CAW IWT History (Part 2 of 2) — Karen Hunter
(Part 1)
When uncertainty puts people’s health and safety at risk – as CAW’s wind turbine does- S.T.O.P. believes decision- makers must err on the side of caution. CAW, MOE – and all other government officials – have not addressed any of the community’s health and safety concerns. Instead, the community’s issues have been dismissed—and, we’re angry!
CAW’s ‘environmentally green’ decision to build an industrial wind turbine was, in fact, a ‘financially green’ choice to put money ahead of health and safety. In a matter of two months, CAW’s wind turbine destroyed a valued relationship that took forty years to build. CAW has lost the trust, confidence, and support of the residents of Port Elgin.
The Family Education & Conference Centre, instead of a legacy, has become a thorn in CAW’s side.
Significant medical research confirms that turbines, when located too close to people, cause sickness. Lewenza’s response, “If we are wrong, and our windmill causes serious problems for our neighbours, then we will work diligently to make the necessary adjustments.” CAW’s approach requires people to have ‘serious problems’, sickness or accidents, before CAW will ‘make an adjustment’. What happened to, “We fight as CAW members for the health and safety of our world”?
The ‘old’ labour-focused CAW – that claimed to be a transparent, democratic, inclusive union that cared about its community of interest and always put health and safety first – has become a ‘new’ energy-focused CAW ‘corporation’ that allows revenue to dictate its principles.
S.T.O.P. believes CAW’s turbine must be stopped immediately because: • the Ontario government and CAW conspired to build CAW’s wind turbine for mutual benefit without concern for the impacted residents;
- political and financial gains have been put ahead of people’s health and safety;
- setback laws (minimum 550m, that are inadequate at best) have been circumvented resulting in the inappropriate location of a large industrial turbine too close (175m) to people;
- the approval process has been undemocratic, non-participative, non-inclusive, and cloaked in secrecy – contradicting the government’s and CAW’s apparent principles;
- important scientific and financial facts have been ignored; • the government and CAW have shown willful neglect of responsibility.
S.T.O.P. wants: A full moratorium on the completion, commissioning, and operation of CAW’s industrial wind turbine UNTIL full and complete consultation with all stakeholders has taken place, including the provision of all available reports and evidence relating to the health, safety, and welfare of the people, businesses, animals, and environment impacted by CAW’s industrial wind turbine.
S.T.O.P. thanks the many tireless wind concerns groups – primarily in rural Ontario – for their determination, courage, expertise, and support. Together, we will expose the harm caused by locating wind turbines too close to people.
Dr. Vito Forte’s Health & Safety Concerns Regarding CAW’s Industrial Wind Turbine
From a letter dated November 26, 2011 to Doris Dumais, Director of Environmental Approvals, MOE, Ontario
Dear Ms Dumais:
I write to you today both personally and Professionally based on the conversations that I have had with several of my Professional colleagues who work at University Academic Centers in Toronto.
Although a major supporter of the Green initiatives in Canada, I am confused and upset that the decision to proceed with the construction of the wind turbine in Port Elgin, Ontario is ignoring the latest setback recommendations that were created in consideration of the current best available knowledge on the health and safety of all. In the medical field, as in all others as well, guidelines, recommendations, policies, procedures, and treatments change and respond to the best currently available knowledge, always with the intention of doing what is in the best interest of the patient and society. In the case of the wind turbine, all I ask is that this same principal be applied using the current (not past) recommendations of setback allowances.
Analogy: As your doctor, I know you would want me to treat your condition “x” based on the most current clinical practice guidelines and regulatory policies, not those that are out-dated or unlawful. Would you personally live right next to a wind turbine given some of the current clinical concerns coming from people who have? Or would you ignore them and simply explain those symptoms away as being psychosomatic?
There are emerging scientific theories attempting to explain some of those symptoms experienced by those living near wind turbines. Personally, I do vacation in Port Elgin, but certainly would not live next to a wind turbine for similar concerns that I would have living under a high energy power transmission line, next to the Bruce Nuclear Power generating station, or a waste dumping site for that matter, keeping my distance concurrent with latest scientific and clinical recommendations as well as respecting my personal “gut feelings” as a surgeon, scientist and father.
I ask that you pay respect to the current Government created setback recommendations, stop and re- evaluate the project rather than potentially put the health and safety of those neighbours at risk.
You have the authority and responsibility to do so. Respectfully submitted,
Vito Forte MD, FRCS(C) Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto Otolaryngologist-in-Chief Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
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S.T.O.P.’s Questions for CAW
In Ontario and around the world (primarily in Europe, Australia, and the US), people living more than 550m from a wind turbine have become sick. About 100 Port Elgin families live less than 550m from the CAW wind turbine. Hundreds of CAW employees work at the CAW Centre and there is an on-site preschool daycare. An estimated 10,000 people visit and stay overnight at the facility every year. S.T.O.P. believes people will become sick.
CAW President, Ken Lewenza, stated in the Shoreline Beacon, “If we are wrong, and our windmill causes serious problems for our neighbours, then we will work diligently to make the necessary adjustments.” On the radio talk-show, Goldhawk Fights Back, Ken Bondy (CAW National Coordinator of Health, Safety & Environment) was asked,
“If the turbine goes up—and there are complaints of sleeplessness and other standard health effects we hear from these wind turbines…if it’s making life miserable for people near the wind turbine…the CAW will shut this thing down?” Bondy’s reply, “Yes, that’s the commitment from our National President”
Question: Does CAW promise to shut down the wind turbine when people get sick? If so, how quickly?
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People in Ontario and globally are reporting chronic sleep disruption, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, nausea, ringing in the ears, high blood pressure, and heart palpitations – to name some of the symptoms – after turbines become operational.
Question: Does CAW recognize these symptoms of ‘sickness’ that necessitate the turbine be stopped?
Question: Has CAW educated its employees on the health symptoms they may experience when the turbine becomes operational?
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Infrasound – the sound you cannot hear – is believed to contribute to the above symptoms.
Question: In addition to audible (dBA) noise, will the CAW be monitoring low frequency/infrasound (dBC) noise?
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Over 30 Ontario families have had to leave their homes because they are located near a wind turbine and are unable to live there. We don’t know how many others have quietly sold and moved to escape. Some Wind Developers have purchased these homes and imposed gag orders.
Question: Will the CAW purchase – at today’s fair market value – any home that a family can’t live in after the CAW wind turbine start-up? Will CAW do this without forcing neighbouring families into litigation to make this happen?
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CAW’s 800kw/103.dBA turbine will operate at 500kw/100dBA capacity with a 45dBA noise limit (at the nearest home) despite the limit’s unsuitability for a resort area.
Question: How will the turbine output be limited to ensure the sound power (at the hub) does not exceed 100dBA? Who will be responsible for measuring noise, how will measurements be done, will noise be monitored 24/7, what action will be taken if/when the limit is exceeded, and how soon will the action be taken?
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Wind turbines are known to catch fire. In addition to the time delay required for a non- resident emergency team to respond, the Port Elgin Fire Department is concerned about the protection of people and structures surrounding the turbine.
Question: What is CAW’s emergency plan to protect these people and structures?
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In colder months, ice accumulates on wind turbines and their blades. Large chunks of ice can be shed and/or thrown long distances.
Question: What precautions is CAW taking to protect people using CAW’s parking lot, its Family Education and Conference Facility, its on-site preschool daycare, as well as the busy County Road 25 adjacent to the turbine?
S.T.O.P. Legal Action
The following people participated in the CAW wind turbine approval process in full awareness of the health and safety risks to the Port Elgin community. These individuals have shown willful neglect.
Ken Lewenza, President, CAW Buzz Hargrove, Former CAW President Peter Kennedy, CAW Secretary-Treasurer Ken Bondy, CAW National Coordinator of Health, Safety & Environment Kim Yardy, National Representative, Education Department Dean Fowler, Director, CAW Family Education Centre
Martin K. Ince, P.Eng, Martin K. Ince & Associates Ltd. Dalila Giusti, P.Eng, Jade Acoustics Terry E. Thompson, P.Eng, Talisman Energy Inc.
Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario Chris Bentley, Minister of Energy Jim Bradley, Minister of the Environment Doris Dumais, Approvals Director, Ministry of the Environment Deb Matthews, Minister of Health
CAW turbine situated in the parking lot of their Family Education Centre. The nearest home is just 210 metres away on the other side of the turbine. Childrens' sports fields are located even a shorter distance away, just to the right of it.
