SooToday.com received the following copy of a letter sent to Ontario's Environmental Approvals Branch of the Ministry of the Environment regarding the proposed Goulais wind project which is planned to be located just outside of Sault Ste. Marie, ON near the TransCanada Hwy.17 at the top of what the locals call "The Mile Hill".
The writer, Geri Turchet, says the letter could just as easily have been written about the Bow Lake wind project which is planned to be located near Hwy. 17 at the Montreal River Harbour area just outside of Lake Superior Park or any other of the several wind projects also planned for the Algoma Region of Ontario.
Loyal SooToday.com reader Geri Turchet also submitted the photo above, explaining it was taken from a train travelling between Searchmont and Sault Ste. Marie and that it is an area that would be adversely affected by construction of wind towers.
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To the attention of:
Shannon McNeill
Senior Project Evaluator
Ministry of the Environment
Operations Division
Environmental Approvals Branch
Regarding: EBR Registry 011-8558 Goulais wind project
This is a letter of protest.
There are so many things about this project to protest about, so many that I’m not sure where to begin.
Do I begin with the fact that we already have a very large wind project in the area called Prince wind farm, meaning we’ve regrettably “done our bit” and would now like to be taken off the hook?
No more.
We simply don’t need more turbines here.
Our population isn’t big enough to warrant more power generation this close to home, and besides, to save the planet, aren’t we supposed to be conserving energy, not cutting down tons and tons of trees, making gravel pits bigger, manufacturing these massively tall turbines in not so green factories somewhere else, trucking them across the countryside and then pouring tons of cement at the base of each of them?
Or do I start with the fact that Prince wind project, on top of the same hills as the proposed Goulais wind project, has not met with expectations or developers promises?
I haven’t seen any fantastic reports published about the Prince project and how wonderful it is.
No great statistics boasting about it’s efficiencies, protection of wildlife, or increases to property values for those folks in the area who get to see the turbines from their lake fronts, beaches, hiking trails or provincial park camp sites up to some 80 kms away?
Or do I complain about the large subsidies our government is handing out from my pocket to very rich corporations who will build the Goulais project and call themselves green who we all know are not in this business for the greening of the planet?
Without hefty subsidies the developers wouldn’t be green at all.
They would find another way to make money.
Or do I complain about the flaws in the approval process that favours developers by asking the developers to kindly take on the responsibility of informing the public about their project and wind power in general in whatever manner they see fit and only in a favourable light if they so wish and then please assemble feedback from the public during the information sessions and please send it into the approval granting government bodies so they can have a look at it and hopefully all of it is sent and if it wasn’t no one would ever know?
The approval process gives the appearance of done deals and going through the motions.
Or do I complain about developers sponsoring community events and fireworks and promising to build hockey rinks even before the wind project has been officially approved?
Or maybe it has been.
These donations tend to give the impression that it’s already a done deal.
Or do I complain about the fact that the Goulais wind turbines which will reach a height of 40 stories, taller than Prince turbines, have no business towering way over the trees of the jaw-dropping amazingly beautiful wilderness area surrounding Lake Superior where there’s often not a building to seen for as far as the eye can see (only trees and hills and water)?
I would think obvious common sense would tell us and you that this valuable area should be protected from this type of industrialization.
Or maybe I should just simply ask “What are we thinking? How can we possibly be allowing this to happen?”
I say no, this project does not get my approval!
Not at all. NO.
I object.
Yours truly,
Geri Turchet
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