Skeptics in the crowd scanned visuals of wind farms proposed for Prince Edward County on display last night and said the only thing green about them is the money the proponent stands to make. Others came to a public meeting at the Crystal Palace eager to learn more ...Gilead Power Corp. unveiled more details of its plans to erect up to 12 turbines in an area west of Ostrander Point Road. Gilead is one of several companies exploring the county for wind turbine potential.

Jim Vanden Hoek, the mayor of the Township of Frontenac Islands, may not have realized how his words would be taken when referring to the centre of wind turbines development on Wolfe Island as "ground zero" at the public wind energy meeting at the Picton Arena Wednesday night. "I'm seeing a lot of shaking of heads, just bear with me," he said as he presented to a crowd of over 200 people who, judging by their comments and questions, appeared largely against wind farm development in Prince Edward. He pointed to a green map of Wolfe Island dotted with red.

It is a debate gradually becoming more polarized. A calm beginning at Thursday's public meeting about the proposed wind farm project in Norwich, turned into a heated, yet respectful discussion among frustrated community members and representatives from ProWind Canada and MK Ince and Associates, the hired environmental consultant company.

It was a full house in Norwich council chambers Tuesday morning as concerned community members and a representative from Prowind Canada addressed council about the controversial and potential Gunn's Hill wind farm. Council was asked to weigh both sides of the debate, with the opposition requesting a moratorium on any further development until a decision is reached. They were also reminded municipalities have the right to enforce the setback distance of their choice.

Mike Jablonicky surveyed the barge, long as a football field, where the enormous pieces of one of Wolfe Island's wind turbine sat waiting to be unloaded on long trailer beds. The third of 86 turbines to erected at the island's west end arrived yesterday by barge, pulled up the St. Lawrence River by tugboat from Ogdensburg, NY, where they are being shipped from Denmark.

There will be a little more room near the shores of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair, as Chatham- Kent council tweaked its wind turbine setbacks Monday. Setbacks -- or minimum distances from a structure or site -- have been a source of controversy since wind energy companies first showed an interest in the municipality. Tom Storey of Storey Samways Planning provided a report with recommendations and comparisons to other centres with turbines. ...Chatham Coun. Doug Sulman offered a successful amendment to increase the setback around all of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair to one kilometre instead of 500 metres.

Property devaluation, a lack of democratic process, and insufficient guarantees for sound monitoring had a group of 15 RM of Rhineland residents asking council to consider several requests last week. The group presented a five page document outlining their concerns about the proposed BowArk 120 wind turbine project to council, and highlighted several of them. Joe Braun questioned the lack of public consultation on the project, pointing out that many who are now opposed didn't have that knowledge initially. "How... does a wind project that is to last 40 years, cost $750 million, and impose a massive industrial impact on the landscape, occur without public input and information, without regulations or guarantees?" he asked.

About two-dozen unemployed millwrights set up a picket line Thursday to slow trucks delivering massive wind turbine parts from Windsor to the $200-million Kruger Energy project. Rick Anderson of Millwright Local 1244 said the erection of the 80-metre-high steel towers and 45-metre-long blades should be done by his union's skilled trades workers. He warned that if bolts loosen because of improper tightening techniques the towers could topple. ...About seven truckloads of turbine parts are sent daily from Morterm Windsor docks. Ships from Denmark and China bring in the turbine sections.

Wind turbines are turning neighbour against neighbour and Essex town council is caught in the middle. Farmers who have signed property leases for wind turbine projects spoke of them at a special meeting Monday as a renewable energy of the future that should be embraced. Those who will see and hear the 120-metre-high turbines -- but won't be paid for the experience -- told council they fear negative impacts on their quality of life, including disturbed sleep and declining property values.

The issue of wind turbines in Chatham-Kent continues to linger. Council put off the issue of setbacks at its May 5 meeting and asked the health unit for more information about the devices. Council has already approved a wind turbine project in the Port Alma area, but is looking to establish a policy in anticipation of future applications for turbines. The municipality has the potential to be host to 250 turbines.

The route for Maritime Electric's high-voltage transmission line through West Prince is not a done deal, says Energy Minister George Webster. The utility has applied to the province to build a 138,000-volt transmission line to carry wind power generated at the West Cape wind farm. A group has formed to oppose the route for the line, which would connect the O'Leary substation to the Sherbrooke station outside of Summerside. In addition, voltage on a new line from the wind farm to O'Leary is due to be increased from 69,000 to 138,000 volts. Islanders for the Safe Transmission of Power says the line poses a health risk by passing too closely to homes.

An Amherst area resident is continuing his fight to stop a proposed wind farm on the marsh near the town. Jim Milner, who lives on the John Black Road, is preparing a submission to the project environmental assessment claiming that its existence threatens the future of the John Lusby Marsh as a wildlife habitat. "Wildlife is the property of the Crown so it is the duty of the province to protect wildlife, not sell to the lowest proponent bidder," Milner said in his submission.

There's no scientific proof wind turbines make disturbing levels of noise and, although more study is needed, Ontario's guidelines are sound, a long-awaited consultant's report for the ministry of the environment says. The report by Ryerson prof Dr. Ramani Ramakrishnan was finished in December 2007 but was only posted on the government's Environmental Registry website on Monday.

One of those concerned resident is Paul Barriault who doesn't feel people are getting complete information. "Don't get me wrong," he stressed. "I don't think people are being misinformed, they are not being properly informed, and I think they should have more information." He has a long list of concerns involving health, the impact on the water table and the environment. "People aren't fully aware of the impacts these industrial wind farms have on a local community, when they are so close to their homes," said Mr. Barriault. ...Presently there are no guidelines or regulations in New Brunswick regarding setbacks for wind farms from residential areas.

Prince Edward Island Trails Inc. is upset with Maritime Electric's plan to build a high voltage line along a section of the Confederation Trail. The 64-kilometre line will run from O'Leary to Sherbrooke, just outside Summerside, and is being built to accommodate a major expansion to the wind farm at West Cape. The plan calls for some of the lines to run along a section of the Confederation Trail near Summerside. ..."When we initially turned the rails to trails ... the vision was to take this section of land and trails, and people can utilize it to get away from the busy highways and roads..."

Wellington North should develop local guidelines for development of wind energy projects, its Economic Development Committee (EDC) decided last Wednesday. ...Mr. Taylor said the county regulations failed to address specific setback issues with regard to how far a wind turbine should be located from sensitive areas. "There was little or no reference to bird migration," he said. "They talk about being concerned about being beside our greenlands, but they don't say how far." Concern at the EDC revolves around the impact wind turbines might have migratory bird routes at Luther Marsh. The regulations also fail to address a process for public input on wind developments.

A ban on wind energy projects within 200 metres of the Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River shoreline is among the many recommendations in the final draft of official plan changes proposed for the County of Essex. Bans would also protect national parks, conservation areas and a host of smaller natural areas, particularly those with endangered or threatened species. The recommendations by the Jones Consulting Group divide the county into four different management areas and requires that proponents show their wind farm proposals won't harm communities or the environment. New policies would protect "heritage resources and significant cultural heritage landscapes." The visual impact of turbines, that could be 120 metres high, has to be weighed for the impact on scenic viewpoints and landscapes.

Simulated before and after pictures covered the displays and the project also showed off three distinct phases, with more than 250 landowners involved. Two distinct groups of people toured the exhibits, those who see them as a boon to the economy and others who aren't in favour of the noise or appearance. Frank Paetkau was one that was upset even though the closest turbine to his six acre yard is half a mile away. "Looks like we'll be living somewhere else next year," he said. "That's not the reason I bought a place in the country to have one of these things go up." A couple vocal in opposition were Todd and Lisa Braun who were pleased to discover there will be no turbine close to their property. But Lisa said they still want to push for farther setbacks, up to 1,000 metres.

The Ministry of the Environment has turned down requests from Wolfe Island residents seeking a more detailed study of the effects of a proposed wind-power project in their community. In a letter dated March 27, citizens learned that the ministry had declined their request to require Canadian Renewable Energy Corporation to prepare an individual environmental assessment before the firm's 86-turbine wind project is allowed to proceed. ...Her decision to quash the individual environmental assessment - applied to large projects with potential environmental impacts - leaves residents feeling that the province is pushing the project without adequately addressing their health and environmental concerns. Many saw the environmental assessment as their best chance to have their concerns addressed before construction began.

Plans to transport windfarm components through a Powys town by lorry have been criticised by the local county councillor. Stephen Hayes, Powys County Councillor for Montgomery, said he is concerned at plans to transport parts for the proposed Llanbadarn Fynydd Windfarm through the market town of Montgomery. The proposed windfarm will have 17 turbines which will be 126.5 metres from the ground to the blade tip. And Montgomery is one of a number of towns which could be affected. ..."I'm concerned about people living here," he said, "their houses are right on the street. To come up here they will have to clear all the traffic on the road which will cause disruption. "I am also concerned about damage to the fabric of Montgomery, it is one of Montgomeryshire's most spectacular towns in terms of architecture."