Ontario Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks, Jeff Yurek, Cancels Nation Rise Industrial Wind Project
Friends, colleagues,
How many projects are there worldwide, with utter devastation to bat, bird, pollinators, insects? Is this ever going to be tallied? Here is recognition in Ontario of the harm in particular to bats, and a zero tolerance, finally. (We know about the harm to human health, livestock, pets, animals, wildlife, even earthworms, literally every living thing in the vicinity. Reaching our end goal can come in many forms.)
Please distribute the media release and Minister Yurek's statement re the cancellation of the approval for Nation Rise 100 MW wind turbine project.
Please support the Minister, and stand strong to the possible fallout from the other parties and of course an upset developer and participating leaseholders.
It is very difficult for them to refute this noble and wise decision. Please take a minute to send a word of thanks, if you have not yet done so. May this be the start of many shut downs. For all the reasons we all know.
Thank you everyone across Ontario, who made this level of support possible for North Stormont! And celebrate this Christmas season, with a cheer for all those who did incredible work to educate Ministers and the Premier.
Ministry office
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
5th Floor
777 Bay St.
Toronto, ON M7A 2J3
Tel. 416-314-6790
minister.mecp@ontario.ca
Constituency office
Suite 201
750 Talbot St.
St. Thomas, ON N5P 1E2
Tel. 519-631-0666
Fax 519-631-9478
Toll-free 1-800-265-7638
jeff.yurek@pc.ola.org
Premier: premier@ontario.ca
«The appeal before me is of a January 4, 2019 decision of the Environmental Review Tribunal confirming a decision of the Director to issue a Renewable Energy Approval to Nation Rise Wind Farm GP Inc. (the Approval Holder). The Tribunal held a hearing on the approval over nine days in the fall of 2018. The Tribunal's decision was appealed to me on February 4, 2019, within the window of the 30-day appeal period provided for under the Environment Protection Act (EPA). The appellant has also asked for a stay of the Tribunal's decision in order to halt the construction of the project.
«The appellant in the appeal is a local residents group named the Concerned Citizens of North Stormont. The respondents are the Director who issued the approval under the EPA and the Approval Holder. ...
«Even if these conditions could be improved to limit harm to local bats, harm will still occur. Considering this harm together in the context of the minimal contribution the project is likely to have on the electricity supply in Ontario, in my view it is not appropriate to confirm the decision of the Tribunal, but rather amend it to revoke the approval.»
Read the Minister’s complete decision (PDF)
«The letter from the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, explaining his reasons for revoking the permit for the Nation Rise 100 MW wind turbine project, is clear. Minister Jeff Yurek finds that there “will be harm to bats,” and that significant gaps exist within the developer’s mandate; monitoring only ten turbines of the possible 33 sites, and monitoring only two of three significant bat habitats is, he states, unacceptable. Additionally, The Minister finds that the monitoring of only three years, with a mitigation protocol that would only be required after ten bats per turbine were destroyed, does not match his view for meaningful “conservation” of species.»
Read the complete media release (PDF) from Stop Wind Turbines in North Stormont and NA-PAW
Letters
Dear Minister Yurek,
We applaud your cancelling the turbine project south of Ottawa! Well done! You are courageous and wise. You are also, by the way, scientifically sound. (If the developer sues you for this bold act, contact my wife, Nina Pierpont, MD, PhD, for plenty of scientific justification for stopping this project vis-a-vis the bats. She can furnish you with peer-reviewed science articles, and could even testify in support of your decision.)
I am a retired Rutgers University professor of history. Years ago I had a Canadian Embassy fellowship to spend a year at Queen’s University as a visiting professor. I spent a lovely year in Kingston. (I was born in Toronto, raised in Quebec. Went to the US for college and graduate school, and stayed.)
My wife Nina, who is co-signing this, holds an honors BA in biology from Yale, Princeton PhD in biology (behavioral ecology/evolutionary biology/population biology), and MD from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Nina lived in the Amazon jungle in a tent for 2 years (all told), studying bird behavior. Lots of bats in the Amazon jungle!
Nina is the author of “Wind Turbine Syndrome: A Report on a Natural Experiment” (K-Selected Books, 2009). The book that went around the world — translated into 8 different languages.
We cheer you on!
Calvin Luther Martin, PhD
Nina Pierpont, MD, PhD
Malone, New York
Dear Premier Ford,
I live on Amherst Island and have been enduring noise, blade flicker and infrasound impacts as a result of the Amherst Island Wind Turbine Project (Liberty Power aka Algonquin Power).
This was the last project pushed through the Liberal government before the last election. It is truly a heartbreaker. I would not wish this on any community.
As a result, when I heard the excellent news that the Ontario government cancelled the Nations Rise project and is really going to take action to protect the environment (saving bats), reducing our future financial burden, protecting residents I cheered!!!
You and your government colleagues have given us hope that there are elected officials who have the courage to take a stand that is for the best in the long run and not be swayed by lobbyists with deep pockets.
We believe that small thorium nuclear power plants are the most economic and environmentally responsible option.
I would welcome an opportunity to give you a tour of Amherst Island. Voted in 2013 by the National Trust of Canada as one of Canada’s Top Ten Endangered Heritage Places because of the threat of the wind project on the Island’s significant cultural and natural heritage…..but this did nothing to stop the Liberals.
Thank you for having a backbone and taking action!!! It is so refreshing and exactly what many voters want to see.
Cheering you on and forever grateful,
Andrea Cross
Stella, Ontario
Dear Minister Jeff Jurek, Minister for the Environment, Conservation and Parks,
Bravo and thank you for revoking the permit for the Nations Rise Ontario 100MW's of wind turbines.
It is great and really refreshing to see for a change a government Minister/political public representative using their powers to do the right thing for a change, standing up and putting a halt to what has been the continual onslaught of negative socioeconomic and environmental impacts from a deeply flawed Renewable Energy Policy at national and at a global level.
Your assessment, decision and action in revoking the Nations Rise 100MW wind turbine permit is music to the ears of a weary yet determined renewables opponent.
It is great to see intelligence and common sense and righteousness and sanity prevail.
This gives one great hope.
I write to you from Ireland.
For over 6 years I have been researching analysing and assessing energy policy in Ireland and elsewhere.
We have a seriously flawed and destructive renewable energy policy here on the Island of Ireland both north and south.
I have objected to various unnecessary renewable energy projects in Ireland including high voltage power lines, electricity interconnectors, wind farms, solar farms, fossil fuel guzzling Data Centres falsely claiming to be powered by 100% Renewable Energy and for the last 2 years I have been opposing the uptake of Lithium Ion Battery hybrid and fully electric vehicles at both the private and public sector level.
At the same time I have been objecting to the proposed deployment of over 4000MW's of High Fire Risk toxic lethal Lithium Ion Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS's) in the Republic of Ireland most of which has been sadly granted planning permission without proper comprehensive socioeconomic and environmental assessment, without technical feasibility studies, without independent risk assessments, without health impact studies, without cost benefit analysis, without any metals resources and carbon footprint assessment of these renewable energy so called 'technologies'.
Ireland's Chief Scientific advisor describes these Lithium Ion batteries as an 'unstable' technology.
A scientist at the International Fire Conference in Holland November 2018 described these Lithium Ion batteries in electric vehicles and battery energy storage systems as 'Bombs' and that they have yet to come up with a strategy to prevent, suppress and extinguish Lithium Ion Battery Energy Storage System fires/explosions.
The American National Fire Protection Association NPFA classes solar panels and Lithium Ion Battery Energy Storage Systems as High Fire Risk.
Here in Ireland we are ill prepared for a Major Hazardous Accident Event associated with these Battery Energy Storage Systems proposed to be deployed all over the country, many of them on or colocated with or beside other highly hazardous facilities.
And the latest other crazy Renewables development is the conversion of slurry and grass to renewable biogas where the produce of livestock becomes a byproduct of renewable biogas production.
I am concerned about the sludge waste waste byproduct potentially full of a dangerous cocktail of pathogens and how that might be disposed of and about all of the associated waste ammonia.
I am also concerned about the intensification of livestock numbers to produce more slurry to feed the anaerobic digesters, the 24/7 indoor housing of livestock and the impact on animal health and welfare and the resultant quality of meat and dairy produce.
Ireland is renowned for its premium quality, low carbon footprint, pasture reared, grass fed livestock (dairy and meat produce).
Is this reputation to be destroyed all because of an ill conceived renewables energy policy?
Tourism is also very important to Ireland.
Is Ireland to overnight become a danger sport destination where daredevil tourists see if they can safely dodge the ticking toxic Lithium Ion Battery Bombs proposed to be deployed all over the country without any major accident plans in place, with questionable emergency rescue resources and training in place and with the Accident and Emergency units of General Hospitals so under resourced and over crowded?
So whilst this email is being sent to congratulate you it is also a kind of personal SOS from Ireland.
For years I have been contacting elected public representatives at every level here in Ireland and in Europe, government departments, lodged countless planning submissions, contacted Chief Fire Officers, the national Health Service Executive, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, the Central Bank of Ireland etc. about the flawed Renewable Energy policy and the socioeconomic and environmental destruction and the squandering of resources and all to little avail.
Perhaps if you get the chance you might kindly try to talk sense into Ireland's Minister Richard Bruton, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment and Minister Eoghan Murphy, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government before they cause any more unnecessary harm and destruction to Ireland with their deeply flawed national renewable energy policy proposals.
Finally, Ontario is so very lucky to have you as their Minister for the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
Keep up the good work!
Kind Regards
Carmel McCormack B.Soc.Sci (Hons)
Environmental Social Scientist
Clogheen
Cahir
Co. Tipperary
Ireland
Enormous thanks to you, Minister Yurek, for your courageous, wise, and compassionate cancellation of the approval for the Nations Rise 100 MW wind turbine project.
We here in Martha’s Vineyard are fighting very hard against the proposal to place an initial 800MW [eventually extending to 7,000MW!!] offshore array just 15 miles from our homes, our pets, livestock, wildlife, and from our tourist economy - which would surely be devastated by the infrasound emitted, as well as eviscerate the entirety of the region's fisheries, an important worldwide food resource.
Your action gives us hope - and support. Thank you!!!
We invite you to tune in to the video of an important meeting here where the Edgartown (MA) Conservation Commission denied the permit for the Vineyard Wind cable to pass thru Muskeget Channel. A 5-hour meeting, I edited it down to a more digestible 97 minutes which nevertheless preserves the essence of every speaker pro and con. Quite a tale it tells - and including why that cable will never be successfully buried here. The developer doesn’t care. The State is attempting to un-constitutionally overrule the town board’s action.
I’m existentially persuaded that our sentient earth will not let this happen, but every nail helps the coffin lid become secured for all time.
Sincerely,
Helen Schwiesow Parker, PhD, LCP
Chilmark, Massachusetts
Hello minister Yurek, I am writing to express my support for your decision to cancel the permit for the wind power development at Nations Rise in order to protect bats , birds and other wildlife from the devastating effects of the wind turbines. All across Canada, more stringent regulations are required for wind power developments and I applaud your bold action. I live in Alberta and have forwarded the news of your decision to the environment minister of Alberta to try to spur better and more comprehensive regulations for wind power development.
Thanks again.
Ivan Purdy, P. Eng (retired) County of Stettler, Alberta