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Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Orono Weekly Times - 3 407 Continued from front Clarington's Acting Director of Planning told the Orono Times that she has enquired with Dan Remillino who is the Ministry of Transport (MTO) Project Manager, and he advised her that it is the intent to extend the 407 to Highway 35/115, and that MTO typically does these projects in phases as demand warrants. This will need to be assessed as the project proceeds, according to Remillino. On June 9th, the Ministry of Infrastructure Ontario released a request for qualifications (RFQ) to extend toll route Highway 407 eastward from Brock Road in Pickering to Simcoe Street in Oshawa including a link to the 401 east of Lakeridge Road. In his letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty, dated June 19th, Mayor Jim Abernethy said the Municipality of Clarington, while pleased with the approval of the EA, is disappointed with the subsequent request of qualifications for the design and construction of 407 to Simcoe Street. Abernethy stated he is particularly disappointed with the reference made that the "remainder of the highway will be completed when warranted by demand." Delaying the completion of the highway to the 115/35 will have a significant negative impact on the local road infrastructure in the municipality, Abernethy told the Premier in his letter. The Municipality has worked extensively with the Ministry to resolve issues related to the location and the design over the past several years, Abernethy said in his letter. Besides being very disappointed that the Provincial Government did not give greater consideration to the impact the staged implementation of the highway will have on Clarington, Abernethy informed the Premier that, "Much of the goodwill the 407 Project Team had been able to establish with residents, property owners, staff and politicians has evaporated due to this announcement." While Abernethy acknowledges conditions set out in the EA approval allow for the staging of the highway, he said it would be unreasonable and unfair to expect the Municipality of Clarington to endure the impacts that will result from not completing Highway 407 in one stage. Students from St. Stephen's Elementary School won awards for their artwork in a competition sponsored by the Newcastle Village & District Historical Society. The competition was looking for original compositions reflecting Canada's past and present. Pictured from left (back row): Remington Sletcher, Historical Society member Bev Jeeves, Christina Beeton, Chelsea Mazzocchi, (front row, seated): Susannah Selber, and Alysha Hand. Council calls for wind farm moratorium Clarington is calling on the provincial government to impose a moratorium on the approval of any more wind farm applications. Clarington councillors want the province to halt the approval of wind farm applications until they have conducted studies to examine the health, safety and economic impacts of wind farms. The moratorium resolution passed at Monday night's council meeting unanimously. Heather Rutherford, representing a number of residents concerned with the proposed wind farm in the Kirby area, urged councillors on Monday night to use their powers to intervene on their behalf with the province. Wind Concerns Clarington, the group Rutherford represents, along with many similar groups across the province, is seeking independent health studies on the effects of wind turbines on the population, and increased setbacks. Under the Green Energy Act, the setback for industrial wind turbines is 550 meters from homes. Anti wind turbine groups want setbacks to be increased to at least 1.5 kilometers or more, as is the requirement in other jurisdictions. Quoting from a Ministry of the Environment (MOE) letter, Rutherford told councillors, "The current science available for measuring noise emanating from wind turbines is technically challenging." According to the MOE, "There is no scientifically accepted field methodology to measure wind turbine noise to determine compliance or non compliance limits," Rutherford stated. The minimum 550 meter setback from homes is to ensure noise levels from wind turbines do not exceed 40 decibels at buildings used as residences. "The government is making up the rules as it goes along, at our expense," Rutherford told councillors. "We are outraged that despite the fact that the province has admitted is has no way to enforce the rules it has enshrined into law, the approval process of industrial wind turbines continues." Under the Green Energy Act, municipalities are excluded from providing input into the decision making process as to where turbines will be erected. ~ Happenings ~ Wednesday, June 30, 2010 - Concerts on the lawn - Mike Pollard & Unpopular, Orono Library Lawn, 6:30 - 8:00 pm. Please bring a donation for the food bank. Sunday, July 4, 2010 - Newtonville Summer Concert Series at the Ina Brown Parkette, 6:30 pm. This Sunday's concert features Jean Lepine and Lenny. Thursday, July 8, 2010 - Bryan Bickell Day, Stanley Cup Parade & Event, 4-7:30 pm, Mill St. - Main St. - Princess St. concluding at the Orono Arena. Please bring a donation for the food bank. Saturday, July 10, 2010 - Artist & Artisans Show & Sale, Bond Head Beach, Newcastle. 10 am to 4:30 pm. $2/person, $5/family (2 adults & 2 children), Children under 5 - Free. Free Parking. www.agiftof-art.com, agiftof.art@sympatico.ca. Sunday, July 11, 2010 - Decoration Day Service, McCreas Cemetery, 11 am. Guest speaker: John Atkins. Please bring a lawn chair.