Bruce County’s warden wants municipalities to be higher on the list when it comes to consultation about wind farms.
Bill Goetz said his municipality of South Bruce hasn’t been approached about plans for a six-turbine wind farm near Formosa.
Wind farms have been contentious in other areas, where opponents complain about aesthetic issues and unresolved health impacts of living near the turbines.
Goetz wants consultation to avoid similar problems in new developments.
“If we’re going to partner with it we should be left in the loop,” Goetz said. “I’m not sure the Green Energy Act is going to answer all (the public concerns).”
Nextera Energy is proposing six-turbine wind farms near Formosa, Paisley and Tara, and a 12-turbine development near Durham.
At this point Bruce County planning hasn’t had formal notice of any of those proposals.
“I think we’re prime players here and we don’t know nothing about it,” Goetz said in an interview. “I just think the Bruce County planning had the same feelings that I had – that we were left out of the loop at least so far.”
The newly-passed Green Energy Act takes planning decisions for wind farms out of county hands.
Nextera Energy has negotiated with landowners about the proposed developments, and said it will visit municipal councils and hold public information sessions once the study areas have been narrowed down.
Brockton council was informed of the developments through a written notice it received last month.
Mayor Charlie Bagnato said under Bill 150, the Green Energy and Green Economy Act, Nextera Energy is under no obligation to seek permission from local councils before proceeding with its plans.
“They just went to the farmer and that’s it,” he said. “I’m disappointed I’ve heard nothing of it and I think the county is disappointed. I think if I was going to an alien territory to do some developing I’d want to talk to the council.”
While the mayor said there’s not much municipalities can do under the new legislation, he’s not sure it’s the right way to go.
“I’m not very happy about it, to me there’s something missing.”
A call to Nextera Energy’s Burlington office was not returned.
– With files from Christine Brandt