The Wallaceburg Area Wind Concerns group is hoping to empower the Thames – Sydenham & Region Drinking Water Source Protection committee to add wind turbines as a threat to the aquifer under their mandate, after gathering support from the Municipality of Chatham-Kent council this week.
The group got in front of council on Monday, May 28, to express their concerns about the Otter Creek Wind project specifically.
At the conclusion of the presentation, made by group members Violet Towell and Denise Shephard, North Kent Coun. Leon Leclair entered a successful motion, which included the following points:
– Council extend the baseline testing at cost to the Municipality to be reimbursed by the developer, to include the wells within the proposed Otter Creek Wind Farm area.
– Council direct administration to write the Province of Ontario to: protect water wells as a water source.
– Utilize the precautionary principle and investigate turbine installation and operation as possible threats to the aquifer in all of Chatham-Kent, including North Kent and Otter Creek
– Protect Chatham-Kent from future turbine developments that could impact water sources
“I know it’s troubling and there are concerns,” Leclair said.
“Thank you for being leaders in your community and the way that you have been leading. It’s very refreshing sitting on this side of the desk. I understand the impact.”
Towell said the Wallaceburg Area Wind Concerns group met recently the Thames – Sydenham & Region Drinking Water Source Protection committee, who has a mandate to protect water wells and water sources and to identify threats.
“What they are trying to do is to ensure every person in Ontario has access to clean water,” Towell said during a deputation to council.
Towell said input from the Municipal level was needed, in order to identify wind turbines as a threat and to elevate private wells into the protection of the source protection plan.
Towell said some benefits for Chatham-Kent by making these changes, include:
– Protection from any future wind turbine projects
– Protection against negative impact on wells in the Otter Creek area
– Protection of groundwater quality
“Under the Clean Water Act, significant drinking water threats are those that pose or have the potential to pose a significant threat,” Towell said.
“The objective of the plan is to develop policies to ensure the activity ceases to be or never becomes significant.”
Towell added: “I also want to point out the vulnerability of an aquifer may be increased by an land use, activity of feature that disturbs the surface above the aquifer. I would suggest that both of these things are in play currently with the situation with the wells in Chatham-Kent.”
Towell said the Water Source Protection committee has created “living documents” that are meant to be updated from time to time.
“Based on what we’re learning and what we have seen happening in the area, we suggest that that time is now… and what we’re talking about is making amendments to those documents.”
Shephard discussed a map, provided by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, which shows the vulnerable aquifer zones in the region.
Shepherd said there are 24 turbines in East St. Clair and 20 turbines from North Kent 1 that are situated directly on the vulnerable aquifer.
“This may not strike you as sound ground water resource management practices to construct industrial wind turbines on such a sensitive area,” Shepherd said.
Shepherd pointed out some “contaminated wells” on the map as well, which are located thoruhgout.
“You’ve heard of well interference problems that homes are experiencing and the lab testing showing the black shale in the water,” she said.
“We’d like you to realize the true concerns we are expressing at the thought of turbine pile driving and installation being installed so close to our homes if the Otter Creek project was to proceed. We’re asking for your advocacy to protect a sustainable water supply for all.”
Towell said it is known that no earthquakes or other phenomenon have occurred in the area to explain the well damage, the Otter Creek area shares the same geology as North Kent 1 in Dover, Boralex has indicated the soil conditions are far from ideal for the Otter Creek project and experts are starting to speak up about their concerns.
Towell said she was asking Chatham-Kent council to employ “The Precautionary Principle.”
“Essentially, this is a principle that denotes a duty to prevent harm when it is within your power to do so, even when all of the evidence is not in,” Towell said.
Construction for the project had been planned for the spring of 2018, with a target of reaching commercial operation by the end of 2019.
The project has yet to receive REA approval.
