Noise abatement plan accepted, but what does it really mean?
March 19, 2018
Port Elgin residents forced to live near the single wind turbine operated by the union Unifor, which has resulted in hundreds of noise complaints since the moment it began operating, were “vindicated” recently when the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) announced that noise testing revealed the turbine was not in compliance with regulations.
See a report from CTV London reporter Scott Miller, here.
The MOECC told Unifor that as the turbine operator, they would have to put a noise abatement plan in place by today.
Wind Concerns Ontario has learned that the plan was submitted and has been approved by the Ministry. Noise testing will now continue, said MOECC District Manager Rick Chappell, to confirm compliance with regulations. The Ministry expects the new Imissions Audit or I-audit by the end of June.
Port Elgin resident Greg Schmalz says the admission of non-compliance is vindication for residents who have been complaining for years, but the fight is not over. And many serious questions remain.
“If ongoing tests show non-compliance for a second time, does that result in the MOECC permanently revoking the operating certificate?” he asks. “Will resident complaints filed during the abatement period and ongoing testing be confirmed, or do they not count? And why did it take so long from report dates to release [of the information]?”
The engineering report was filed with the MOECC in January, and the MOECC did not announce the status of non-compliance until March … and then to the wrong municipality.
Documents received by Wind Concerns Ontario via Freedom of Information requests show that the MOECC received 236 reports of excessive noise up to the end of 2014, and more during the 2015-2016 time period. People complained of noise “like a helicopter” overhead, and of sleep disturbance at night, which in turn produced other health effects.
Read the report by engineering consultant firm HGC here.
#MOECC
3 Comments
Notinduttondunwich
Well they do anything about that turbine yet…. if not the citizens have a right to take matters into their own hands to protect themselves from further harm!!!
Notinduttondunwich
Is it still running???
Stan Thayer
Hey folks what kind of a nutcase expecte’s any Liberal government to protect them? Free bicycles, free drugs, free needles, free alcohol wipes, free dental care, free band-aids, free condoms, free hydro, WHOOOOOOAAOOO.
Are you nuts? That’s what pays for this.
Logic has left this planet.
Ontario is lawless.
At 9:47 this evening, March 31 2018 I left a power transformer station that has burnt out due to overloading for the past 10 years. Anyone can watch it on you-tube and I can tell you why. There is no votes to be gained if everything is working good. The Liberal spin doctors will say it was lack of maintenance and I will say give me their address to promote the laying on of hands.
I try to be like Jesus sometimes and more during the time of the resurrection.
The Liberal Green Energy Act has produced more millionaires than the stock market.
IWT’S have not now and in Ontario never will have anything to do with electrical supply.
It is just all so sad.
Stan the power man