THUNDER BAY – One of the more controversial issues facing City Council this year come before a special meeting on Tuesday. This past Thursday, Administration released their recommendations regarding the proposed Big Thunder Wind Park development. A Special Committee of the Whole meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 to review this report prior to several public deputations being made that same evening.
The pre-meeting – before the regular meeting is a 2 hour proposed in-camera session from 4:30 to 6:30 pm – and relates to issues of legal matters, lease negotiations and real property issues.
The Nor’Wester Mountain Escarpment Protection Committee (NMEPC) in a statement released Monday state, “It is our message to Council, City Administration and the general public that absolutely NO ‘straw’ decision should be made or encouraged at that meeting regarding turbine locations on the Nor’Wester Mountains. There is no urgent need to make this important decision now and it will not hamper any required process Horizon Wind Inc. may have, since they can only submit their REA to the Province, after their Open Houses, currently scheduled for August 4th and 5th, 2010. It makes no sense to rush this project, forgoing public input and concerns”.
The NMEPC is very concerned that “We are not being included in the consultation process for this project, particularly since it was promised as a fair and open public forum. It is our position that NO decision should be made by Council or Administration until all public input, deputations and new third party information is collected and compiled for consideration by all concerned parties”.