New evidence that people who live near wind turbines suffer negative health effects is far from conclusive, says a manager of the company trying to build a wind farm in Dawn-Euphemia.

Tom Lewis, planning and environment manager with IPC Energy, said his company takes the results of a Wind Concerns Ontario survey seriously, but pointed to an earlier survey that found an overwhelming number of Ontarians are in favour of wind energy.

"I think there is a small number of people susceptible to health problems and I certainly empathize with them," Lewis said. "But I don't think this survey will damage the wind industry. I think most people look at wind turbines as a good alternative."

A 2007 survey conducted by a third party for the Canadian Wind Energy Association showed strong support for wind farms in Ontario, Lewis said.

"Seventy-seven per cent of respondents didn't think health and safety would be adversely effected, and 68 per cent said they would be effected in a positive way."

The Canadian Wind Energy survey involved 605 residents living in key wind farm development communities in Ontario.

"Our industry has been leading the way in soliciting public feedback and it's very positive," Lewis said.

His company has 12 wind turbine projects under development worldwide, including the one in Dawn-Euphemia.

If regulations in the Green Energy Act take municipal jurisdiction away from local councils for approval of wind energy projects, IPC Energy will be ready to start construction in Dawn-Euphemia within 14 months, Lewis estimated.

"We're just waiting for the details of the Green Energy Act," he said. "If it supersedes the Ontario Planning Act, we will of course still listen to the concerns of the local municipalities and work with them."

The Dawn-Euphemia wind farm is the only IPC project on hold at this time, Lewis added.

A newly-released survey conducted for Wind Concerns Ontario, primarily in the Kincardine area, found 53 of 76 residents surveyed reporting headaches, sleep disturbance and depression from living near large wind turbines.

With the release of the survey, Conservative health critic Elizabeth Witmer said Thursday that she urged the McGuinty government to do a health study on wind turbines for the third time.

"And for the third time, there is no indication they'll do one," she said.