on residents from all over Ontario who have been experiencing the negative effects of living in close quarters with large, powerful wind turbines. It is important to know what kind of evidence we would need at the hearing. Wednesday, February 29, the ERT released a decision that has been very helpful for understanding what appellants need to bring before the Tribunal in order to be successful.
1) The Tribunal confirmed that the testimony of residents is important and will be accepted.
2) The Tribunal has indicated that certain additional documentation will assist them in making their decision. It is much better to have a clear directive from the Tribunal before the hearing rather than at, or after the full hearing has taken place.
It is clear that it will not be possible to obtain and organize documents for witnesses prior to the start date of the Zephyr appeal, which is currently scheduled for March 7th. While we have an impressive staff, they cannot perform a Biblical miracle – i.e., produce in 6 days all the 23 witnesses’ medical records for the past 10 years.
As a result, after consulting with the research team and counsel, the appellant, Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group Inc. has decided to withdraw the current Zephyr appeal. This was done Thursday morning.
The case for wind turbine victims is not finished, only suspended for the moment. SW Ontario has been the most heavily targeted area and so this is likely where the battle will be fought. It is important that we put forward the best case possible. We are very fortunate that people who have suffered from living in wind projects are now volunteering to testify in court. This they are doing this for us. There are volunteer researchers who work behind the scenes for no glory and no pay, again, for us. The same can be said for the many “experts” who donate their time and assessment skills. The MOE and the wind companies have no volunteers. They cannot buy what our volunteers provide.
There are base costs that we must assume, and since everyone benefits from the case being developed, we all own it. It’s not just about Alvinston or Mapleton or Highgate, It’s about every place in Ontario, and beyond. Together we can push forward this action. The relevant information will be collected and the victims of wind projects will have their day to speak, and be heard.
I urge everyone to support the Mapleton appeal for that is the most likely place for us to make our case. We will return.
Harvey Wrightman, Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group
The pics that wind reps DON’T show farmers….(this is Zephyr)
So this is the Brooke-Alvisnton Zephyr project from the air yesterday. I’m just looking at al those tracks across the fields — were they crop touring , or what? Why even have roads and lanes if they don’t use them? Nice and gentle onthat land, eh?
Then imagine you are driving a tractor— you used to have a straight field to plow, but now you are wheeling around the lanes and towers; your field is all cut up into triangles and squares. Be sure to calculate in the extra time and fuel to plant, plough and harvest this field.
ERT Motion to Scope Evidence Dismissed- yea!
Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group Inc. v. Director, Ministry of the Environment
Environmental Review Tribunal panel has issued its decision on the Green Breeze’s motion to limit the evidence:- “Motion to Scope Evidence Dismissed“. This means that evidence need only meet the test of relevancy, and not be limited to what comments were submitted to the EBR. This is a significant victory and means future appellants will not be so severely restricted.
Fed Up RESidents of Talbot Wind (and soon to be Zephyr Wind)
As for the company “RES” (Renewable Energy Systems), whos name is on the sign at the Zephyr entrance, and on the little green hybrid SUV “Escape” slipping around on the self inflicted muddy roads (hard to ‘escape’ the traffic jam)…
This is the new resident groups name for victims of the Talbot Wind Project near Ridgetown: F. U. RES (Fed Up Residents). 
All we’ve got left is civil disobedience, Dalton….
Dear Dalton,
So this is what it’s got to be? Lay down in front of the semi.
PS- tell your special unit undercover cops to wear proper clothing next time. That would be rubber boots (your precious turbines have destroyed our local roads – they are one way mud strips with no shoulders), winter jackets and maybe even some mitts and hats (don’t worry, we don’t care about shiny shoes and combed hair appearance out here). This is just so that they don’t stay huddled in the car 95% of the time. It’s a protest, not a church picnic. I mean frankly if you aren’t going to hang out with us, just leave it up to the local OPP- they were tough enough to take the cold.
Protest Zephyr Wind Development!
When we arrived, and were starting to pull out our signs, a large flock of tundra swans flew over us- it’s a month early for their migration. The wind company rep Brent Hull says the, “The migratory path is several kilometres away from the site”. Well today it was directly over the site, Brent. Watcha going to do about that? Put a sign up there directing them to some place different??? Just like you do to the residents?
Zephyr Turbine Opposition
Blackburn Radio News February 7, 2012 at 4:38 pm |
The Lambton-Middlesex Wind Action Group is lashing out against construction of 4 wind turbines at the Zephyr wind farm just southwest of Watford.
Some 40 protesters held a peaceful demonstration at the site this afternoon, slowing down activity by getting in front of gravel hauling trucks.
This led to warnings from Police but no arrests had been made.
Protester Blair Allin calls the industrialization of Ontario “unacceptable”.
The group has protested against a number of local wind farm developments, and is currently preparing for an environmental review tribunal hearing against the Zephyr project.
Wind protesters stand their ground near Watford
By Cathy Dobson The Observer Feb 7th 2012
BROOKE-ALVINSTON — About 40 protesters rallied along a muddy rural road Tuesday where four wind turbines are under construction in an open farm field.
“This is our community, this is our home. We will push it as far as we can push it,” said organizer Marcelle Brooks, holding a sign saying “McGuinty is not listening.”
“If that means we will be standing in front of a bulldozer, that’s where we’ll be,” she said.
Members of the Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group (WAG) staged the protest to demonstrate against the $22-million, 10-MW project near Watford on Ebenezer Road and Churchill Line.
WAG has been a vocal opponent during the entire planning process and has appealed the Ontario Ministry of Environment’s approval of the project known as the Zephyr Wind Farm. A hearing is set for Feb. 21 in Alvinston.
“It’s an atrocity,” said Jill MacInnis, who lives about two kilometres west of the site.
She is concerned about the wind farm’s effects on human health, as well as its impact on birds and animals.
“This is a pre-staging ground for 300 to 400 tundra swans that come every year, and six different hawk species and bald eagles,” said MacInnis. Read the rest of this entry
Zephyr towers going up & blades arrive… & they ‘fix’ the roads again…
The intersection of Ebenezer and Churchill was built up quite a bit to repair the road when the tower pieces couldn’t make th corner. But then they spent another whole day building it up even more for the blades that arrived and they had to store at the barn (in the pic)… the flatbed with the blades wouldn’t make the turn.
Thursday morning at 9:00ish, two small trucks with 4 way lights, cop car all lights, flatbed and blade, cop car all lights, then two more pickups with all lights flashing SPEED came down Churchill. You’d think it was the bloody Queen in town!! All three blades are now on site since the road was modified and widened at the intersection (for the 2nd time). The tower will go up quickly now, as soon as the weather is clear.
48.7 meter blades on site.
Tower going up and road beign repaired, agian.
Zephyr Wind development trudges along – quick & dirty
The giant crane arrive 2 days ago, and the truck was promptly stuck when it couldn’t make the turn off Churchill Line to Ebenezer. Churchill Line was closed that afternoon. Dump loads of gravel upon mud should do the trick…. Sure hope there is a road agreement with the township on this.
As for the tower parts in the pictures below, yes those are tiny people beside them.
Meanwhile, turbines going up on $22-million project
By PAUL MORDEN, The Observer Jan 12 2012
Muddy conditions caused by rain and mild winter temperatures have been a challenge for crews at the Zephyr Farms four-turbine wind project under construction near Watford.
Mississauga-based Green Breeze Energy Inc., began work on the $22-million, 10-MW energy generation project in late 2011 after receiving approval from Ontario’s Environment Ministry.
Brent Hull, vice-president with Green Breeze Energy, said the work has stayed mostly on schedule, even through the wet weather.
“In the beginning, when we were digging the holes for the foundations, they just kept filling up with water because it was raining so much,” he said.
Access roads have been built to the site on Churchill Line, between Ebenezer and Old Walnut Lines in Brooke-Alvinston Township, plus the foundations are now in place and underground wiring for the electricity collector system is nearly complete.
The turbines, made by Samsung of South Korea, are sitting dockside in Windsor waiting to be trucked to the site, Hall said.
“We should begin erecting the week of Jan. 23.”
The 100-metre blades will be trucked to the site from the manufacturer in Arkansas.
“The turbines should be all up and ready to produce power by the end of February,” Hall said.
Some time made be needed after that to test the equipment before it begins generating power, he added.
The ministry’s approval of the wind project has been appealed by the Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group. Hearings are set to begin in February but the appeal hasn’t impacted the construction schedule, Hall said.
Decision on Watford wind farm expected soon
By PAUL MORDEN, The Observer Jan 12 2012
The fate of the Ontario Environment Ministry’s latest attempt to scuttle a challenge of its approval of a Brooke-Alvinston Township wind farm project could be known soon.
Following a Jan. 6 hearing in Toronto, Ontario’s Environmental Review Tribunal reserved its decision on the province’s motion to dismiss the Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group’s appeal of the provincial approval of the four-turbine Zephyr Farms wind project under construction near Watford.
“They have now indicated that they hope to get a decision released sometime next week,” said Eric Gillespie, a lawyer for the wind action group.
The ministry’s first motion to dismiss the appeal was denied by the tribunal in December.
Gillespie said he and the wind action group have provided additional information to the tribunal since then.
“Given that the first motion did not succeed,” he added, “logically, the second cannot succeed.” Read the rest of this entry
A Deceiving drive-by of the “Brooke Wind Project”
Let’s take a closer look at the signage around the Zephyr wind development:
Let me know if you see the project owner’s name anywhere (or any variation) on these signs. Do you see “Oneworld”, or “Greenbreeze”? Noooope. Hmmm. OK, how about “Stantec”? Huh. Geeze these reps were everywhere at the public meetings, and they are nowhere to be seen once the turbines are being constructed. Here’s one that HAS to be there- “ZEPHYR”. Nowhere to be seen. Well that’s confusing.
Hey- check out what they DO have: such as”RES”—I’ve never seen them associated with this project. And “Minten Hume Contractors Inc.”, another one you won’t find in the ‘project documents’. Or how about the project name: “Brooke Wind Project” – that’s not officially the name of this project (Brooke-Alvinston Wind Farm).
Imagine you are a passerby, or a nearby resident and you think you might like to know a bit more about this project that you are driving by. You scribble down the names, drive home, type them into the google search….and…..nada. Apparently this project doesn’t exist. It’s a whole pile of alias names. Do you think the company did this all by accident? Or maybe the intention is to confuse the public- make the info a tad more difficult to find – hope that people give up, don’t get educated, don’t get involved.
Turbine noise can cause health problems: Erhard
Plympton-Wyoming engineer out to prove province wrong
Sarnia This Week
PLYMPTON-WYOMING – Eric Erhard doesn’t like wind power. “If there was no other source of electricity in the universe, then maybe a wind turbine would be acceptable.” The professional engineer from Plympton-Wyoming first spoke up against them when Suncor tried to convince his municipality to host an industrial wind farm. Now, he will be one of the objectors when the Ontario government faces off against people opposed to the project February 21.
Erhard argues the wind energy industry isn’t sustainable without government funding. “It’s only sustainable when taxpayers are footing the bill. It’s really a welfare industry.”
And he says it is not environmentally friendly. Erhard says it needs other energy sources to back it up and the construction process for the turbine creates tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, not to mention the harm turbines do to wildlife. “They’re improperly called green; they do significant damage to birds, bats and to the environment in the production of turbines.
But it is the health effects of four wind turbines just outside of Watford which will be under scrutiny at an Ontario Environmental Review Tribunal.
The Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group filed the appeal after provincial government approved Green Breeze Energy’s four turbine 10 megawatt project worth about $22 million.
WAG’s lawyer, Eric Gillespie, says the main focus of the hearing will be the “numerous indirect health effects associated with wind turbines such as sleep disturbance, vertigo, nausea, headaches.”
Erhard hopes to back the group up with information he’s found from the World Health Organization and studies done for the province of Ontario.
Erhard says a recently released study done for the province says a the placement of wind turbines 450 meters from homes will result in “non trivial numbers of people being highly annoyed” by the low frequency sound.
Erhard says government studies place the turbines at a distance which will “highly annoy” between 6.5 and 8 percent of the people nearby.
“They’re willing to accept that – that’s their standard…that’s okay,” says Erhard. “That to me is not okay …that 1 out of 12 …that’s not acceptable.” Read the rest of this entry
Zephyr Wind- muddy roadways to hell
I really shouldn’t do this, on New Years Day…put here are some pictures of the roadways to hell of the Brooke-Alvinston-Watford Zephyr Wind Project:
Watford turbines under review
Size doesn’t matter when it comes to wind turbines say environmentalists
By Heather Wright Sarnia & Lambton County This Week — Dec 26, 2011
WATFORD – The health effects of four wind turbines just outside of Watford will be under scrutiny at an Ontario Environmental Review Tribunal hearing in January.
The Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group filed the appeal after provincial government approved Green Breeze Energy’s four turbine 10 megawatt project worth about $22 million.
WAG’s lawyer, Eric Gillespie, says this is only the second time a project has been reviewed since the provincial government changed the Green Energy Act to allow appeals for “serious harm to human health.”
The hearing moved ahead Dec. 22, after the tribunal dismissed a motion from the Ministry of the Environment to call off the hearing. Lawyers suggested WAG didn’t provide enough information. The tribunal decided there was enough information to go ahead.
Gillespie says the main focus of the hearing will be the “numerous indirect health effects associated with wind turbines such as sleep disturbance, vertigo, nausea, headaches.”
There are many industrial wind farm projects about to begin in Lambton County, some with dozens of turbines. Gillespie expects the size of the Zephyr project will be brought up. But he says studies in the US have show the number of turbines in a neighbourhood is not a contributing factor to the problems.
“It doesn’t really seem to matter whether the project is two or three or maybe four turbines or a much large projects,” says Gillespie. “The effects of people living in close proximity seem to be the same no matter what the size of the project.
“A project down in Maine …in a place they were finding people feeling the effects more than 6,000 meters away from just three turbines.”
Gillespie says the tribunal has already recognized the problems associated with wind turbines but he says it may take many more rulings to convince the government to change distance restrictions on the projects.
“Whether it’s four turbines or forty turbines you are going to continue to see people raise concerns,” says Gillespie.
Tribunal Prelim
POSTED BY news on December 22nd, 2011
An Ontario Environment Ministry lawyer says an appeal of a four-turbine wind-farm project near Watford, is laughable and a mockery. At an Environmental Review Tribunal preliminary hearing in Wyoming today (Thurs), Frederika Rotter asked for the appeal to be dismissed saying it’s based on concerns, not fact. Esther Wrightman of the Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group calls the Ministry’s posture “insulting”.
Audio
The Tribunal will consider the motion to “dismiss” January 6th. If a hearing does proceed, it’s set to begin February 21st in Brooke Alvinston.
“All they have done is raised concerns”: MOE lawyer
ENERGY — Province lawyer calls appeal of wind farm laughable
By DANIEL PUNCH, The Observer Dec 22 2011
WYOMING — The appeal of a new wind farm project in Brooke-Alvinston township is “abusive” and “laughable,”says counsel for the Ontario Ministry of Environment.
“All they have done is raised concerns,” said lawyer Frederika Rotter during a preliminary hearing on Thursday.
“People can be concerned until the cows come home.”
Representatives for the ministry, the Zephyr wind project and the Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group (WAG) met in Lambton County council chambers in Wyoming to discuss the $22 million, four-turbine wind farm under construction near Watford.
WAG is appealing the project because of concerns for its effects on the health of nearby residents.
It was the preliminary hearing for the Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) to review WAG’s appeal. The provincial government has already approved the project, which should be operational in early 2012.
The ministry is seeking to have the appeal thrown out, arguing that it does not provide evidence on how this specific project will be harmful. Rotter says this appeal only rehashes issues covered in an ERT tribunal earlier this year for a wind project near Thamesville.
But WAG member Harvey Wrightman says his group is not the one presenting stale arguments.
“If anybody’s rehashing it, I think it’s the other side,” Wrightman said. “We’ll see when the evidence is presented (and) what new evidence they have.”
The preliminary meeting was held to address scheduling and administrative issues. ERT vice-chair Paul Muldoon was the only member of the panel at the proceedings. He directed counsel that a preliminary hearing was not the place for judication.
“I cannot, without my panel, unilaterally make a determination,” Muldoon told Rotter. “That is just the way it is.”
Both the Ministry and Green Breeze Energy Inc. filed motions before the hearing. The ministry was looking to have the appeal thrown out while Green Breeze, the company building the wind farm, was seeking to limit the scope of evidence to just new information ever since the Thamesville tribunal.
The ERT didn’t approve the ministry’s motion but asked the appellants to give specifics about the potential harm of the project. WAG revised its appeal, but the ministry isn’t satisfied it met the request.
“If there aren’t any further particulars, there’s nothing to have a hearing about,” Rotter said. “Honestly, we have no idea what this appeal is about.”
Wrightman says the appeal is different than the one put forward in Thamesville. Residents living near the Kent Breeze wind power project have since filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against Suncor, the project’s owner, and many have complained of health issues.
“It’s pretty powerful when people are that determined,” Wrightman said.
The ERT is set to meet Jan. 6 in Toronto to discuss the motions. The hearing will begin Feb. 21 and will be held in Alvinston. The ERT has until May 15 — six months from the date of the appeal — to make a decision.
dpunch@theobserver.ca
Preliminary hearing for Watford Zephyr Appeal- Dec.22- public welcome to attend
*NOTE: TIME change*
Notice of Preliminary Hearing and Hearing
Preliminary hearing:
December 22, 2011
10:00 a.m.
Council Chambers, County of Lambton, 789 Broadway Street, Wyoming Map
Main Hearing:
Feb. 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29 2012
10:00 a.m.
Council Chambers, County of Lambton, 789 Broadway Street, Wyoming Map
Watford wind project appeal to be heard
By DANIEL PUNCH, The Observer Dec 17 2011
Opponents of the government-approved Zephyr wind farm project near Watford will get the chance to state their case to Ontario’s Environmental Review Tribunal.
A preliminary hearing to appeal the project will be held Dec. 22 at Lambton County’s Wyoming council chambers. The next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 11.
The Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group (WAG) filed the appeal in the wake of government approval for the $22-million, four-turbine, 10-MW wind farm. Green Breeze Energy Inc. is currently building the farm’s infrastructure near Churchill Line between Ebenezer and Walnut roads.
WAG member Esther Wrightman says the group is demanding a proper health study before the government goes through with wind energy projects.
“It needs to be addressed, it needs to be looked at, we need to have a study,” Wrightman said. “Without the information, I don’t know how they can feel comfortable installing these machines near people.” Read the rest of this entry
Zephyr Wind Appeal: PLEASE DONATE
Zephyr Wind Appeal Donation Form
This is my big plea of the year. Please do what you can to help- every bit that you can give is very much appreciated.
As you may have heard, the Zephyr Wind development south of Watfordis being appealed by us (Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group Inc.). Although this may seem small in our local eyes, it is actually a huge appeal in the province’s eyes – this is where the spotlight is shining on inOntario in the big picture, little ‘ol Watford andWyoming.
What we must all understand is that fighting against the Zephyr project (wherever you live in this province), is fighting for the project in your area as well. I don’t live in the Zephyr project, but I am as concerned about this appeal as I would if it was in my back field.
Many of you may remember the Thamesville Environmental Review Tribunal appeal this spring. The wind industry and government touted it as a victory. What they didn’t realize is that they actually lost. Yes, they did. The decision on July 18, after weeks of testimony from experts from around the world in Chatham states:
“This case has successfully shown that the debate should not be simplified to one about whether wind turbines can cause harm to humans. The evidence presented to the tribunal demonstrated that they can, if facilities are placed too close to residents. The debate has now evolved to one of degree.”
Our lawyer is Eric Gillespie from Toronto, the same lawyer who appealed the Thamesville project, and has extensive background on this issue and has devoted years of work, fighting for our cause.
Below is a donation form with more information on the appeal. Please- print it off, read it and send a contribution to the appeal. Every donation is much appreciated- we cannot do this without your support. To double the effort, please print off a couple extra copies for friends and neighbours who are interested in fighting wind turbine development in rural Ontario.
Thank you all very much for all your help this year – we are in a better place than we were a year ago – I can count all the good things that have happened, but I need more than one hand to do it- that is a wonderful sign! Let’s keep the momentum going, and help with this huge step forward in our fight.
Esther Wrightman
Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group Inc.
Watford wind farm approval appealed
By PAUL MORDEN, The Observer Dec. 1 2011
The appeal of the Zephyr wind farm project was filed by the Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group and the province’s Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) has scheduled a preliminary hearing for Dec. 15, 10 a.m., in the council chambers at the Lambton County buildings in Wyoming.
A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 11 at the same location.
Esther Wrightman, a member of the action group that is opposed to industrial wind farms, said it will be represented at the hearings by Toronto lawyer Eric Gillespie who represented wind opponents earlier this year at an appeal of a Thamesville wind farm project.
The tribunal dismissed that appeal saying opponents failed to show that project would cause serious harm to human health.
“However,” the tribunal added, “the evidence shows that there are some risks and uncertainties associated with wind turbines that merit further research.”
If the tribunal rules a renewable energy project will cause serious harm to human health, or the environment, it can revoke or alter the provincial approval.
Brent Hall, vice-president of strategic planning for the wind farm’s owner, Mississauga-based Green Breeze Energy Inc., said in November that work on the project would continue if an appeal was filed.
Wrightman said group members feel good about having Gillespie helping them with the Zephyr Wind Farm appeal.
“We’re lucky that he keeps his nose to the grindstone on this and keeps chipping away at it,” Wrightman said.
Zephyr Wind Farm is a $22-million, 10-MW project being built near Churchill Line, between Ebenezer and Old Walnut roads in Brooke-Alvinston Township.
The wind group’s appeal will be a continuation of arguments made in the Thamesville case, Wrightman said.
“The ERT there did say people are harmed by wind turbines, but they said they didn’t know by what extent.”
Wrightman said the wind action group’s arguments against the Zephyr project “will be based mostly on the health issues. On whether people there will be harmed, and just holding the government’s feet to the fire.”
Ideally, Wrightman said, they would like to stop the Zephyr project and have the provincial government “come to the conclusion that these projects are harming people and that they do need to stop and think, and have the studies done.”
The group, and other industrial wind farm opponents, have been pushing the provincial government to place a moratorium on wind farms and commission an independent study of their impacts on human health.
Legal Challenge of Brooke-Alvinston (Zephyr Wind) approval Announced
An appeal of the second-ever Renewable Energy Approval (REA) of an industrial wind turbine project in Ontario has been launched by Middlesex-Lambton Wind Action Group Inc. Located near Watford, Ontario the project is known as the Brooke-Alvinston Wind Farm, a Class 4 Wind facility consisting of four (4) wind turbine generators, each rated at 2.5 MW generating output capacity with a total name plate capacity of 10 MW.
The appeal will be heard by the Ontario Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT). By law the ERT must conduct the hearing and render its decision within six (6) months of the November 15, 2011 filing date of the appeal.
Wind energy project approved near Watford
By PAUL MORDEN, The Observer
Tuesday Nov. 8th 2011
Work is expected to begin within days on the four-turbine Zephyr Wind Farm near Watford now that provincial environmental approval is in place.
The $22-million, 10-MW project near Churchill Line, between Ebenezer and Old Walnut lines in Brooke-Alvinston, has been in the planning stages for more than a year and received provincial approval last week.
“We are hoping to start construction early next week,” said Brent Hall, vice-president of strategic planning for the wind farm’s owner, Mississauga-based Green Breeze Energy Inc.
“We’re looking forward to getting going.”
Mayor Don McGugan said Brooke-Alvinston council is scheduled Thursday to consider a proposed agreement with Green Breeze Energy that will ensure the township roads are maintained during construction.
“We can’t stop them,” McGugan said. “All we can do is make the best deal possible for our roads and our community.”
Ontario’s Green Energy Act took away municipal power to decide where renewable energy projects can be built. Read the rest of this entry
Zephyr project (Brooke-Alvinston) approved- 15 days to appeal
So the rubber stamp is back at it for the Ministry of Environment. This project consists of four 2.5MW wind turbines just south of Watford, Ontario. Actually, the project was sold while it was being approved, to Scheider Power….not sure if the MOE figured that out. This project had the worst public consultation I have seen of all the projects I’ve been involved in. Noise documents were late (MONTHS late) and no project documents were available at the final public meeting. On top of it we can be comforted that there isn’t a certified engineer signing off on the project document. Even though this goes against MOE rules, they stamp stamp away…that’s all they know to do!
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Instrument Decision Notice: EBR Registry Number: 011-3779
Proponent: Zephyr Farms Limited
2700 Matheson boulevard East
Suite 300
Mississauga, Ontario
Canada L4W 4V9 Read the rest of this entry
MLWAG 