THUNDER BAY – The volunteer members of the Nor’wester Mountain Escarpment Protection Committee have released their review of the draft REA reports issued by Horizon Wind in May 2010 as part of the REA approvals process.
This indepth analysis (almost 200 pages) includes the ESR (Environmental Screening Report), the PDR, Design and Operations Plan, Construction Plan and Decommissioning Plan for the Big Thunder Wind Park proposal on the Nor’Wester Mountains.
The review was carried out by various members of the NMEPC and the public over the period from June to August 2010. There were no paid consultants or professional contributions to this critique that took a significant effort to review Horizon’s 700-page draft REA report.
Irene Bond, President of the NMEPC noted that, “we have made three major recommendations based on the review, and are made to address the over 400 various deficiencies or issues found in the draft REA.
The NMEPC have asked that the Ministry of the Environment to:
– halt this project pending a review of the ‘draft’ REA documents and the public consultation process to date;
– review its decision to grant special ‘transition’ conditions to this project, and ensure the proponent follows the complete and full REA process;
– consider these documents as insufficient, and require the proponent to revise and reissue the draft documents to meet the MOE Technical Bulletins with open houses for these updated drafts.”
Ms. Bond adds, “We are pleased with the outcome of this Review since it details and outlines several errors and omissions Horizon has made in their REA document. Their REA document needed to be scrutinized very carefully to ensure that all regulations, guidelines and proper measures are in place to ensure that this project does not harm the Nor’Wester Mountains, the ANSI, the residents, the endangered species or the ecological and environmental balances of nature found on the Escarpment.”
The original document has been forwarded to Ms. Doris Dumais, Director for the Approvals Branch at the Ministry of Environment. Copies have also been made available to several MPPs and local politicians including the Mayor, Administration and Council.