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Volume 73, Number 21 GST Included $1.25 Wednesday May 26, 2010 Orono Town Hall Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 Agreement No. 40012366 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 Low water levels lead to call to conserve The Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) encourages water users to implement a voluntary 10-percent reduction in water use. According to a news release issued by the Authority last week, these measures will help to avoid further water shortages and negative impacts on aquatic life if rainfall amounts continue to remain below normal levels. On May 7, 2010, the GRCA confirmed a Level-1 low water condition for its watersheds due to below normal amounts of precipitation in our area since midwinter. This led to a reduced snowpack, which resulted in less spring runoff and lower infiltration to the groundwater system. The timing of the snowmelt was earlier than normal which, compounded by a lack of rain, has caused streamflows to fall into typical summer baseflow conditions very WATER see page 4 Three of a kind (from left): Don Prescott, Carl White and Huey Beauchamp of Orono were keeping an eye on the goings-on in the village over the long weekend. Wind farm opponents vocal at Manvers meeting Citizens in Manvers Township are concerned with the willingness of the government to facilitate the installation of industrial wind turbines on the Oak Ridge Moraine. While property owners on the Moraine are not permitted to build anything larger than a 10 ft. by 10 ft. shed, according to the group of residents, the provincial government has offered contracts to wind farm developers for the Oak Ridge Moraine. A number of citizen groups including the Manvers Gone With the Wind group, hosted a public meeting at the Manvers Arena last Thursday night to alert the public that the impact of industrial wind turbines could be devastating for the Moraine. They are also seeking increased setbacks from any wind turbine to neighbouring houses. The regulations currently require the setback to be 550m from the nearest house. The group wants this to be one or two kilometres as required in other jurisdictions. They are asking that independent thirdparty health studies be conducted on the effects of wind turbines on human health before the approval of any more wind farms. Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health released a report last week in which she stated, "According to the scientific evidence, there isn't any direct causal link between wind turbine noise and adverse health effects." These findings, according to Ian Hanna, who was in attendance at the Manvers Meeting Thursday night, are based on the Health Ministry's review of existing literature. "We want clinical studies done by an independent body to determine what is safe," Hanna stated. Hanna, of Prince Edward County, has launched a major legal challenge to the Green Energy Act, specifically to the parts that deal with sighting and setback of Industrial Wind Turbines in relation to people's homes. A hearing date of September 30, 2010 has been confirmed with the Ontario Divisional Court for this case. If Hanna is successful in his challenge, the development of utility-scale wind power could be delayed. On April 8th, 2010, the province of Ontario announced 184 contracts had been awarded for large FeedIn Tariff (FIT) projects, including wind farm projects near Pontypool, Bethany, Millbrook, Grafton/Northumberland Hills and Orono. The Manvers Gone with the Wind group is warning property owners to call a lawyer before they sign a contract with any wind farm developer. They claim the sighting of turbines is left to the sole discretion of the developer and the land owner has no control over the size of the turbines. Land owners waive their right to complain about "any effects attributable" to the turbines on their property including noise, flicker and air turbulence and neighbouring properties owners are even more powerless, according to the group. WIND see page 3 What's Inside See page 7