Turbine opponents rally

Wind farm opponents plan to gather at Queen's Park this month to pressure provincial politicians to support MPP Bill Murdoch's bid to halt further turbine projects until Ontario investigates alleged health effects.

"This might be our chance to make a statement," Georgian Bluffs resident Wendy McKee told a crowd during a community meeting on wind turbines and health.

She said she will try to reserve a bus to transport concerned Grey-Bruce residents to Toronto for the Oct. 29 vote.

Lorrie Gillis, the Grey Highlands wind turbine opponent who organized Tuesday night's public meeting in Flesherton, called the vote "critical." She urged the crowd of 100 to try to attend and to press as many MPPs as possible in advance of the vote to support the moratorium.

"Neither the government nor the wind industry has a proper study on human beings by health professionals in spite of repeated requests for just this action," Gillis told the audience.

The motion by Murdoch, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound's Conservative MPP, calls on the province to halt further wind farm projects until Ontario's chief medical officer of health concludes definitively whether turbines can make people ill.

The motion has the support of Grey-Bruce's medical officer of health, Dr. Hazel Lynn, who listened during two public meetings this month as residents recounted the effect turbines have on their health.

Canadian Wind Energy Association spokesman Chris Forrest told The Sun Times last week questions about the health effects of turbines have already been answered, and no scientific or medical evidence links turbines to ill health.

Tuesday's meeting addressed the health effects reported by people living near wind turbines, along with what speakers called myths that are perpetuated by the provincial government and wind energy companies.

Gillis, a member of Wind Concerns Ontario, is serving as the lead for a self-reporting health survey of people who live within two kilometres of a wind turbine.

She said about 100 people have responded and reported adverse health effects.

The most common, Gillis said, is sleep deprivation, caused by the sound of the turbines and blades and a "humming that seems to come up through the pillow."

Other problems reported include headaches, ringing in the ears, anxiety, muscle and joint aches, earaches and wounds that won't heal.

"People who are brave enough to come forward to say that wind turbines are causing problems are told they are the only family having a problem, that they are overly sensitive or chronic complainers," Gillis said.

Speaker Dave Colling, who conducts electrical pollution testing at homes near turbines, told the crowd the massive machines produce "dirty electricity" - much like a computer hard drive or television set.

He said electrical pollution - high frequency signals that occur where wind energy is converted into electrical energy and around substations - coupled with low-frequency noise can make people sick.

"You have no idea what some of these people are going through," the Ripley resident said.

More than 700 wind turbines are operating in Ontario. More are planned. The Liberal government's Green Energy Act was created to streamline the approval process for wind farms. Municipalities can no longer reject turbine projects or establish setbacks.

Gillis urged the crowd to contact their MPP with concerns and sign a petition that asks for a professional health study on wind turbines and human health.