By Mary Riley
MANVERS TWP- You have to hand it to the people of Manvers Township. They don’t go down without a fight.
And, they plan to legally challenge two more wind farms planned for the area; one approved and another expected to be.
Manvers Wind Concerns (MWC), a group of residents opposed to mega-wind turbines planned in three locations in the area, led the charge to fight wpd Canada’s Sumac Ridge project, which will see five turbines erected near Pontypool.
The Province approved that project in December of 2013 and MWC, the Buddhist Cham Shan Temple (which plans a four-Temple pilgrimage centre) and Cransley Home Farms Ltd. immediately appealed to the Environmental Review Tribunal.
That process took most of 2014 but the Tribunal ruled against the appellants. They then appealed to the Ministry of Environment for a judicial review and are awaiting that decision.
The Sumac Ridge appeal was handled by environmental lawyer Eric Gillespie, with help from dozens of volunteers with expertise in many fields mounting an impressive case during the hearing.
Ward 16 Councillor Heather Stauble has been front and centre in the fight to keep the wind turbines out; especially since the City of Kawartha Lakes is also opposed to them.
On May 7, the Province approved Settlers Landing Nominee Ltd.’s wind farm, known as Settlers Landing Wind Park, also planned near Pontypool.
Capstone Infrastructure’s Snowy Ridge wind park is planned to be built near Bethany, although approval for that project has not been announced to date.
One of the opponents’ main objections to the mega-turbines is many are to be built on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and provincial legislation is already in place prohibiting building on such a sensitive environmental area.
Coun. Stauble confirmed the community plans to fight all of the planned projects in Manvers. In an email, she said,
“All local projects are being appealed. The community has rallied to appeal the most recent project, Settlers Landing, beside Pontypool and on the Oak Ridges Moraine and, if approved, Snowy Ridge, near two local schools and the community of Bethany.”
There will be a meeting about the Snowy Ridge project on June 16 at 7 p.m. at The Ranch Resort, 252 Ski Hill Rd. in Bethany.
And, they plan to legally challenge two more wind farms planned for the area; one approved and another expected to be.
Manvers Wind Concerns (MWC), a group of residents opposed to mega-wind turbines planned in three locations in the area, led the charge to fight wpd Canada’s Sumac Ridge project, which will see five turbines erected near Pontypool.
The Province approved that project in December of 2013 and MWC, the Buddhist Cham Shan Temple (which plans a four-Temple pilgrimage centre) and Cransley Home Farms Ltd. immediately appealed to the Environmental Review Tribunal.
That process took most of 2014 but the Tribunal ruled against the appellants. They then appealed to the Ministry of Environment for a judicial review and are awaiting that decision.
The Sumac Ridge appeal was handled by environmental lawyer Eric Gillespie, with help from dozens of volunteers with expertise in many fields mounting an impressive case during the hearing.
Ward 16 Councillor Heather Stauble has been front and centre in the fight to keep the wind turbines out; especially since the City of Kawartha Lakes is also opposed to them.
On May 7, the Province approved Settlers Landing Nominee Ltd.’s wind farm, known as Settlers Landing Wind Park, also planned near Pontypool.
Capstone Infrastructure’s Snowy Ridge wind park is planned to be built near Bethany, although approval for that project has not been announced to date.
One of the opponents’ main objections to the mega-turbines is many are to be built on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and provincial legislation is already in place prohibiting building on such a sensitive environmental area.
Coun. Stauble confirmed the community plans to fight all of the planned projects in Manvers. In an email, she said,
“All local projects are being appealed. The community has rallied to appeal the most recent project, Settlers Landing, beside Pontypool and on the Oak Ridges Moraine and, if approved, Snowy Ridge, near two local schools and the community of Bethany.”
There will be a meeting about the Snowy Ridge project on June 16 at 7 p.m. at The Ranch Resort, 252 Ski Hill Rd. in Bethany.
4 Comments
John Vincent
Its funny, the City of Kawartha Lakes is against wind mills, but are actively persuing solar plants on productive farm lands. Five are already in place, three more announced and the city wants 30. They need to make up their minds.
Barbara
The public perception is that solar causes no harm and the city wants “free” money. Also get taxes off from the ground mounted solar farm projects.
John Vincent
I quite agree, but it’s a fools paradise from a land use and rate payers prespective. Also, at least one has been faught and won on the basis the land is zoned agricultural and not commercial. Worth looking up over here.
Wind Concerns Ontario
The Green Energy Act covered all the bases including zoning. However, the MET towers sued to measure the wind resource need special permits depending on the municipality; you can check to see this has been done.