Big rally / social event in Milford on Sat, May 26, 3 to 6 pm

CCSAGE announces “This is NOT a White Pine” Rally

CCSAGE invites you to a rally launching our “Naturally Green” and “Turbine-Free County” campaign.

The May 26^th rally (next weekend) in Milford will be a social event with food and music.  It will showcase our opposition to plans to install 38 industrial wind turbines (IWTs) in South Marysburgh and Athol.  The rally is also a non-confrontational community gathering for everyone who loves the whole County just as it is—a healthy, safe, rural environment.

Now is not the time to be silent and invisible while Gilead Power awaits the Ministry of Environment’s approval to commence construction at Ostrander Point, and while wpd Canada (a subsidiary of wpd AG, Germany) prepares for a final open house before submitting its own approval application this fall.  County residents must show that we value the South Shore Important Bird Area as much as do Nature Canada, Ontario Nature, and the National Audubon Society.  We must show wpd that its “White Pines” project is an industrial violation of the County’s human and natural heritage.

The CCSAGE rally will provide the latest real information on how these two wind energy projects would harm the County that you know and love.  An IWT “is NOT a White Pine!”

Please help keep the pressure on Gilead, wpd, and the Ontario government.  You can drop by anytime to enjoy the entertainment, ask questions, meet your neighbours, and GET A SIGN FOR YOUR LAWN.

PLACE:                                        THE SHED, Milford Fairgrounds

DATE &TIME:                           Saturday, May 26, 3:00-6:00 PM

BBQ by Milford Bistro:         Hamburgers, Sausages and Beverages (for purchase)

LIVE MUSIC:                            Openhearts Society, Rocky Roberts & More

INFORMATION TABLES:    Health, Birds and Bats/Habitat, Proposed National Park, Property Values, Electricity Issues, Tourism, Wolfe Island, Economic Impact

To help CCSAGE plan for catering, please e-mail Duncan Fischer, drfischer@sympatico.ca, saying you will attend.   But even if it’s a last minute decision, you can count on a welcome.

Orville Walsh, Chair, County Coalition for Safe and Appropriate Green Energy

Misery in South Marysburgh and Athol c. 2014

[Misery is a strong word.  Read through this article and decide for yourself if it's appropriate.]

If WPD’s White Pines project goes ahead, what is the future for many families in South Marysburgh and eastern Athol Wards of Prince Edward County, starting in 2014?  No crystal ball is needed.  The future is revealed in the testimonies of more than 100 Ontario families now suffering adverse effects from industrial wind turbines and associated infrastructure.

The following excerpts from 22 testimonies describe serious medical symptoms experienced by some Ontario residents living in the vicinity of industrial wind turbines.  Almost all of the reports are from southwestern Ontario, but the first is from nearby Wolfe Island.

These families are not comfortable .. not healthy .. not safe in their own homes.  And many are trapped there for financial reasons, due to an inabilty to sell out at a reasonable price — in some cases, at any price.

The primary medical risk zone (called the Turbine Risk Zone),  is a 2-km circle around each industrial wind turbine (see the statement by the Society for Wind Vigilance at http://wp.me/p1M8CZ-hE ).  The combined footprint of all Turbine Risk Zones from WPD turbines in South Marysburgh and eastern Athol Ward is shown on the map at  http://tinyurl.com/843ure4. Within this area, it is conservatively estimated that 20% to 40% of people will experience medical symptoms, ranging from mild to severe to home abandonment.

This post is very long, but even a quick read will give you an idea of what’s in store for many South County families starting in 2014, if the WPD project is built.  We need to make sure that this doesn’t happen.

Testimonies from 22 families

(Testimony T01) Eastern Ontario, Concerned Parents

Where do I start… my family and I feel as though we’ve been lied to by the wind company that has built in our community [community name] We were told that these things were whisper quiet THEY’RE NOT !!! – I have a ** year old child that has never had a headache in their life, now (after the towers came online) has a headache every week or two. My spouse has migraines, or very severe headaches several times a week, I am now taking sleeping pills to get to sleep.  We would sell and move in a second, but there is no way anyone would want to purchase our property, we have about 5-7, 2.3 meg towers within a mile of our home.

But here is another problem, and I suspect there are several people in our position. We feel that if we complain there would be repercussions for our family, we have children in school. I believe that if we register a complaint with the company, the township, or the MPP that everyone in the community would know about it the next day after all meeting at the local restaurant for coffee the next morning. I wish that we could find more like minded people in our community, but we’re reluctant to ask around. Where does someone start, to try and make this right.

WPD Canada’s CEO asks: What and where is Wolfe Island?

[Article by Pamela Stagg, a highly knowledgeable naturalist and County resident who is active in  both PEPtBO and PECFN]

Notes from the [WPD Canada] White Pines meeting:

I attended last week’s White Pines meeting [Mar 22, 2012] at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute and was shocked by what I heard.

1. I asked a wpd representative,

“Why are you putting industrial wind turbines in an Important Bird Area?”

“To be honest with you, we’ll put them wherever anyone is willing to lease the land to us.”

“So it’s just about money?”

“Yes.”

Open house theatre: WPD’s farce of community consultation

[Article written by Henri Garand, Chair of APPEC.  Also published in this week's Wellington Times.]

In the past few years wind energy development meetings have become as common as County festivals.  They’re curious entertainments, though, combining reality show with political theatre and outright farce.

A case in point is wpd Canada Corporation’s recent public meeting on its White Pines Wind Project.  The company staged an open house, with display panels, thick handouts, a video on turbine siting, and 15 representatives to field questions coming chiefly from Athol and South Marysburgh residents who will be living beside 29 industrial wind turbines.

Winegrowers Association requests suspension of wind development in PEC

The Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association (PECWA), has called on the Ontario government to suspend wind energy development in Prince Edward County until conditions set out recently by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture are met.

PECWA, representing more than 30 local wineries and grapegrowers, states that it shares the OFA’s escalating concerns about industrial wind energy development.  It specifically names Gilead Power’s Ostrander Point and WPD Canada’s White Pines wind projects as posing “a threat to the rural renaissance occurring in the County”.

PECWA joins the OFA in requesting the Ontario government to “suspend further development until farm families and rural residents are assured that their interests are adequately protected”.

PECWA members both own businesses and live in the County, so they have a major stake in its continued economic success.  CCSAGE applauds PECWA for stepping forward and taking a stand on the #1 issue facing Prince Edward County.

For more information, see PECWA media release March 23, 2012.

WPD White Pines first public meeting: an exercise in frustration

[Revised to correct two errors]

Of the hundreds of people who attended the first WPD White Pines public meeting on March 22, 2012, it appeared that the vast majority were (and are) opposed to the project.

The representatives of WPD and Stantec were unable to answer all but the most basic questions. In particular, they didn’t know how many houses (which they insist on calling “receptors”) will be within 1.5 km or 2.0 km of a turbine (a requirement of GEA regulations).

They couldn’t confirm the route of the 29-km high-voltage transmission line that connects the project’s substation to the Hydro One substation north of Picton. BUT they now have Maypul Layn Road pencilled in as the route within the project footprint.

Ian MacRae, the CEO of WPD Canada couldn’t provide any information on the cost to construct the turbines, much less the percentage that would be spent locally. He didn’t know how many permanent operations and maintenance jobs would be created. And yet their information touts “benefits to the community”.

WPD had a PhD (in molecular biology) in attendance from an environmental health consulting firm as their expert on health effects.  He suggested that only 10% of the closest residents (exposed to the maximum 40 dBA level) will be annoyed by the turbines, and that this annoyance is mostly psychosomatic, due to being in a situation not within the individual’s control.

Other research indicates that 20% to 40% of all people living within 2 km of a wind turbine will suffer adverse health effects including annoyance (in the medical sense), stress and sleep disturbance leading eventually to heart disease and cancer, the cause being low frequency sound and infrasound.

As far as the project’s impact on the natural environment, WPD has indicated that they may not release their study to the public until 60 days prior to the final public meeting, anticipated this summer. This may give local naturalist groups inadequate time to prepare their reponse.

The comment that I heard most often from people expressing their views at the meeting was: “We don’t want more information; we just want you out of here”.

Attending this meeting was an exercise in frustration. But it was necessary to ensure that WPD and MOE appreciate the extent of the opposition to this project.

WPD White Pines: Life in South County may never be the same

Total area Turbine Risk Zone of 29 turbines in the WPD White Pines wind project (click to enlarge)

Here is what you need to know about the effects of WPD’s White Pines wind turbine project on health and property values.  Its effects on the natural environment will be dealt with elsewhere.

Based on experience in Ontario and beyond, WPD’s White Pines wind project will make life miserable for many South Marysburgh and Athol families due to the adverse health effects of low frequency sound and infrasound from nearby wind turbines. And it will likely result in substantial declines in property values and extended selling times for all homes in the area.

SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

Phase 1 – 29 turbines spread over 60% of South Marysburgh.   The White Pines project will include 29 wind turbines spread over 60% or more of the land area of South Marysburgh, plus eastern Athol.  Residential areas most affected will include Lighthall Road, Walmsley Road, Royal Road, the village of Milford, South Bay, Little Bluff, Gravelly Bay Road.

Phase 2 – Increase to 74 turbines?  Based on the original two-phase project plan for White Pines, and the fact that options were obtained on more than 50 properties, it is expected that WPD will add Phase 2 if Phase 1 is approved – another 45 turbines, bringing the total to 7 turbines.  This would make White Pines 8 times the size of Gilead’s Ostrander Point project.

ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS

A 550-metre setback is inadequate.  Recently published medical research from sources worldwide, and self-reporting by individuals in Ontario and elsewhere, show that a 550-metre minimum setback for wind turbines is inadequate to protect human health.

Inadequacy confirmed by Kent Breeze ERT.  Quoting from the 2011 decision of the Environmental Review Tribunal for the Kent Breeze wind project: “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 demonstrates that they can, if facilities are placed too close to residents. The debate has now evolved to one of degree.”

A 2-km setback is required.  It is the consensus view of researchers concerned about wind turbines and health that people living within 2 km of a wind turbine will be at significant risk of adverse health effects and that, therefore, the minimum setback should be at least 2 km.

Map of 2-km Turbine Risk Zone.  The accompanying map of WPD’s White Pines project shows the 2-km Turbine Risk Zone (TRZ) surrounding each turbine, and the total area TRZ resulting from all 29 turbines in Phase 1, including areas of overlap.  As shown by the map, almost all of the homes in the area will be within the 2-km TRZ of at least 3 turbines, and as many as 12.

Who will be affected?  As is the case with motion sickness, it is impossible to predict in advance who will be affected by low frequency sound and infrasound, and to what extent.  However, the greater the exposure to turbines (more and/or closer), the greater the likelihood of experiencing medical symptoms and/or their intensity.

How many will be affected?  Within the total area TRZ, medical research suggests that at least 20%, and possibly 40%, of residents will experience adverse health effects from low frequency sound and infrasound, ranging from mild to severe to abandonment of the home.

Annoyance, stress, sleep disturbance.  The most notable effects will be annoyance (in the medical sense) and stress during the day, and sleep disturbance at night.  These effects are well-recognized as indirect causes of serious medical conditions, including heart disease and cancer, when experienced over extended periods.

Other serious symptoms.  In addition, some residents will experience one or more of: headaches, nausea, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, irritability, vertigo, tinnitus, heart palpitations.  These symptoms generally disappear when the person leaves the area, and recur when the person returns.

No relief indoors.  Low frequency sounds and infrasound carry over long distances and are not blocked effectively by walls, so there will be little relief indoors.  In fact, the effect may be greater indoors than outdoors due to sympathetic vibrations of walls, floors or ceilings.  This effect is analogous to being inside a house and hearing bass rhythms (but not higher frequencies) from a neighbour’s stereo played loudly.

PROPERTY VALUES

Property value losses.  Within the total area TRZ, it is expected that property values will decrease by 20% to 40%, due to concerns of potential purchasers about adverse health effects and reduced enjoyment of property.  To illustrate, in the Melancthon-Amaranth area of Ontario, wind developer Canadian Hydro Developers (now Transalta) purchased four properties from homeowners threatening to sue over health problems, and subsequently resold them at an average loss of 35%.

Longer time to sell.  The time required to sell properties in the area will undoubtedly be much longer, perhaps extending to a year or more.  In extreme cases, properties may be unsellable at any price.

New and renewal mortgage uncertainty.  It is possible that banks will reduce the maximum loan amount allowed on renewal of existing mortgages, and on new mortgages, in respect of properties located in the vicinity of wind turbines.

Effects being seen now.  Some real estate agents are already reporting an unwillingness by potential purchasers to consider properties in South Marysburgh.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE THREAT

While Gilead’s Ostrander Point 9-turbine project has generated a huge amount of opposition (and for good reason), WPD’s White Pines 29- to 74-turbine project is a considerably greater threat to human health, property values and the natural environment.  If this project is built, it will create a permanent wind turbine ghetto in the southern area of the County.  Life in South County will never be the same.

Notes:

• The 9 turbines of Gilead’s project (located west of Ostrander Point Road) are not shown on this map.
• Thanks to South Marysburgh resident Orville Walsh for the Turbine Risk Zone map.

Please attend WPD White Pines public meeting on Thu, Mar 22, 2012

Please attend the first public meeting for WPD Canada’s 29-turbine White Pines wind project, scheduled for 5:30 to 8:00 pm on Thursday, March 22 at PECI, 41 Barker St, Picton.

Many people believe that this project poses an even greater threat to the County than Gilead’s Ostrander Point Project.