Wind turbine tribunal continues next week
Week two of the Environmental Review Tribunal regarding the wpd Fairview Wind project begins Monday.
The hearing began in Collingwood on May 16. By the close of the tribunal, it will have heard from two dozen witnesses speaking on the subject of the wind turbines’ impact on aviation safety and the natural environment.
Approval was granted by the MOECC on Feb. 11. Shortly afterward, John Wiggins, Gail Elwood, Kevin Elwood, Preserve Clearview, the County of Simcoe, the Township of Clearview and the Town of Collingwood appealed the approval to the Environmental Review Tribunal on the grounds that the project will cause serious harm to human health and serious and irreversible harm to plant life, animal life and the natural environment.
Later, participant status was granted to the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association and presenter status was granted to the Collingwood Flying Club, Susan Richardson, Elizabeth Marshall and Mandy and Stephen Bridson.
Opening statements were delayed at the opening of the hearing because wpd’s lawyers had not disclosed the statement from their expert witness.
Clearview Township’s lawyer Harold Elston of Barriston Law said the witness statement from a Dr. Cox was received late in the day on Friday, May 20 and the law team is now working out how to respond to it.
“Everybody is now focused on replying to Dr. Cox and some of the other witness statements. We are already part way into the hearing,” said Elston adding that they have until the end of this week to respond.
Last week, the Township of Clearview brought forward its expert witness, forensic climatology consultant Randy Mawson.
Elston said Mawson has 40 years of experience in ‘aviation weather’ and his job was to brief pilots on what weather they would encounter.
“He was able to give expert opinion evidence about the impact of weather on flying. He said Southern Georgian Bay region, and particularly the Collingwood Regional Airport, is subject to rapidly changing weather, whether it’s snow squalls or what they call pulse thunderstorms or different kinds of fog, we get it and it comes in fast and changes fast. So the thrust of his evidence is that we do get the kind of weather systems that impair a pilot’s visibility and that they are difficult to predict,” said Elston, supporting the case that the weather makes the turbines more dangerous to pilot safety.
Also in the first week, the tribunal heard from those given presenter status, regarding wildlife, water quality and aviation. The tribunal heard testimony from Kevin Elwood on Friday.
Next week, other appellants will call their expert aviation witnesses.
The hearing held at Collingwood council chambers, continues May 30 and wraps up on June 3.
