Green Energy Act on 'Living at the Barricades' Lake Ontario Waterkeeper's Weekly Radio Show

by John Laforet
posted on May 18th, 2009 at 21:52:50 pm

This may be my second last post on the Green Energy Act, but I don’t want to spend any time on the politics of that bill right now. Instead, I want to spend a moment on Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and the great people involved in that organization. I’ve been aware of Lake Ontario Waterkeeper since the days when their office was at Harbourfront Centre and I was a Dock Attendant at the marina where they kept their boat. As a sailor and someone who cares about nature conservation myself, I deeply respect and appreciate the work they do for all of us. As an activist, working on an issue that affects Lake Ontario, I’ve become more and more aware of their principled action to preserve our lake. 

Each week, Mark Mattson and Krystyn Tully, the President and Vice President of Lake Ontario Waterkeeper co-host a radio show called ‘Living at the Barricades

‘. It explores a number emerging environmental issues that impact water. It is a fascinating listen for any activist, or person who cares about what’s going on. Their tireless work, lengthy but principled struggles are personally inspiring. 

I was pleased to join Mark and Krystyn on Living at the Barricades last week to speak about the Green Energy Act, and it’s impact on environmental protection, especially as it relates to the proposed wind farm in Scarborough. Here is a link to that show.

• daybreakers move

I subscribe to Living at the Barricades for free through iTunes, you should too. below the bassline earnest ranglin mp3 download

Toronto Hydro Energy Services Fog of Lies and Irresponsibility Impacts Housing Market

by John Laforet
posted on May 6th, 2009 at 14:46:42 pm

I receive a lot of emails from folks who are looking for information on things on google, end up on my blog and email me their questions. Things have ranged from questions about accessing federal and provincial assistance programs, questions about Toronto’s wind farm, accessing subsidized daycare, tax bills – and of course local issues in the Scarborough area. I do strive to share information with folks who are looking, even if I need to call around or spend sometime looking into an issue for them. 

I got an email last night about Toronto Hydro’s proposed near-shore wind farm. With the sender’s permission I’ve put the text below. Take a read:

John,

I am considering the purchase of a home in the Beach but I am concerned about the proposed wind farm.  It looks to me from a recent document I read that the wind farm could be as close as 1.4 KM from the shore in the Beach community.   All the reading I have done suggests that there can be noise issues at 2KM or greater.

Any advice for me with this issue?  Should I visit a wind farm to see for myself how noisy they can be?   Will sound travel faster over water?  Have you read about nosie issues from off-shore wind farms?

I informed a person who lives in the Beach about this issue not too long ago and he hadn’t even heard about it.  And this fellow is a well-educated, highly-paid professional who lives on one of the best streets in the Beach.  It seems to me that many people don’t even know about it.  Anyhow, when I told him about it he was livid.  In his words, he planned to “mobilize the troops.”

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

Regards,

(Unlike Toronto Hydro, I respect folks privacy and block out names)

My Response:

• I told him Toronto Hydro has said they would be placed 2-4KM offshore, but they also told us the anemometer would be 1.8KM offshore, until they sought permission without consultation to place it 1.2KM offshore. I also made him aware their lease is considerably closer to shore than 2KM. 
• On the noise issue, I pointed out much is not known on impact of noise from wind turbines over the water, but we all know from cottages sound travels greater distances over water than land.
• I advised him that no one can say for certain if folks in the beach or Scarborough would be able to hear the impacts of an offshore farm, and Toronto Hydro has not shown any evidence that residents will not be able to.
• I did encourage him to buy the home, and not let Toronto Hydro’s irresponsibility prevent him from doing that, because thousands of residents are standing up to oppose Toronto Hydro’s environmentally irresponsible plan and we’re hopeful they can be stopped

A Process As Tainted As the Lake Bed They’d Like to Disturb

by John Laforet
posted on April 17th, 2009 at 13:45:28 pm

Toronto Hydro’s brazen attempt to pull one over on the Ministry of Natural Resources is a clear demonstration that not only do they not care about the residents of Scarborough Bluff communities, but they seriously don’t care about the environment or laws. 

They think by moving the Anemometer east of Guildwood – residents will go away. This is a highly cynical ploy by Toronto Hydro and part of a totally bogus process. 

We’re not going anywhere, we’ll get louder than ever and are growing with everyday. 

These folks are so ignorant to the what they’re doing that they’ve built holes big enough to run the massive barges it would take to construct turbines though. The errors and omissions are epic and demonstration these clowns behind the project haven’t got a clue what they are doing. 

Now – we have 29 days to read through over 900 pages of their project evaluation and respond. And respond we will. 

It will mean however I will once again be ducking under the radar for a couple of days to get through all of this. 

See you Monday!