Wind turbines in Hemmingford?

by Benoît Bleau  (August 2013)

Some landowners in Hemmingford have recently been contacted by firms interested in generating electric power using wind turbines. No projects have yet been proposed, nor have municipal governments taken a position on this issue. In fact the township mayor has given assurances at recent council meetings that no decisions will be made without consulting the community. Nevertheless, the Hemmingford Environment Committee has started the process of evaluating the costs and benefits of wind power generation for our community. Our objective is to examine both the positive and negative impacts, to consult with members of the community and to provide input to our municipal representatives as part of a possible future consultative process. Some of the key questions we have been researching are:

• Do we need to develop wind energy in Quebec? Wind energy is a source of alternative energy. We are currently living with hydro surpluses and have a history of selling hydro power to the USA. Can we plan for a democratic discussion of this issue when contracts offered by wind-power companies to individuals, have confidentiality clauses?
• What are the possible negative health effects, particularly the impact of low-frequency vibrations? Some studies have shown that, mainly for those with health issues and for young children, living close to the type of windmills being constructed in our region, poses health threats. (For a detailed analysis see Dr N. Pierpont, 2009, Wind Turbine Syndrome. She studied the effect of the windmills constructed from Chateauguay to Altona, New York. Also see Dossier Santé: Impact des éoliennes industrielles en zones habitées”Binder by Terre Citoyenne)
• If there are serious health effects, what is a safe offset limit (minimum distance between wind turbines and residences)? Our MRC has decided that 750 metres is acceptable. However there is no evidence to support this distance. Our two neighbouring MRC’s (Haut-Richelieu and Haut-St Laurent) have 2 km as the safe limit, the limit proposed in Dr. Pierpoint’s study.
• What is the impact on wildlife? Bird and bat flight patterns need to be taken into account. (See the movie Windrush for more on this).
• Who benefits financially from wind turbines? Monetary benefits for wind turbines go to the individual landowner and the municipal government. In other communities, neighbours’ land values have dropped by as much as 40% and the sale of properties has been affected. Do the monetary benefits offered by wind energy companies cover this kind of long-term loss? Should the development of wind energy be in private hands or owned by all Quebecers, through a government-owned agency (the way hydro power is managed). Presently it is privately owned.
• What economic, social and environmental future do we want for our community? Do we want Hemmingford moving towards wind turbine energy? Do we want to be known as an agro-touristic area? Something else? In the upcoming work on a Development Plan for Hemming- ford, this question will need to be addressed.

We would welcome any input from the community regarding wind power turbines in Hemmingford. What are your thoughts on this? The issue is complicated and there are strong views about the costs and benefits of this technology being established in our region. We would like to encourage you to do your own research.

Bernd Baier bc.baier@gmail.com
Benoit Bleau benoit.bleau@gmail.com
Frances Ravensbergen francesr@sympatico.ca for the Hemmingford Environment Committee

Google ‘Wind Turbine Syndrome’ for many sites both for and against wind turbines.

Canadian sites :
www.windturbinesyndrome.com
www.rdda.ca/ (Regroupment pour le développement durable des Appalaches)

Sites internationnaux :
www.windaction.org/
www.wind-watch.org
www.na-paw.org (North American Platform Against Windpower)