Barrett applauds ECO call, “to be smarter about where we place wind power facilities.”

For immediate release:
October 5, 2012

Simcoe – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett hopes government listens to its environmental commissioner regarding new thinking on placement of wind turbines.

In the 2011/2012 annual report of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), titled Losing Our Touch, Gord Miller indicates, “we need to be smarter about where we place wind power facilities.”

“Coupled with a recent study reflecting decreasing property values near wind towers, Mr. Miller’s call for consideration of wind power impact on bird and bat habitats strengthens the case for rethinking provincial wind strategy,” Barrett noted. “There’s certainly strong support in our area for a rethink before we see the 200 planned wind towers march across our Counties.”

Specifically, the ECO annual report advises government to, “put additional areas of the province off-limits to wind power projects to safeguard birds, bats and their habitats.”

“I am concerned that the current guidelines do not go far enough to ensure that wind power development is compatible with Ontarians’ objective of protecting wildlife,” Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner said. “Given the importance of selecting sites that minimize the harm to birds and bats, it just makes sense to avoid building wind energy projects in these species’ most ecologically sensitive locations.”

The Environmental Commissioner’s report can be read at: www.eco.on.ca.

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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: (416) 325-8404,
(519) 428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629