Residents in this community now know where their local MPP stands when it comes to a proposed wind farm in their community.
MPP Ted Arnott said concerned residents need to speak up. “The McGuinty government’s Green Energy Act has pitted neighbour against neighbour. The Act takes away the decision-making authority of local councils, and dismisses serious questions about the potential impact of wind turbines on human and animal health.”
The Wellington-Halton Hills MPP spoke and voted against the Green Energy Act when it was debated in the Ontario legislature in February 2009. That legislation took away opportunities for public input, and is the basis upon which the wind farm proposals are now being considered.
“What we see here is a massive power grab by a power-hungry Minister of Energy,” he told the legislature more than a year ago.
On Feb. 24, Arnott spoke in the legislature about the proposed Belwood wind farm, passing along some of the concerns he has heard from area residents. “I think it’s fair to say we don’t have a complete and full understanding of what the health impacts may be,” he said.
Arnott has had numerous conversations with other Progressive Conservative MPPs who are interested in the issue, as the Ontario Legislature has been sitting since Feb. 16. He has also requested a comprehensive briefing from Ministry of Energy staff.
“Clearly, this is not an easy battle, because Premier McGuinty wants these wind farms up and running yesterday,” Arnott said. His Green Energy Act was intended to eliminate normal democratic public processes, and he used his majority in the legislature to ram it through,” Arnott said.
Still, he added, concerned residents need to express their views and hope for the best.
He recommends that comments should be addressed to the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, as well as the Minister of the Environment and the Ontario Power Authority, with copies sent to Mr. Arnott’s office. Email addresses are:
– Brad Duguid, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure: brad.duguid@ontario.ca;
– John Gerretsen, Minister of the Environment: minister.moe@ontario.ca;
– Ontario Power Authority: info@powerauthority.on.ca; and
– Ted Arnott, MPP: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org.
