PUGWASH - A proposed wind farm near here would hurt the area's well-established cottage industry, a real estate agent said Thursday. "This is cottage country and on its own it is a major industry that has resulted in property values doubling several times over in recent years, but we will see property values drop 30 to 50 per cent as soon as this project is approved," said Peter Finley. "I've already seen buyers back away from deals and I know of people who have property in the area of the wind farm who have put their (development) plans on hold. They are scared that they will not be able to enjoy their property with a wind farm in their backyard."

The National Hotels and Restaurants Association (ASONAHORES) praised the Government's decision to solve the conflict regarding the construction of a wind energy park in Punta Cana (east), looking for a suitable place for that project and which doesn't affect tourism development. ASONAHORES president Luis Lopez said yesterday that he met with Tourism minister Felix Jiménez, and the executive vice-president of the Dominican energy czar Radhamés Segura, and it was agreed, as Tourism had proposed and his entity demanded, to relocate the project where it doesn't affect the zone's tourism expansion. The place originally selected by the Punta Cana-Macao energy group (CEPEM), is in an area zoned for tourism resorts, created by decree in 1986, and for which ASONAHORES had demanded adherence.

The Union of Owners of the lands and tourism projects at Punta Cana's Polygon 5 reiterated that the Punta Cana-Macao Energy Consortium (CEPM) seeks to install a wind energy park in the coastal strip at Cabo Engaño, Altagracia (Higuey) province (east), in private lands and without the required permits. But the CEPM affirms that it has the project's necessary permits. The president of the owners' organization Braulio Garrido warned that they are wiling to go to court and file charges for abuse authority against any official who violates the tourism legislation, the Law of Coasts and Seas, and decree 595-06 authorizing the construction of the wind mills, which he affirms would be the highest constructions built in that zone of the country. They stated that decree 595-06 issued by president Leonel Fernandez does not authorize CEPM to install a wind energy park in the coastal strip. "The first paragraph establishes that it authorizes that partnership to build project on their land of their property and we challenge the promoters of the wind energy park to present their deeds and permits authorizing them to occupy that place," he said. Garrido feels that it would be detrimental for the country if it decides to sell part of its lands to install a wind park in a tourism zone, affirming that the Union of Owners has 40 million square meters of land along the Cabo Engaño shoreline. He insists that the project affects tourism and pollutes the environment.

Coun. Fin Armsworthy is hopeful renewable energy will signal the winds of change for this seaside community. For years, he has expressed concern that companies have been discouraged from setting up here because of high commercial rates, which are currently $4 per $100 of assessed value. However, Canso is one of six municipalities across the province that owns its own electric utility, and the town has agreed to be a hosting community for turbines to be built by Barrington Wind Energy Ltd. On Sunday, Mr. Armsworthy said new rules that allow municipal utilities to buy directly from renewable energy producers, along with the fiscal benefits of having Barrington in the community, could be a turning point for Canso.

Some local realtors are expecting significant decreases in land values to homes in the area surrounding local wind turbine projects, but the proponents have said they have no indication that will be the case. Across the Municipality of Kincardine, the 120-turbine Enbridge Wind Power Project has been a highly-debated topic, while Suncor Energy’s 38-turbine project has been widely supported in the Ripley area of Huron-Kinloss. Mitch Twolan, Mayor of Huron-Kinloss and broker of Lake Range Realty, said he’s already experienced the pros and cons to real estate which have come along with the turbine proposals. But Twolan believes it will take the completion of the projects to properly determine what widespread impact it will have after that time. “It’s going to be two to five years before we see the real impact,” Twolan said. “At this point, it’s almost too early to know. A lot of people are afraid of the unknown.”

Wind power turbines generate much bigger profits for Ontario's farmers than for Quebec's — typically two or three times bigger, an investigative report by CBC's French-language service has found.

In the provincial legislature Friday, Liberal House Leader Richard Brown said the Island’s main power utility is being hit with major expense hikes, due in part to the rising cost of energy generally, but also to the added expenses that will come with the promotion of wind energy and other power sources.

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