More than 100 Meaford residents packed Woodford Hall on Wednesday night to learn about the potential health, environmental, and property value effects of industrial wind farms.
The recurring theme of the evening which featured several speakers, was that there is still much to be learned about how wind turbines impact neighbouring communities, and many of the speakers were calling on the Provincial government to slow the pace of wind farm developments until more research can be done.
Along with the McGuinty government's 'Green Energy Act', has come a push in the province to develop wind farms as a means to provide an alternative energy source to the grid. Much of the appeal for developing these wind farms comes from the high prices that the province has offered to pay for 'green energy'.
“Ontario has put such sweet deals out there,” Jeremy Gawen, Chair of the Wind Committee for the Georgian Bay Association told the crowd, “Ontario is one of the few jurisdictions in the world where the wind industry is growing drastically.”
Gawen suggested that the push toward constructing wind farms has come at the expense of property owners, neighbouring residents, and will ultimately impact all Ontario residents as the cost of electricity will rise in order to cover the high prices the government is paying to buy the power produced from wind, solar, and other alternative energy sources.
The chief concern of most in attendance are the increasing reports of health implications resulting from living in close proximity to wind turbines.
Carmen Krogh, Past Editor of Compendium of Pharmaceutical Sciences has been researching the effects wind turbines have on human health. According to Krogh even the wind industry has conceded that the low frequency noise and shadow flicker created by wind turbines can have physical and psychological effects on humans creating annoyance, stress, and sleep disturbances which can then manifest themselves in a host of physical ailments.
Krogh used the wind industry's own studies to back up her claims, and suggested that the approach the wind industry has taken in publicly denying that there are health effects to take into consideration is similar to the approach taken by the tobacco industry in the 1960's.
“There are peer reviewed scientific articles indicating that wind turbines can cause health issues,” said Krogh.
One of the challenges for those opposed to industrial wind farms is getting people to listen, and to overcome the image of wind energy as a clean, safe alternate energy source.
“People may not hear it, but the body can hear it,” said Krogh referring to the low frequency noise created by the turbines that she described as an 'intermittent swoosh'.
“When we have an indication that there might be problems, it is prudent to not go forward until it has been studied,” added Krogh.
First hand experience with living through development of an industrial wind farm was shared by a new resident of Meaford, Nicholas Schaut.
Schaut told The Independent prior to the meeting that he moved to Meaford from Melancthon Township in the Shelburne area where a large wind farm was developed.
“I am 100 percent, categorically against industrial wind farms,” said Schaut.
When he spoke to the meeting attendees, Schaut described the experience of living near the wind farm as it was being developed, and once it was in full operation.
“It was supposed to be six turbines, it ended up being 133,” he said.
Schaut said that the wind farm development divided his community and made enemies of former friends. Some residents were happy to sign leases on their properties allowing turbines to be constructed finding the additional income to be enough of an enticement, while others were completely opposed to the idea.
“Some people really wanted to have a turbine in their back yard, it was revenue for them,” said Schaut who indicated that many of the leases amounted to between $5,000 and $8,000 per year for property owners.
“The red beacon lights flashed randomly (at night) creating a disco effect,” Schaut said adding that from his home he could see nearly all of the 133 wind turbines in the Melancthon development.
Prior to the passing of the new Green Energy Act, constructing wind farms on the Niagara Escarpment was prohibited, but with the new legislation, those restrictions have been eased creating potential for industrial wind farms in the area.
Noting that some land owners in Sydenham have already signed leases with wind development companies, residents were encouraged to educate themselves about the impact of industrial wind farms, and to appeal to their local members of council, and the provincial government to share their concerns.
Organizers of the meeting are calling on the province to increase set-backs of wind farm developments from residential areas, and to also allow some time for research to be done in order to determine how best to move forward with wind farm projects, if they should be developed at all.
