By-Law Meeting of May 28th, 2008 Minutes

 Further to the public meeting held on Wednesday, May 28th,  I am pleased to provide the following summery of concerns and comments raised by those in attendance.  I am confident that council will consider these issues and comments in advance of making the decision to pass the zoning bylaw amendment, and thus ensure that the issues are not pursued at the OMB.   

1. Site A: Winter Ferry Dock
We understand there is a concern about the security of a current business and property adjacent to the proposed storage facility.  It is our proposal that this could be addressed by restricting the traffic in and out of the area to business hours, and also by requesting CREC to staff the facility with a security officer in the evening/night hours. 

2. Site B: Kraft Cheese Factory  
The primary concern with respect to the proposed change on this site is the possibility of contamination arising from the former use of the property. We are requesting that an environmental report be produced demonstrating that the soil that will be removed from the site is not contaminated, and that there will be no possible intrusion into the water and surrounding wetlands. 

We are also concerned about maintaining the viability of pursuing the opening of the wolfe island canal, a reoccurring priority of this community.  As per the attached study and recommendations, it is important to ensure the bank of the canal be properly fenced and protected from any possible erosion.  The area should be protected and developed to allow for a public interpretation area to be introduced in the future. 
 
3. Site C: CORUS Property
There are four concerns about this property: (1) the importance of the area as one of the key pieces of habitat available to osprey,  grassland and other birds identified in the ERR as using the northwest corner of the island, (2) the possibility of contaminated soil, (3) lighting and noise, and 4. the possible location of a cement batching plant . 

These concerns could be addressed through the production of a report identifying and reviewing the impact of the elimination of this habitat, in the context of the amount of habitat being eliminated through the proposed siting of the wind towers in the area.  In short, the planner should address the application of the PPS to the natural heritage feature of the area. There should also be a real and enforceable commitment to establishing an alternative habitat for the osprey currently using the area.   

There should also be an environmental report demonstrating that there is no contamination in the site, and restrictions placed on the hours of operation and the security needs.  

Finally, if there is in fact a cement batching plant proposed for the adjoining quarry property, this should also be considered with respect to the impact on the surrounding neighbourhood , when considering approving  a storage facility and its associated traffic and noise as well. 

Fund Raising Event for Wire will take place on June 21st. It will be a Garage Sale. If you have items you wish to donate to this event, please drop them off at Sarah McDermott's home on Main Street, before Saturday.

Public consultation and Response:

The public has until June 25th, 2008 to respond to a proposal on the Ministry of Environments Website: http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca The Reference # is EBR 010-3667. This is the Certificate of Approval for a ready-mix
concrete batching plant to serve the Wolfe Island Wind Project in the Township of Frontenac Islands, Ontario.

WIRE is requesting a full Environmental Assessment
After the OMB settlement, WIRE wrote to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment Canada and many other lead agencies, requesting a full Federal Environmental Assessment including attention to the health and welfare of residents as well as studying the impact on Wolfe Island's natural habitat.

At present, the developer is supplying their own Environmental Review Report which is lacking in many signifcant studies. WIRE is requesting that a third-party Assessment be conducted by the Federal goverment, so that a higher level of due diligence be afforded to this project.

Meeting with M.P. Peter Milliken
- WIRE has met with M.P. Peter Milliken and kept him informed that the turbine developer’s draft Environment Review Report does not adequately address a number of environmental issues

- we presented our concerns and issues to Mr. Milliken with respect to the developers’ plans to install, cumulatively 352 turbines located at the head of the St. Lawrence Seaway which includes Wolfe Island, Amherst Island, Simcoe Island, Howe Island, Cape Vincent and Clayton, New York.

- WIRE served notice that we will hold the Federal government accountable to address and enforce their environmental laws to protect the birds, wetlands and habitats. We also advised Mr. Milliken that we met with Mr. Gerretsen to raise the issue of no provincial legislation in place to protect humans and monitor compliance with respect to industrial turbines installed in small communities, especially given that we are an Island and do not have the proper emergency measures to handle any major catastrophe that might occur.

Meetings with M.P.P. John Gerretsen
- WIRE has met three times with our M.P.P., Mr. John Gerretsen to keep him informed of the flawed process that Council has followed, and the lack of open and transparent process for the public to provide input, prior to decisions being made. 

- WIRE has expressed their concern to Mr. Gerretsen that the provincial government needs to establish guidelines around setback standards across the province. This will assist and guide municipalities in making prudent decisions with regard to turbine development and their proximity to people and wildlife;

Latest refusals to turbines
-  Kingsville, near Lake Huron was successful in stopping turbines being erected in environmental protected areas such as Point Pelee National Park, and around residential homes;
-  The Counties of Arran-Elderslie Municipality in Chesley, Ontario has petitioned the Provincial government to conduct an Environmental Assessment of all the issues involved in wind turbines in order to assure the public that the energy systems bieng freed from local planning processes are indeed good, safe, viable alternative sources of energy.

- Clayton, New York - The United States Department of Interior denies Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) by the developer for the Horse Creek Wind Project. The Department raised the same environmental impact issues as those that exist on Wolfe Island - that is the need for more studies respecting endangered species, migratory birds, clean water and fish and wildlife;

Meetings with the Islands’ council

-Wire continues to put forth to council noise issues and studies and a request Council to pass a resolution that until the noise regulation by the Province is released with revisions to Reg. 116.01, implementation of the turbines should be put into abeyance. Similar action by the Municipality of Grey Highlands, Grey County was done to protect their residents from adverse noise impacts." Since Council will be the last approver, they should ensure residents are protected, prior to lifting the "Holding" provision.

- WIRE has submitted two motions to Council to put in adopt a Noise By-law and to request their support for a full federal Environmental Assessment rather than accepting the Environmental Review Report created by the developer. WIRE would like to see an unbiased peer review of the Federal Environmental Assessment.

WIRE Information Office
- Wire looks forward to providing the community with an information booth in the summer of 2008.

Upcoming Events
- WIRE executive and membership meetings are held every Tuesday at 6:30 in the Library of Sacred Heart School (at the corner of Hwys. #95 and #96).