London Free Press, July 20, 2016
By John Miner
Wind turbines are killing bats, including ones on the endangered species list, at nearly double the rate set as acceptable by the Ontario government, the latest monitoring report indicates.
Bats are being killed in Ontario at the rate of 18.5 per turbine, resulting in an estimated 42,656 bat fatalities in Ontario between May 1 and October 31, 2015, according to the report released by Bird Studies Canada, a bird conservation organization.
Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources has set 10 bat deaths per turbine as the threshold at which the mortalities are considered significant and warrant action.
The bats being killed by turbines in Ontario include the little brown bat, tri-coloured bat, eastern small footed bat, and northern long-eared bat, all on the endangered species list.
The Birds Studies Canada report draws its information from a database that is a joint initiative of the Canadian Wind Energy Association, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Bird Studies Canada.
Brock Fenton, an expert in the behaviour and ecology of bats and professor in Western University’s department of biology, said the bat deaths are a concern.
Bat populations across North America have been plunging with the emergence of a fungal disease called white nose syndrome.
Birds are taking less of a hit from wind turbines, according to the report, with an estimated 14,144 non-raptors killed by wind turbines and 462 raptor fatalities between May 1 and October 31 in 2015.
The report noted that some wind farms have moved to reduce bat mortalities by cutting their turbine speeds from dawn to dusk in the late summer and early fall.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Wind Energy Association said the association is concerned about reports that are based on limited data that have the effect of boosting estimates.
In response, CanWea is developing its own system that will be released this fall that is designed to improve existing and proposed bat regulations, said Brandy Giannetta, CanWea’s Ontario regional director.
“It aims to achieve this in part by enhancing knowledge of the existing data in order to drive science-based policy decisions and also by providing avoidance, minimization, and mitigation options that we hope operators and regulators alike will find useful in conservation efforts,” Giannetta said in an email.
Wind Concerns Ontario, a coalition of provincial groups opposed to wind farm development, said it is concerned that birds and, significantly, bats are being killed in numbers that were not forecast by either the Ontario government or the wind power developers.
“The population of the Little Brown Bat in particular is now at 5-10 per cent of its historical levels, so, as the Environmental Review Tribunal stated in the White Pines decision in Prince Edward County, even a few deaths will have a serious impact on the species as a whole. And we know for a certainty that bats are killed by wind turbines,” Jane Wilson, president of Wind Concerns Ontario, said.
It is critical to understand that wind power projects shouldn’t be approved without a full and objective assessment of all factors in any given location. The government’s push for wind power has to be balanced with the continuing need to protect the natural environment, Wilson said. …
Read the full story here.
18 Comments
Pat Cusack
Wolff Island in particular and lots and lots of birds as well. More proof
that this Ontario government doesn’t care one little bit about the environment and us as well. I wonder if the new Energy Minister will step up to the plate. I very much doubt it.
notinduttondunwich
With ya Pat!!!! The energy minister does what Ole Katty Wynnd tells him to do…. he’ll be “familiarizing ” himself with the portfolio fer a while…. same with animal morality rates….
just gonna be abit……
Andre Lauzon
You all know how the “new minister” was hand picked by the Wynne the Weasel………..so why do you expect him to do anything that would go against her will. She will kill bats, birds, bees, drive people out of their home, destroy rural Ontario……..anything……as long as the $$ keeps coming in….(under the table)???
Sommer
“The report noted that some wind farms have moved to reduce bat mortalities by cutting their turbine speeds from dawn to dusk in the late summer and early fall.”
That’s awfully nice of them. Maybe with increased pressure we can get them to turn them off entirely for the sake of human beings who are being impacted by the noise, the low frequency sound modulations and the infrasound radiation!
notinduttondunwich
We would have to be on the endangered species list….. actually that doesn’t get you squat either here in ontario! !!
Barbara
Canadian Geographic, Oct.2, 2013
‘Explainer: How Canada’s Species at Risk Act works’
“Yet of the 245 recovery and management plans that the government has published through the Species at Risk Act, just seven action plans have been completed.”
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/explainer-how-canadas-species-risk-act-works
T3..Tracy from Turbine Town
Hahaha DD, it’s so pathetic you hafta laugh. Placing people “at risk” doesn’t mean squat to our government.
Bats eat mosquitos that carry harmful viruses. Maybe the political liars will get bit by a mosquito infected with a terminal illness while out picnicking with the family!!
As for “Canwea developing their own system” lmao. This is going to be another good one; nothing but another big fat pile of crap. Maybe they can relocate the bats – similar to the bald eagles nest in Haldimand. What ever became of that? Oh yeah, it’s do what you want and in time people will forget about it.
Running people around in circles causing harm is “mischief” at the least…
SAVE THE PEOPLE OF RURAL ONTARIO KATHLEEN WYNNE
Lynda
canwea wants to ‘enhance the knowledge of existing data’?…would that be THEIR knowledge of existing data?…in other words, they haven’t got a clue!
Here’s some data from KNOWLEDGEABLE experts that might teach them something.
canwea…Put this in your pipe and suffocate.
http://www.nap.edu/read/11935/chapter/5#99
Barbara
Notice the Greenpeace “thread” that runs through what’s taking place in Ontario.
notinduttondunwich
Lol Tracy ….. I was being sarcastic…. don’t give those idiots any ideas girl!!! Relocate bats!!! They may just try that!!!! Anything to keep those turdbines spinning no matter the concequences to anyone!!! You’re completely right too it is absolutely pathetic!!!
T3..Tracy from Turbine Town
A heads up DD. Seimen’s yard is full, ready to roll. In the past, the wind developer leads you to believe they are starting development on a particular date but actually arrive days earlier. They also call the cops to come and keep the peace (because anti wind people are violent I guess!) Police escorts were also hired to “escort”‘over sized loads. Whose $$ paid for that? Funny how not all transported blades were escorted. Again..another pile of crap.
I became aware of turbines to be built – the closest one being 400 meters from my home when I happened to come across an aerial view shot of the location on the second page of the local newspaper, two weeks prior to development! These turbines were originally sited just east of my place, on the other side of an invisible line of demarkation of the boundary of Lonf Point Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO declared Workd class biosphere may I add. Apparently the North American flyway for migratory birds ended there!?! This was decided at at closed door meeting with Norfolk Council and Dr. Scott Petrie, who was working out of Bird Studies Csnada in Port Rowan and has now taken up another position in the states. Maybe he’ll say hello to Dalton who also went south of the border.
Development started in September 2008. The first day of school I was headed back to work; the trucks lined the road, and came in for the slaughter.
This parcel of land was sold to a numbered corporation prior to construction of turbine development. It is now listed for sale again. On the huge realtor signs is a picture of the survey of the adjacent land. Interestingly enough, they have my name-the owner of the land 400 meters away from the one turbine, and the only name, shown on the sign. For anyone asking: wind turbines
harm neighbors.
In 2009, CEO of the development AIM Powergen Mike Crawley, friend of Dalton McGuinty and since..became president of the Federal Liberal Party; came to he area with his side kick David Tim, and spoke with me for at least an hour, taking notes. He was never heard from again. The least he could have done was purchased/expropriated my property. Since, I have left my home, suffering serious life threatening illness. For those of you who Kay think I am whacked, I have reems of medical documentation showing many rhings, amongst them: a drastic variation in blood pressure when at my home, as well as high levels of cortisole and lesions in my brain which have since healed for the most part, since I left. I am now living with a brain aneurism. This is series stuff folks. I think you people at Dutton Dunwich realize this.
Other areas of Ontarii, even those who have declared themselves a “nonsmoking host” have been complacent. Based kn the setiousness of the issue, I don’t understand this.
My family has very strong wartime connections. My grandfather was in the Airfirce – he had an office assignment in St. Thomas: my aunt was posted in Gander Newfoundland, transmitting Morse Code overseas and I had an uncle who was 19 years old, a tail gunner in WWII. He didn’t make it home.
My home that now sits empty is known as “the old rafio house”. It was one of four buildings constructed during war time. It was part of a government communication base for air traffic on the south shore of Norfolk County in Lake Erie. So soon, it seems our people have lost respect and forgotten what others fought for, many giving their lives, not so long ago. They did this for us, the future generations, their sons and daughters. For whatever the reason it be; it is so good to see the people of Dutton Dunwich who seem to carry the values, the ethics, the compassion for one another; standing together, strong and committed.
T3..Tracy from Turbine Town
Please excuse the typos and auto checks that do not apply, in my postings. My vision is also failing. Unless I proofread a couple of times,
I am not able to catch these errors.
T3..Tracy from Turbine Town
In this day and age it seems there is not much we can do to stop an injustice. As my mother used to say… “in the olden days…”
Remember when, not long ago, (I’m sure Kathleen Wynne could remember..maybe not Justin Trudeau-he’s just a baby), when people held different values, had more integrity, greater conviction, respect, felt less entitled, and stood up for what they believed in? In other words, quite simply, they had balls!
An example: back in the 80’s, people protested the cutting and destruction of old growth forests, Temagami being one in particular.
People stood on the roads, blocking the entrance so bulldozers, trucks and machinery could not pass. One fellow was buried vertically, his body packed in stones, with his head emerged from the ground. It was not easy to remove him and stop him from blocking the roadway being – he was planted in the middle of the road. Others chained themselves to trees. Many people simply stood there in the path. They would not move. They would allow their bodies to become limp when the police came to carry them away.
There were no weapons; no indication of violent activity. Provoking by the bandits cutting the forest was ignored. Many university students were involved.
What this did was create huge attention. They called tv stations, newspapers, had written literature available. They brought great attention to something of importance that other people did not know of. They created an awareness and educated the public.. This was a big step moving forward.
People were carried away and arrested; no one
hurt, no one charged. It was very civilized. When released, they returned to the site to stand strong together. Soon others came in support.
“Build it, they will cone.”‘
For myself, really what would I have to lose? Worse case scenario, I would have decent food and accommodation, I would be clothed, have my medical needs taken care of, no worries about money. I would have access to resources that many young people of today don’t have. I could continue my education, pursue a degree, a masters, a phd., all on the taxpayers dime! My well being would be of great consideration. True!
I play by the rules. I don’t make them.
Barbara
The IWT merchants have moved into the historic Loyalist territory in the Kingston area.
It was no skin of the noses of one family there to promote IWTs. No ancestors who paid the price for what Ontarians have today and some are willing throw all of this away.
Richard Mann
Dear Tracy (and others impacted by wind):
Thanks for writing. These stories are tragic, but they need to be documented. Unlike Facebook, where comments have been removed, comments here will become part of the permanent record.
Richard
Wind Concerns Ontario
We only remove comments on Facebook if they are inappropriate , i.e., contain personal insults or threats of violence. There is an auto-filter for obscene language. Not sure what you are alleging here but we have never removed comments outside of these parameters, and not yours.
Richard Mann
Sorry, did not mean to make any accusations against WCO or others here.
Lynda
canwea’s new system that won’t be ready until fall of this year…the real reason the ert has extended the mitigation date for wpd. It will give wpd a chance to use canwea’s mitigation options rather than having to come up with their own in the original time frame allowed! …. canwea – “and also by providing avoidance, minimization, and mitigation options that we hope operators and regulators alike will find useful in conservation efforts,” Giannetta said in an email.”
So who pays for that system? What a joke. Wynnedy and Justine certainly know how give a left hook.