Local health unit calls for greater municipal input into siting of wind turbine projects 

(Brighton) When it comes to the siting of industrial wind turbine projects, the local health unit wants municipalities and community members to have a greater say in the process.

At yesterday’s meeting, Board of Health members for the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit called for greater municipal and community input into a recently announced review process of Ontario’s Long-Term Energy Plan.

The review is expected to be completed within six months and will consider all aspects of Ontario’s electricity system – conservation, generation, transmission, distribution and emerging technologies such as energy storage.

The Board also requested that community members, especially those living in the vicinity of proposed wind turbine projects, be given the opportunity to provide input on the projects and that the Board of Health continue to work with the Ministry of Environment to ensure that companies proposing projects comply with all the rules and regulations around the siting of wind turbines, including the increased set-backs that apply to the cumulative number of turbines in a proposed area.

“We have to realize that wind turbines are here to stay,” Board of Health member Gil Brocanier said. “In everything we have heard it appears that wind turbines are not the issue, but where they are sited. There are hundreds of municipalities that have passed motions about the health issues caused by wind turbines and they are not gaining any traction with the province. What is gaining traction is having the municipalities have some control over siting so that we don’t have some of the issues we face now.”

The Board’s motion came after a decision to amalgamate two different resolutions – one put forward by Board of Health member and City of Kawartha Lakes councilor Heather Stauble and one put forward by Medical Officer of Health Dr. Lynn Noseworthy.

In speaking to her resolution, Councillor Stauble spoke of the need to address siting and set-back requirements for on-going and proposed wind turbine projects and the frustration that people who live near the proposed projects face in relation to health issues and decreasing property values.

Dr. Noseworthy spoke to her resolution and said that, while the Board has heard a number of presentations and delegations about wind turbines, there remains insufficient scientific evidence that there are adverse health effects related to wind turbines.

“There is evidence that some people are annoyed by them, with annoyance being related to wind turbine noise, the visibility of wind turbines, differential economic benefits from them, and the lack of meaningful input into the siting of them,” she said.

The new motion was unanimously approved by the Board of Health and included recognition that there have been numerous self-reported health concerns among residents near wind turbines.

The Ministry of Energy recently announced that it will be working with the Ontario Power Authority and municipalities to develop a competitive procurement process for renewable projects over 500 kilowatts that will require energy planners and developers to work directly with municipalities to identify locations and site requirements. As well, the new process will be increasing local control in renewable energy development and that it will work with municipalities to focus on conservation and helping to identify the best energy infrastructure options for a community.

“I think this is a good place to be and a good resolution to put forward,” Dr. Noseworthy said during the discussion. “I think this will carry a lot more weight and will be well received provincially by helping to pave the way to move forward.”

The Board of Health has heard a number of delegations and presentations on the issue of industrial wind turbines. At the May meeting, area residents Tyne Bonebakker and Dave Tomiszer made a presentation on acoustical measurement and impact in which they recommended that the prescribed setbacks for wind turbines be in decibels rather than meters, and that the Board of Health recommend the Ministry of the Environment refuse the approval of industrial wind farms until conclusive and independent clinic health studies be completed and that safe low frequency and infrasound noise level guidelines be established.

At the May meeting, the Board also heard from Dr. Ray Copes, Chief, Environmental and Occupational Health for Public Health Ontario, who presented a public health perspective on wind turbines and discussed how the potential health and safety risks from wind turbines appear modest when compared to other technology. Dr. Copes also discussed noise, night noise guidelines for Europe from the World Health Organization (WHO), sound produced by wind turbines and factors that may influence annoyance from wind turbines.

A copy of the complete approved resolution is attached to this media release.