The latest news about APPEC and topics we care about.
APPEC has commenced legal proceedings
Picton Court House
MEDIA RELEASE
11/10/17
Picton, Ontario – The Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County (APPEC) has commenced legal proceedings naming the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and WPD White Pines Wind Inc. (WPD) as respondents. APPEC alleges that the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) contract between the IESO and WPD should have been terminated as soon as it became evident that WPD would be unable or incapable of fulfilling the FIT contract terms. These FIT contract terms have been made publicly available and are well known.
In 2010, a FIT contract for 60MW wind energy project to be operational within three (3) years was offered by the Ontario Power Authority (now the IESO) to WPD. The contract allowed for termination if the project was not able to deliver at least 75% of the contracted power. A Renewable Energy Approval (REA) was granted to WPD by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) five years later in 2015. Immediately after the MOECC approval, an appeal was made by APPEC to the Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT). In 2016 the ERT found that the project would cause serious and irreversible harm to the natural environment. After allowing the proponent an opportunity to propose additional mitigation measures to prevent this harm, the ERT still found it necessary to remove 18 of the 27 wind turbines from the project. As a result, the project is only permitted to erect nine (9) 2.05 MW turbines which can only fulfill approximately 30% of the original FIT contract requirement, far less than the 75% referred to under the contract.
APPEC has made an application to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice seeking a declaration that the FIT contract for the White Pines Wind Project is null and void and an injunction on any further work on the White Pines Wind project. A hearing on this matter is currently scheduled for November 17th, 2017 at 44 Union Street, Picton, Ontario K0K 2T0 at 10:00 a.m.
APPEC is represented by Eric K. Gillespie Professional Corporation which has represented APPEC during the ERT hearings for both the White Pines Wind Project and the Ostrander Point Wind Energy projects.
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PEC Residents Standing Up for their Rights!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Prince Edward County Residents Standing Up for their Rights!
Huge rally to protest wpd wind project and the Green Energy Act
PICTON, ON., October 7: Prince Edward County residents will rally together to voice their opposition to wpd Canada’s White Pines Wind Project that involves erecting nine 150m-tall (500 FT.) industrial wind turbines in and around the hamlet of Milford in the ward of South Marysburgh.
The County is an unwilling host to industrial wind turbine projects that disrupt the lives and livelihoods of County residents; that destroy the County’s historic landscapes; and that cause irreparable harm to the County’s wildlife and natural environment.
This much anticipated rally will consist of a march coupled with an information session at the Regent Theatre in Picton. “Our hope is that this rally will motivate the government to cancel this project once and for all”, says Les Stanfield, logistics coordinator for the rally. “We want people to be creative in preparing for the march through floats, banners and placards that personalize their message to wpd and Queen’s Park”, adds Stanfield.
Those wanting to participate in the march can gather at the end of Cold Storage Road by 12:30 p.m. for departure at 1:00 p.m. or join the march at any point on the route along Main Street to the Regent Theatre. At 2:00 p.m. people can participate in an information session at the Regent. County residents, local politicians, business people and experts will provide impact statements, updates and answer questions about: anticipated personal impacts; loss of land owner and municipal rights because of the Green Energy Act; human health effects; destruction of heritage, tourism and endangered species; and other concerns.
“We hope every single person who has expressed concern about this wind energy project will come out and not only show support for the residents of South Marysburgh who will be directly affected by the White Pines project, but also to express their strong opposition to the government legislation that allowed the project to happen in the first place,” says Steve Ferguson, Prince Edward County Councillor for South Marysburgh. “All residents of Prince Edward County need to fully understand the implications of the White Pines project.”
For more information contact Les Stanfield at 613-476-5363
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PEC fearful construction of wind turbine farm to start
After the Town Hall meeting on September 5th in the Milford Town Hall, the CKWS Kingston Network 6 PM News broadcasted an interview with Prince Edward County Mayor Quaiff and Councilor Steve Ferguson. In case you missed the piece on September 6th, click here to play the video and read the article.
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The County Speaks Out
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
County residents speak out about the threats to Prince Edward County from industrial wind turbines
Prince Edward County, January 18, 2016 – Fifteen well-known County residents, business owners and elected representatives have made video statements to express their personal concerns about industrial wind projects planned for Prince Edward County.
The statements are intended especially for the benefit of people living in the County who, because of family or work obligations, have not had sufficient opportunity to inform themselves on this issue. County residents Borys Holowacz, Janna McCarthy and Gary Mooney collaborated with the participants to produce the videos, which were filmed and edited by Cherry Valley’s Fifth Town Films.
“We had a long list of possible participants who have been actively involved in this issue, but limited ourselves to fifteen people who represent a cross-section of the community”, said Gary Mooney. “We’re very pleased and grateful for their contributions”.
The videos average two minutes each, and cover a range of topics, including effects on the natural environment, human health, tourism, the wine industry, cultural heritage and municipal planning.
In his video, County resident and music industry legend Bernie Finkelstein invites Premier Wynne to visit the County, suggesting: “Come and have a glass of wine… and give a second thought to the idea of carpeting the County with wind turbines”.
The videos are being uploaded in stages every few days to www.tinyurl.com/thecountyspeaksout .
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For more information, contact:
Janna McCarthy, jcmleewis@aol.com
Gary Mooney, gary.mooney@actel.ca, 613-919-8765
Backgrounder
Everyone is in favour of more renewable energy and less burning of fossil fuels. But many people oppose locating industrial wind turbines where they can harm human health, the natural environment and/or the local economy.
Two wind projects, Ostrander Point (9 turbines) and White Pines (27 turbines) have approved by the Wynne government, to be deployed over a large area of South Marysburgh, extending into Athol.
The undeveloped part of this area is habitat for birds and turtles, including 20+ species at risk, and is also a staging area for migrating birds and bats. The developed part is home to hundreds of County families.
Following is a map showing the cumulative Turbine Risk Zone for both wind projects, with 2 km considered to be the minimum safe distance for people and birds.
Note: The White Pines wind project has since been reduced from 30 to 27 turbines.
It is expected that industrialization of south County by wind projects will reduce the attractiveness of the County as a whole, leading to reduced tourism and long-term population decline.
Both wind project approvals are being appealed, by PECFN and APPEC respectively, with considerable anticipation of success. Otherwise, these wind projects will be built later this year, or next.
PECFN and APPEC are faced with tens of thousands of dollars of unpaid legal bills from these appeals. Donations of any amount are welcome at www.SaveTheSouthShore.org .
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APPEC News Release
Media Release
October 22, 2015
APPEC Challenges Approval of the White Pines Wind Project
The Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County (APPEC) is appealing the approval of wpd’s 27 turbine White Pines wind project in South Marysburgh and part of Athol. APPEC’s legal challenge will demonstrate that the White Pines wind project will cause serious harm to human health and serious and irreversible harm to the natural environment.
APPEC will draw on the legal expertise of Eric Gillespie who has extensive experience with the Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) process and the deleterious effects of industrial wind turbines on Ontario residents and on the environment. Environmental and health experts will provide evidence to the ERT that the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change failed to consider when it approved this project.
Attempts by APPEC and other County groups to stop this destructive project have gone unheeded by the provincial government. This legal action is critical to protecting the health of County residents and to preserving the ecological value of the Prince Edward County South Shore Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. It is also critical to preventing the County’s South Shore from being turned into a sprawling intermittent electricity generation station that will produce electricity but at far too high a cost.
The ERT hearing starts Monday, November 2nd at the Wellington Arena at 10:00 a.m. Members of the public are welcome and are encouraged to attend.
For more information please contact:
Paula Peel
Secretary, APPEC
contactus@appec.ca
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