4. What other alternatives are there?

     As we outlined at our August 24, 2003 public information meeting in Feversham, the Blue Highlands Citizens Coalition believes that there are at least five alternatives to large-scale commercial wind power development in our community. These are as follows:

•  Conservation . We have been strong proponents of effective electricity conservation initiatives since our inception in May of 2003. We commend the current Ontario Government initiatives aimed at ensuring effective electricity conservation and reduced electricity consumption by all Ontarians.

•  Smaller-scale, Community-based Development . We outlined our support for smaller-scale, community based wind power development at both our August 24, 2003 public information meeting in Feversham and during our December 8, 2003 presentation at Pollution Probe's “Green Power in Canada ” workshop in Toronto . We believe that smaller-scale wind power developments, funded by local investors and established as cooperative ventures, are a model for wind power development which our community should consider very seriously. A good example is provided by the Toronto Renewable Energy Cooperative, which played a major role in the development and installation of Toronto 's wind turbine on the shore of Lake Ontario near the CNE.

•  Use of Crown-owned Land . A great many of the issues which arise in connection with the proposed “Blue Highlands” wind power generation facility result from its proposed installation in the midst of a lovely rural residential community with a well-established and diverse land use pattern. Many of these issues are not relevant in circumstances in which a wind power generation facility is proposed for an area which is either not populated or, alternatively, is very lightly populated and, for whatever reason, is strongly supported by local residents. To that end, the Blue Highlands Citizens Coalition strongly recommends further work on, and public input regarding, the Ontario Government's Crown land use policy in respect of wind power development. Large tracts of Crown-owned land in remote, lightly-populated or non-populated areas with reasonable access to transmission lines and good wind resources should be identified for possible present or future large-scale wind power development, subject to satisfactory environmental assessment results.

•  Find Ontario's “Lake Bentons” . Brascan/SWEI has made heavy reference in at least one public presentation to the example of the significant wind power developments in the area of Lake Benton , Minnesota . In particular, Brascan/SWEI has highlighted the degree to which residents of the Lake Benton area apparently support wind power development in their community. There appear to be legitimate and credible reasons why Lake Benton area residents would support wind power development in their community. For example, as we outlined during our October 2, 2003 presentation to the Georgian Triangle Development Institute's Annual Conference, Minnesota's Lincoln County, in which Lake Benton is located, (i) experienced a 22% population decline between 1980 and 2000, (ii) is sparsely populated (at 12 persons per square mile), (iii) has only 1,218 people living in its largest town, (iv) is ranked 81st out of 87 Minnesota counties in terms of per capita income, (v) has a per capita income which is 65% of the Minnesota average, and (vi) has 12% of its residents living below the poverty line. Lake Benton itself has a population of only 244. These facts help to explain the basis on which large-scale wind power development may be welcomed by Lake Benton residents. While the situation within our community is not comparable to the situation faced by Lake Benton , there likely are areas in Ontario where factors like those present in Lake Benton may result in strong community acceptance of, and support for, large-scale wind power development activity. Satisfactory environmental assessment results would remain as a key condition precedent to any significant wind power development.

•  Offshore Installations . Offshore installations of wind turbines will, like land-based installations, present significant environmental issues worthy of careful consideration. As well, the economics of offshore installations may present even more significant challenges than the economic challenges faced by land-based installations. However, offshore installations are being actively pursued in many areas around the world. For example, the U.K. Government has announced plans to install 6,000 MW in new offshore installations over the next seven years. Another example is provided by the major offshore wind power development which has been proposed for Nantucket Sound off Cape Cod . Our research indicates the presence of significant offshore developable capacity in Ontario , and we support careful consideration of the offshore development option in viable locations, subject always to satisfactory environmental assessment results.

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Copyright, The Blue Highlands Citizens Coalition, 2004.  All rights reserved.