Links

Get Caught Up:

Timeline of Events (see what has happened to date)

Interact:

Notice Board/Upcoming Events (get involved!)

BHCC E-mail Log (check to see if you are receiving E-mails from us)

Area Photos (send in your area photos!)

Join us! (The mailing list only or become a member of the coalition)

Make a Donation (online with your credit card or by mail)

Get a Roadside Sign (let everyone know where you stand on this issue!)

Educate Yourself (use our library page to do some research)

Area Links:

     The following links will be of interest to people who wish, in the context of the large-scale commercial wind power generation facility proposed by Brascan/SWEI for our community, to further consider the unique attributes of our community and its environmental sensitivities:

The Niagara Escarpment Commission http://www.escarpment.org (The NEC has issued a Policy Planning Paper on Wind Development.)

The Blue Mountain Watershed Trust http://www.bmwt.ca

The Grey-Sauble Conservation Authority http://www.greysauble.on.ca

Bruce Trail Association http://www.brucetrail.org

Bruce Grey Trails Network http://www.brucegreytrails.com

Grey County Natural Attractions http://www.greycounty.on.ca/tourism/natural.html

Scenic Caves http://www.sceniccaves.com

Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority http://www.nvca.on.ca

Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy http://www.escarpment.ca

Escarpment Centre Ontario http://www.escarpmentcentre.org

The Insiders Network http://www.insidersnetwork.com (This is a community portal website with many great local links and area information. Look for our newsletter "The Sentinel" posted in the community bulletin board section. The Sentinel is also posted on our Library page)
 

Other Communities Dealing with Wind Power:

     A note to the reader - Some of the following web sites do delve into the merits of wind power itself. If you've spent anytime reading our own material on this site you will know that the Blue Highlands Citizens Coalition is not against wind power, just the scale and location of the proposed Blue Highlands project. We in fact have members with their own small scale wind mills. We do feel it is important that you see how the debate has developed in other parts of the world, especially in areas already dealing with large scale wind power generating facilities. In some cases the turbines have been in their communities for years. There is much to be learnt from their experiences!

Advocates for Prattsburgh - A community group in the Finger Lakes region of New York State fighting two proposed projects.

Alberta Wilderness Association - Working to protect the area just north of Cypress Hills Provincial Park known as the Fringe.

Cefn Croes Action Group - This group has lost their battle but have left their website up to help other groups learn from their experiences. Be sure to visit their photo gallery page listed below in the Construction Pictures section.

Chautauqua Wind Power - The Citizens Respond - Information on some of the issues and opinions surrounding the industrial wind power project proposed for the ridge line in the towns of Westfield and Ripley, New York.

Coalition of Residents - Tiny - A group just down the road from us dealing with wind power proposals in Tiny Township and on Christian Island.

Country Guardian - "The National Campaign to oppose wind turbines in Britain's precious landscapes and promote energy conservation." A very extensive web site!

Glebe Mountain Group - A group formed in response to concerns about a proposal to install 27 wind turbines along a three and one-half mile stretch of Glebe Mountain in Londonderry, Vermont.

The Kingdom Commons Group - Dedicated to the preservation of the Northeast Kingdom area of Vermont.

MAIWAG - Living with Wind Turbines - The Marton, Askam & Ireleth Windfarm Action Group. Be sure to check out their Windfarm Problems page.

NOWAP - No Windfarm at Parham - A group of concerned residents opposed to a proposal  for six wind turbines on a Suffolk farm in very close proximity to the villages of Great Glemham, Marlesford, and Parham (UK).

Prom Coast Guardians - Prom Coast Guardians is a community-based organization dedicated to the protection of the visual and environmental integrity of the Prom Coast's extraordinarily beautiful landscape.

Protect the Flint Hills - "The Kansas Flint Hills, the last expanse of Tallgrass Prairie on the continent, is being threatened by industrial energy development."

Protect Pendleton County - A West Virginian community group fighting a proposed industrial wind energy generating facility there.

Save Our Common Mountain Environment - A community group fighting a proposed project in Mynydd y Gwair, UK.

Save Upstate New York - A concerned citizens group with a mission to offer fact-based information on the impact of wind turbines within the entire region of upstate New York.

Views of Scotland - "We seek to bring the facts surrounding renewable energy decisions to the Scottish people and their political representatives."

Virginia Wind - "We are guided by the Precautionary Principal, wherein 'if we have reasonable suspicion of harm, accompanied by scientific uncertainty, then we all have a duty to take action to prevent harm'."

Communities That Have Embraced Wind Power:

     The Blue Highlands Citizens Coalition is not against wind power in principal, but does contend that it should be located in appropriate areas for the scale of the development. The following links are to communities that have embraced wind generating facilities as their areas are sparsely populated and can better accommodate such large scale industrial installations. It should also be noted that, while each of these areas do have their own scenic attributes, they do not have the unique, well-recognized and highly valued scenic beauty of our community which, for so long, has been the subject of Government protection through the Niagara Escarpment Commission.

Pincher Creek, Alberta - This link takes you to a page at the Pincher Creek Chamber of Commerce that shows the construction of a turbine.

Cowley Ridge Wind Plant, Alberta - Another Pincher Creek area development with two different styles of turbines. This link takes you to the photo page of their site.

Lake Benton, Minnesota - This small Midwestern community (Pop. 702) has also embraced industrial wind turbine development to supplement its mainly agricultural economy. It is interesting to note that on this page they invite you to come and listen to the "swoosh swoosh swoosh" of the turbines.

Wind Power Generating Facility Construction Photos:

Cefn Croes Photo Gallery - Documentation and commentary of the construction process at the Cefn Croes project in Wales.

Fenner Windpower Project Pictures - A few pages of pictures of the construction of this Madison County, New York project.

Melancthon Wind Power Plant Construction Photos - This project is close enough to visit in person.

Pincher Creek, Alberta -  As above, this link takes you to a page at the Pincher Creek Chamber of Commerce that shows the construction of a turbine.

Oklahoma Wind Power Generating Facility - Construction photos of this project.

Wind Power Forum Page:

Wind-Farm.org - A site which encourages healthy debate and discussion concerning the proliferation of these projects in the UK. Some interesting reading plus you can participate, too!

Other Sites:

Artists Against Windfarms -  Christine Lovelock's web site that was created to help save the hills and mountains and moorlands that are the inspiration for her paintings.

aweo.org - Industrial Wind Energy Opposition - A collection of papers, articles and web site links.

National Wind Watch - A coalition of citizens and grassroots groups, formed to promote knowledge and raise awareness of industrial wind energy development.

Ontario Wind Resource Atlas - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources - "Wind resource maps or atlases are used by the wind industry as initial prospecting tools to locate areas warranting local investigation"

Conservation:

Ontario Ministry of Energy - Energy Saving Tips - Conservation is a powerful tool to help address our energy concerns. This link takes you to the Ministry's online guide to conserving power. You can make a difference! (start by getting rid of your old "beer fridge"!)

Ontario Wholesale Electricity Demand and Price Information - Keep track of the provinces power demand and wholesale electricity pricing. Updated several times daily.

Government Contacts:

Town of the Blue Mountains

Municipality of Grey Highlands

The Honourable Laurel Broten
Minister of the Environment
12th Floor, 135 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto, Ontario M4V 1P5
Email the Minister at: minister@ene.gov.on.ca

The Honourable Donna Cansfield
Minister of Energy
E-mail the Minister

The Niagara Escarpment Commission

Ken Whitbread, Manager
ken.whitbread@mnr.gov.on.ca

Disclaimer
The BHCC seeks to ensure that the information published on this website is as up to date and accurate as possible. The information on this website does not constitute legal or professional advice and BHCC cannot accept any liability for actions arising from its use. BHCC cannot be held responsible for the contents of any website pages referenced to by an external web link.