No stay decision yet, developer and ministry make plans
wpd Canada sent this photo to show what kind of machinery they’ll be using. Nice.
The Wellington Times, March 17, 2016
Many eyes will be watching the countryside south of Milford today, looking for signs of heavy equipment arriving to clear the land of not-yet-budding vegetation. As of Monday, there was no decision on a motion for stay in construction activity on the industrial wind project site.
The developer, wpd Canada, advised the Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County (APPEC) and John Hirsch, appellants of the project at an Environmental Review Tribunal that it intended to commence vegetation destruction this week—despite the Tribunal’s decision that the project would cause serious and irreversible harm to two endangered species, the Blanding’s turtle and the little brown bat.
APPEC responded immediately seeking a halt on all physical activity at the site. Other parties have said they wish to be heard on the matter so the Tribunal has allowed a few days this week to hear those submissions.
In the meantime, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) has advised the developer it must complete a stormwater management plan before construction begins.
wpd Canada spokesperson Kevin Surette says that report has been completed and his company is awaiting the MOECC’s signal to begin clearing the land.
“The intent of the notice provided to APPEC on March 1st was to make them aware that vegetation clearing could occur anytime after March 14,” said Surette. “MOECC has indicated the Stormwater Management Plan must be approved prior to vegetation clearing; it has been submitted, and it could be approved at anytime.”
Remember that this is a project that has been stopped by a Tribunal—yet wpd Canada and the MOECC continue to go about development of this project as though nothing has changed.
But APPEC and a variety of conservation groups are sounding an alarm about the devastation that will result for the habitat of vulnerable species that reside in and around the targeted area.
“wpd Canada will be clearing significant wildlife habitat for endangered species such as the Blanding’s turtle and endangered grassland species such as the whip-poor-will, eastern meadowlark and bobolink,” said Orville Walsh, APPEC chair. …
Read the full story here.
3 Comments
Barbara
York University
‘Blades of Fury: A Look at Wind Energy Resistance in Ontario’
Submission Date: July 30, 2015
Paper includes the Armow and White Pines wind projects.
Other issues include:
Barriers to renewables
Climate change
http://fes.yorku.ca/files/outstanding-papers/Alexandria-Piccirilli.pdf
Slow download – 80 pages +
Barbara
York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies
Full time Faculty includes:
Peter Mulvihill, Area of interest includes “Emerging or fringe approaches to environmental assessment”
http://fes.yorku.ca/faculty/full-time-faculty
Theresa
Bringing in bulldozers and chainsaws at this time in the process is a threat – destruction of the environment.
Proceding at this time is not only disrespectful and lacking disregard; when the destruction begins, this process is breaking the law.
It is obvious wpd plans to roll full steam ahead. The fines are nothing compared to the money to be made by the developer. We’ve seen this before.
Stiffer penalties need to be enforced. Well..good luck with that.
Call the police. Equipment should be seized, arrests made, charges laid.
If we do not have the law behind us as it should be, what are the alternatives?
When someone chooses to knowingly break the law, penalties must be more severe, as is for example-with murder vs. premeditated murder. I also believe persons in superior positions of authority-when breaking the law..again should be given stiffer penalties. Often it is the opposite; liency is given. I expect much more from professionals e.g. cops,, doctors, teachers, and our government.
What else, who else, other than our government gets away with what they do? Who’s working for who here…