South Kent Wind project update from Pattern Energy
Submitted by Pattern Energy
South Kent Wind LP is pleased to announce that the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) issued the Renewable Energy Approval (REA) for the South Kent Wind project on June 15, 2012.
The 270 MW project will create approximately 300 jobs during construction and approximately 20 permanent positions, in addition to contracting the services of many local businesses. South Kent Wind will generate an estimated $800,000 in annual tax revenue, supporting the Municipality of Chatham-Kent and the Lambton-Kent District School Board. In addition, we will be announcing a Community Benefits Program this summer that will support community causes over the life of the project.
Unfortunately, appeals were filed against the issuance of the REA with the Environmental Review Tribunal. A group of residents have appealed on the allegation that some turbines do not meet the property line set back requirements and that the project could harm human health.
The health and safety of the public, landowners, and personnel at our wind projects are of utmost importance to us. The project is in full compliance with all MOE regulations, including property line setbacks. Additionally, numerous studies around the world have examined the relationship between wind turbines and possible health effects and concluded that there is no scientific evidence of any direct causal link between wind turbine noise and adverse health effects. We will be working through the appeal process, which could take up to six months. We expect to be in a position to start full construction before the end of this year or early 2013, dependent on the appeal process.
Commitment up to $2.5 million to protect and improve public safety and user access at Chatham-Kent Municipal Airport
Following the MOE decision to issue approval of the South Kent Wind project, we have agreed to contribute up to $2.5 million for upgrades to the Chatham-Kent airport in response to concerns raised by the Municipality and some airport users that there could be a negative impact on aircraft approach procedures for landing and take-off.
We are pleased to further our partnership with the community and demonstrate our commitment to working closely with community stakeholders and addressing valid concerns. We are focused on building a source of clean energy and investing in the long-term economic health of the community.
Rob S
July 23, 2012 at 2:47 am
Interesting that this article was posted July 19, 2012 and not a comment or post…as of July 23, 2012.
Really though, come to think of it, how could anyone post anything negative against a company so willing to benefit a community such as Chatham-Kent with generous contributions and jobs to us, yet at the same time, bring clean, green energy to our lives?
Do the dirty oil companies have the same compassion and generosity?
I think you can see the answer to that question in the price at the pumps and conclude…NOT at all!
Zing
July 23, 2012 at 9:28 am
Under the terms of the $2.5 million given to the municipality, CK can no longer have a say on where the turbines are placed. The council was bought off and the company now has free reign.
Some municipalities are now blocked in from expansion because of setback distances. Good business people always get the best of CK administration.
Tim
July 24, 2012 at 7:52 pm
Have you been to Sarnia Rob?
I’m not sure of the percentage of people that live in Sarnia that are employed by those ‘dirty’ oil companies… but my guess is it’s quite high. And what about all the spin off businesses. Suffice it to say… if the ‘dirty’ oil companies close up shop in Sarnia… Sarnia will cease to exist. And if they close up shop in Canada… we all better plan on moving. As far as charitable donations and community support programs from those ‘dirty’ oil companies… again, I don’t have the info, but I can guess again that their contributions are significant.
I have nothing against the wind mills(other than they are ugly as heck when driving by them)… and I actually like the idea that this initiative gives us an alternative for power generation, plus creates jobs… but it annoys me when people are so eager to slam the oil companies when, in fact, it is these same oil companies that have provided for much(perhaps a majority) of Canada’s success.
Terry Acs
July 23, 2012 at 12:14 pm
I had replied, I don’t know why it didn’t post. My complaint is taking these companies to court, wasting our tax dollars, yet again to come out with the same outcome time and time again! There are no health issues, it’s all in peoples’ minds.
My dad lives about 1000 ft from one of these wind turbines, he has leukemia, diabetes and heart issues. Not one of these have been aggravated by the turbines at all and you would think that someone with one of the lowest possible immune systems would suffer from any health issues caused by the turbines. He actually likes them and says that the sound from them, when the wind is right, soothes you.
I agree wholeheartedly with you Rob, no one should be complaining about the clean, green energy to our lives!
South Kent Voter
July 23, 2012 at 1:54 pm
Why limit our protests to just turbines? My neighbour hangs laundry out to dry twice a week and the wind whips the clothes around on her clothesline. The noise drives me crazy! I think it makes for infrasonic vibrations because even when I don’t hear it the clothesline shakes like crazy. Her wind-powered laundry drying has ruined my life and my property value has plunged, nobody will ever buy my house with all this noise & vibration so close by. I hear that Dr David Colby supports drying laundry with the wind! It’s obvious that he’s deep in the pockets of the clothesline companies. The wind has ruined my life!!!
Jennifer
July 23, 2012 at 2:47 pm
I do not have a medical degree – therefore do not pretend to know if an individual is faking or if something is all in their head.
I do not have a degree in environmental studies – therefore do not pretend to understand the affects or “footprint” of the building, maintaining and running of wind turbines.
I do not have a degree in accounting – therefore do not pretend to understand the long-term economic impact of this “green energy act”
What I do know – is that insulting people because their view is different from yours, does not make your case better.
I know that calling someone a liar, does not make it true.
I know that the government once profited dearly from the sale of “harmless” cigarettes.
I know that energy conservation and green energy are not new concepts.
I also know that 200, 400, 1000, or 10,000 wind turbines is not enough to replace oil or nuclear power – where are all of these going to go?
I am not against green energy – I do however, take exception to having something shoved down my throat and made to pay for it.
Macy
July 24, 2012 at 3:55 pm
http://www.petitiononlinecanada.com/petition/request-for-a-private-member-s-bill-to-repeal-ontario-s-green-energy-act/1049
Rob S
July 25, 2012 at 1:42 am
Go “macy” Go!
Demand on behalf of dirty oil and coal that we tear down those green renewable energy producing wind turbines and solar panels, stoke up the those dirty coal and oil plants. . . your grandchildren will be forever so proud of you!
Jennifer
July 25, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Did you read the request for petition? It is not about stopping the green energy act it is however about improving it. You assume that if people are not with you – they are against you, you assume wrong. Wow! Do you really believe that there is only one right way to do things? Do you really believe that talking down to people, proves your point?
Rob S
July 25, 2012 at 3:04 pm
sorry “jennifer” or “macy” but this paragraph says it all in your petition against green renewable energy:
“Whereas; the key goal of the Energy Review and Advisory Panel is to review Ontario’s current and future energy fuel needs, and determine the best use of energy fuel resources with consideration for consumer costs, the people of Ontario, the economy, and the environment.”
That clearly means that we would revert back to the cheapest forms of energy fuel resources such as coal and oil and I also note the environment is at the very bottom of the list of considerations…….so it is obvious that cost is the number one factor in this petition. You do know that the taxpayers of Ontario and Canada had to pay to start up the power-grid infastructures across our country and that our forefathers helped to pay for and build it all…..hydro electric, nuclear, coal etc…so, why are you being so selfish to not want to contribute to building new forms of cleaner, green energy sources for our country and our planet? That is very selfish.
We get it, you are climate change deniers, you do not believe coal and oil are polluting our air and you want the same old, same old energy in place and don’t want to pay for a new direction because the cost to move to cleaner green energy sources is going to cost you a little.
Do you not think you are paying for the dirty oil, coal and nuclear energy sources now both monetarily and physically?
Please don’t give us that bunk that the green energy is killing manufacturing jobs in Ontario! What killed manufacturing jobs in Ontario are the offshore shipping of jobs through corporate greed and free-trade agreements, dutch disease syndrome caused by tarsand oil in Alberta and the high Canadian dollar being pegged as a “petro currency”. The cost per kilowatt hour for electricity in Ontario is virtually the same as most states in the US…so that is just pure BS downright lying to use that arguement.
You are trying to whitewash your dirty energy proposal plain and simple and please don’t infer otherwise.
And please, stop playing the nieve ( I may not have this, or don’t have that) , or “poor little ‘ole me” type in your posts. This is a debate, there are always two sides to debate, so I would like my chance to applaud the government initiative to move towards green renewable energy, and the other side, those such as yourself and “macy” who have your chance to disapprove of clean green renewable energy…..
So tell us “jennifer” if this “petition” to repeal the green energy act is calling for so called improvements (which I dont see) please do tell us what those improvements are and how they would work? Don’t play “I don’t know” because you just got through saying it would improve the act…so lets here it?
If you don’t know what the outcome would be of repealing the green energy act as this petition demands, then why are you posting that it’s good and will improve green renewable energy? That’s being very insincere, dishonest and almost deceptive.
Give some alternatives to wind and solar and how to implement them? Go ahead, rather than demand to repeal the green energy act….please offer some alternatives. Or are you going to be like your buddies “conservative” MPPs nicholls and mcnaughton along with their conservative MP shipley and just be loud bullies demanding the green energy plug be pulled and to remove all those green energy jobs along with it without offering any alternatives or solutions other than go back to dirty coal and oil and unsafe nuclear? Is that it?
And please don’t play the “poor me” pity card in your response….that is lame.
Jennifer
July 26, 2012 at 12:50 pm
It is not my intention to insult you, to argue with you, or expect your pity – Not once did I ever ask for anyone’s pity.
There are many ideas out there for green energy, I happen to agree with the use of solar panels and other form of green energy production. Here is one way to improve the act (which I have mentioned before) Provide grants to people, business, home owners, and any others I may have missed, to retrofit their perspective operations and have them removed from the grid completely. Perhaps small communities could have solar panels installed on rooftops, which feeds the homes, stores, ect. ect. Effectively removing their dependence on dirty oil, coal and nuclear. Perhaps larger centers – could go on some sort of rolling share of the green energy, which would reduce their needs of oil, coal and nuclear. The grid infrastructure is already in place, it would only need to be redirected to the end user rather than the bank.
In addition, I know SKV was being funny with his comments about the clothesline – but conservation is also a very good strategy.
As I said, there is more than one way to do something properly.
Kramer
July 26, 2012 at 10:55 am
Sorry
Rob S but more jobs were murdered and sent offshore by your leftist Unions.
Union Greed is never ending, they just don;t get it, with a severe recession they still go for more and more. They virtually annihilated Chatham and area industry.
Rob S
July 27, 2012 at 2:16 am
Sorry “kramer” but what exactly do unions have to do with the Green Energy Act and wind and solar clean, green renewable energy? I have no “leftist unions” under my control as you so accuse me of having.
In fact I have a few friends and neighbours who worked in NON-Union factories and were making a modest $13/hr wage and they too lost their jobs…to corporate greed “kramer”….say it with me…. Together: CORPORTATE GREED!
Perhaps instead of resorting to childish grade school antics calling people “lefties”, hippies, lieberals, pinkos, socialists, communists, tree-huggers, environmentalists or whatever other name you want to hurl at them in your lame attempt to insult…why not join in an intellectual conversation that is on topic with the subject at hand, otherwise you sound like little bully stephen harper and his reform party in how they attack other parties.
Is that too difficult to ask to stay on topic?
What do you think of green renewable wind/solar energy? What other alternatives would you offer? Nuclear? A $50 BILLION dollar plant and all the nuclear waste that has to be disposed of and will be around for thousands of years? Tell us. . .what is it? back to dirty coal/oil?