Province approves Snowy Ridge wind energy project in Manvers 

BETHANY – The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change has issued a Renewable Energy Approval to Snowy Ridge Nominee Ltd. to build a 10-megawatt wind facility near Bethany.

The Province made the announcement late Friday afternoon (June 19).

Known as Snowy Ridge Wind Park, the project is comprised of five wind turbines. Earlier this month, Ward 16 Councillor Heather Stauble confirmed opponents of wind turbines in Manvers Township will continue to mount legal challenges to keep them out.

The groups that appealed provincial approval of a wind project approved in 2013 (Sumac Ridge) are waiting on a judicial review after losing their appeal to the Environmental Review Tribunal earlier this year.

But, Ministry officials say the approval is not without numerous conditions.

As a result of comments received from the municipality and local residents, conditions of the approval require Snowy Ridge Nominee Ltd. to:

– comply with the Ministry’s noise emission limits at all times;

– carry out an acoustic emission audit of the sound levels produced by the operation of the equipment and wind turbine generators;

– implement the site-specific stormwater management plan submitted in support of the application during construction, installation, use, operation, maintenance and retiring of the facility;

– not take more than 50,000 litres of water per day, for the purpose of construction dewatering for foundation construction,

design, construct and operate a spill containment facility for the transformer substation;

– implement the post-construction natural heritage monitoring program, which includes bird and bat mortality monitoring;

– implement the post-construction amphibian breeding habitat monitoring program;

– obtain any required authorizations necessary under the Endangered Species Act, 2007;

– prepare a Traffic Management Plan to be provided to the municipalities and make reasonable efforts to enter into a Road Users Agreement;

– make reasonable efforts to keep the Municipality informed of construction, operation and decommissioning activities associated with the facility;

– prepare an Emergency Response and Communications Plan with consideration of comments from the municipality and interested parties;

– properly address any archaeological resources discovered;

– create a Community Liaison Committee (CLC) with members of the public and with the company prior to erecting any turbines;

– confirm with NAV Canada that the necessary mitigation measures have been implemented to prevent any potential impacts the facility may have on surrounding airport’s operations;

– maintain ongoing communication with interested Aboriginal communities, and,

– notify the MOECC of complaints received alleging adverse effect caused by the construction, installation, operation, use or retirement of the facility.

Ontario’s Renewable Energy Approval process ensures that extensive municipal, Aboriginal and public consultation takes place. All comments the ministry received regarding the project were carefully considered before a decision was made to approve this project.

The approval notice is posted on the Environmental Registry and a link can be found here:

http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTIzMjQ3&statusId=MTg4NzQy&language=en.