NEWS RELEASE
Another Ontario Government Betrayal
Toronto, September 24, 2009 – The newest regulations governing industrial wind turbine 550 meter setbacks through the Green Energy Act are a betrayal of all the people of rural Ontario. Wind Concerns Ontario stands by its demand that the government of Ontario listen to the victims of industrial wind development and the concerns of those soon to be affected throughout the whole province.
Since February 2009, over one hundred men, women and children living near industrial-scale wind installations have developed serious health side effects such as cardiac arrhythmia, vertigo, chronic migraines, nosebleeds and depression. The most common problem reported is sleep deprivation which has caused cognitive problems for numerous victims.
Health issues surrounding industrial wind turbines are not restricted to Ontario. In Maine Dr. Michael A.Nissenbaum has reported almost identical symptoms with patients there. Health problems have arisen in Japan. In New York Dr. Nina Pierpont has published a peer-reviewed study of Wind Turbine Syndrome. In Britain, Dr. Amanda Harry calls for distances no less than 1.5 miles. The Minnesota Department of Health calls for stricter regulations and setbacks from homes. In Europe the distances of industrial-scale developments, most of which are smaller than anything in Ontario, are as far as 2 km from homes.
In Ontario victims living as far away as 1200 meters are suffering from heart palpitations and stress as well as sleep disturbance.
Last April, Premier Dalton McGuinty declared that his government would use best practices in moving forward with wind development, but has neither moved forward nor lived up to his promise of best practices. He has failed to comprehend the seriousness of his actions in spite of the fact that people are abandoning their homes because they have become uninhabitable. Dr. Robert McMurtry, former Dean of Medicine for University of Western Ontario states, “This is neither morally nor legally defensible. As soon as possible it will be brought before the courts.”
On the Ministry of Environment website it stated: “The ministry is also proposing that as a condition of approval for wind turbine projects, proponents would be required to monitor and address any perceptible infrasound (vibration) or low frequency noise as a condition of the Renewable Energy Approval.” Meanwhile victims’ homes have been purchased by developers and their voices have been silenced through legal means. Senior Liberal policy advisors have stated however that the “…ministry does not encourage buyouts of victims by developers.” Yet that is exactly what is happening. This type of resolution is tragic and unacceptable.
Along with a health survey conducted by Wind Concerns Ontario, a coalition of 35 grassroots volunteer organizations representing thousands of Ontarians, WCO hired an acoustician to evaluate the noise levels at several homes near current wind developments. The noise levels at those homes were well above the approved Ministry of Environment Noise Guidelines from October 2008. The new 40 decibel at night level is 15 decibels over the level recommended by many specialists worldwide. Still more wind developments have been approved based on those old recommendations. This action is not justified.
Independent health studies of real patients must be conducted. A promised research chair to examine negative health effects exposed by Wind Concerns Ontario and others has not materialized.
Death of Canada 