The Ministry of the Environment is encouraging Mapleton Township to complete consultation forms for the 10-turbine wind farm proposed by NextEra Energy, but councillors still have many concerns about the project.
One of those remains communication. Last week councillor Mike Downey told a NextEra delegation that their meeting in Alma on March 18 to outline three changes to the project was “very poorly publicized.”
NextEra project manager Nicole Geneau said the event was prominently advertised in several Newspapers, including the Wellington Advertiser and Arthur Enterprise.
Downey said several residents commented that the meeting was not well publicized, and both he and Mayor Bruce Whale noted there was no advertisement in the township’s “local paper,” The Community News.
“It definitely was not by design,” Geneau said of the alleged lack of communication.
She noted about 35 people attended the Alma meeting and most were those living near those properties that are pegged to host a turbine.
In contrast, over 600 attended the public meeting in Drayton in November, but Geneau estimated only 10 to 15% of those individuals were local.
Members of both the current and past councils have expressed concern with NextEra’s communication and method of dealing with local residents.
Early in the land acquisition process agents from the company “were very aggressive and not open about the process,” Whale said in draft comments on the proposal.
“Individuals were told their neighbours had all signed agreements and if they didn’t sign it would be their last opportunity. Neighbours were pitted against neighbours in this process and that feeling has remained throughout the project.”
Impact on farmland
Councillor Neil Driscoll wondered how NextEra can guarantee land will be returned to agricultural quality or better at the end of the project, as stated in the company’s documentation.
“Do you understand anything about farming?” he asked. “Once a road is there, it’s there.”
NextEra consultant Derek Dudek said after decommissioning the company will remove all gravel for access roads and return topsoil in the same quantity and quality as existed previously on the site.
“We have to return it to its previous condition,” he said.
In his comments, Whale stated residents are also very concerned about the possible impacts on the health and productivity of livestock in the area. He wants baseline data collected before the project begins so stray voltage, “dirty electricity,” electromagnetic radiation and sound associated with the project can be measured.
Bankruptcy
Councillor Andy Knetsch wanted to know what happens if NextEra declares bankruptcy during the life of the project.
Geneau replied the question is a popular one with residents. She explained NextEra has individual contracts with each host landowner. Companies that lend money to NextEra are responsible for those contracts if the company ever declares bankruptcy.
They can then sell the project to another energy company and the contracts are transferred with the facility.
“It’s never the landowner’s responsibility,” said Geneau.
Municipal consultation
Clerk Patty Sinnamon said she has been contacted by an official with the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) about completing the consultation forms for the NextEra Energy proposal.
“[The ministry] has clearly stated that municipalities cannot simply choose not to participate in the consultation process,” Sinnamon said in her report to council, adding MOE staff are “encouraging” the municipality to complete the review.
“I believe it to be prudent on the part of the municipality to complete a review of the application for approval and provide comments to the ministry in the event the ministry grants approval.”
Whale said the township will “continue to try to formulate some more definitive comments” and get them to both ministry and NextEra officials.
