Read the rest of Susan Hundertmark's article at the Mitchell Advocate siteA recent presentation to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture board by two HEAT (Huron East Against Turbines) members contributed towards a recent OFA position statement calling on the provincial government to “suspend the invasion of rural Ontario with industrial wind turbines.”Mark Wales, OFA president, said in a phone interview last week that a power-point presentation by St. Columban farmer Tom Melady and his sister Jeanne is an example of what he’s been hearing from farmers across Southwestern Ontario.
“I don’t want to put a number on it but there are concerns people don’t feel are being addressed. We’re saying, ‘Let’s pause the process and get it right,’” said Wales.
The OFA position statement, written in response to the provincial FIT (Feed-in Tariff) review by the Ontario government now in progress, expresses concern about the price paid for wind power, setback issues, noise impacts, health concerns, the removal of municipal authority over planning for industrial wind turbines and the divisive effect of wind turbines on rural communities.
“Over the past few weeks we have clearly heard OFA members tell us of health concerns, concerns over the loss of farmland, encumbrances on their farm properties and many more issues related to the imposition of wind turbines across our rural landscape,” says a recent press release from Wales.
“Local directors for the OFA have been getting this message from farmers for some time now,” said Wales in the interview.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Local farmer’s presentation to OFA contributes to policy statement
The Mitchell Advocate: Local farmer’s presentation to OFA contributes to policy statement
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On behalf of all of us a big thank you to Tom and Jeanne for a job well done.
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