Editor’s note: This letter is addressed to the provincial Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Chris Ballard.
Sir: Our community group wishes to bring further information regarding the REA technical review for the Otter Creek Wind Farm to your attention.
We met with representatives from the proponent, Boralex, and representatives of council from the Municipality of Chatham-Kent on Dec. 7.
This meeting provided an opportunity to hear from Boralex on the project status; some comments have raised considerable alarm on our part. We feel these points should be passed on to you and your department.
As you are well aware by now, the area of the North Kent Wind 1 in Chatham-Kent has experienced well interference for many residents, and the spoiled wells have not received proper root cause identification. Our area shares the same geology.
Boralex representatives acknowledge that these are far from ideal soil conditions for industrial-scale wind turbines; they said they plan further tests on the soil structure.
Even at this very late date in the review process, they have no final geological results of soil testing. Boralex is well aware of the research indicating that installing wind turbines with steel I-Beam anchors can cause damage to the aquifer, but are still relying on methods of using that system in this area.
The impact of 12 turbines of that size planted into Kettle Point Black Shale bedrock in the area is unknown.
Residents in the Otter Creek Wind project area are understandably concerned about the potential for damage to their wells. When we asked Boralex for reassurance that turbine installation would not disrupt our water wells, they had no response.
We are also deeply concerned about the impact of noise emissions, and in no way assured by information provided in the REA process. Boralex plans to use E-141 turbines, the largest ever onshore in Canada. These turbines at present exist as prototypes only; they cannot provide data for the technical review criteria. In essence, the information they do have for these prototype turbines are estimates based on estimates. That is not good enough to assure the people of this community that their health will be protected.
Finally, when Boralex was asked why this project was planned on unstable hydrogeology and so close to 10,000 citizens on a long, narrow strip bordering a large town, their reply was simply that Chatham-Kent was a willing host, and this was the only spot left that was open.
We submit that, given the uncertainties about the technical specifications of this project, and the unresolved problems with water wells (as well as unresolved noise complaints throughout the province), this project should not be where it is in the REA process. And, as the project has changed materially since early public meetings, we request a new set of public meetings, preferably in “Town Hall” format so questions may be asked and answered publicly.
Denise Shephard
Wallaceburg Area Wind Concerns
