Sir: I would like to start off by commending you on your efforts to diversify Chatham-Kent and be on the leading edge of the green energy revolution.

As an active member of the Green Party of Canada (chair of the Processes and Procedures Committee, member of the Policy Management Committee and Membership Chair for my local riding), I believe that we need to fundamentally change our lifestyles. Wind energy is a vital component in this shift.

I think it is truly awesome that Chatham-Kent is a part of this movement.

With that being said, we need to ensure the decisions made to facilitate this shift are viewed in a holistic way.

Specifically, I ask you to put the present zoning proposal on hold. Why would an active environmentalist take this stance? I do so because I am also an engineer who understands the value of procedures when rolling out major projects.

It is a fundamental step in any deployment that I am a part of to have a "pilot phase."

We do not roll out any new product without first seeing it up and running in a production environment.

To zone four more plots of land for this use without first seeing a wind turbine in production in Chatham-Kent is a gross error, in my humble opinion.

An area close to Wheatley has already been zoned for wind energy.

Based on my technical background, I think it is of vital importance to first see this up and running over a period of time before we move forward with these new proposals.

Only by pressing pause on the present proposal can you find out what is best for your customers - the citizens of Chatham-Kent.

Should the turbines be 500 meters or 750 meters from the nearest house based on their noise levels?

Should they be one kilometre from shorelines like Essex County is discussing?

How closely should they be spaced from one another?

Do the turbines increase or decrease the number of net new immigrants attracted to the area? Seeing them up and running in Chatham-Kent over a period of time in various wind conditions is the only way to make an educated decision, not by an afternoon road trip to a wind farm far away.

Trust me.

I have done a lot of research on green technologies and the investors will still be chomping at the bit in six to 12 months from now.

The revolution will happen.

It's just a matter of finding out what solution works best for the citizens of Chatham-Kent.

And the only way to do that is to press pause.