2 Comments

1. David Robinson says:

   February 17, 2011 at 8:31 pm

   Municipal Councils and Alternative energy

   Ontario municipalities are faced with new demands for land and resources to be provided for Renewable Energy or Alternative Energy projects. These are usually Industrial Wind Turbines installations or solar panel installations. These projects tend to create divisions in the communities for a variety of reasons. Some people fear with good reason for their medical well being because of close proximity of the turbines to their dwellings. Others embrace the idea as it means a source of constant income, unlike their farming income – not to mention sometimes healthy down payments or option payments. Invariably there are significant resource and cash outlays by municipalities and sometimes these outlays are not easily or apparently recoverable.

   The Green Energy Act (GEA) has significantly curtailed the right of local government to regulate these new installations. Or has it…? The energy companies are required to have community meetings and pass through an approval process at the Ministry of the Environment. These meetings alone could provide a source of revenue to the municipalities and offer an opportunity to wrest back some control of the planning process. The wind companies have taken to invoking the participation of the Ontario Provincial Police – a taxpayer funded body – and to also hiring security companies to “vet” attendees of the meetings. Municipalities are missing the opportunity to pass local laws regulating the conduct and security issues surrounding these meetings and they are missing the opportunity to charge for these services.

   For example: I think it is time for municipalities to institute a fee for public meetings that are specifically about Alternative Energy. A fee of say $50,000 per meeting sounds about right. After all the wind companies have shown themselves how onerous and dangerous it can be to conduct these meetings. For discussion of this point see the article on Wind Concerns Ontario regarding the treatment of a couple at a meeting regarding the Big Thunder Wind Park.

   Further, a security clearance for all alternative energy presenters should be mandatory along with a criminal background check to be carried out by the local police force — not by the OPP. The criminal background checks and security checks should be presented to council well in advance of any public meeting. You can’t be too careful about your investments these days. Protection from scam artists is of paramount concern in any investment and you can be sure the Alternative Energy companies are investigating you to make sure that you, the individual on council will be a safe and reliable partner. You should do no less

   Also, are the local governments doing due diligence on the wind companies that wish to construct wind turbines and solar farms? I would think that financial statements and an up-front investigation fee should just be part of the process. The energy companies are asking for the local community to make a financial investment in them. Where is your due diligence? Why are you not asking these companies to provide a locally incorporated company with a local public office where all matters can be directed whether it be lawsuits or local payments collected. This is quite a common device used by state governments in the United States so that is easier to contact, negotiate with or sue multinational firms.

   As far as actually proving service to the alternative energy industry it seems to me that a fee for engineering and design services as well as alterations to local emergency services should start with an up-front fee of $250,000 for initial planning and service coordination. Road permits, fire control permits and “Green Fees” for assessment of municipal environmental impact should also be considered as lucrative sources of income. Further companies should be required to post bonds or provide proof of insurance (provided by a Canadian Carrier) against lawsuits, property devaluation, medical problems and law suits and so on. We need to concern ourselves that the Industrial Wind Turbines will be maintained in proper and safe working order. We also need to concern ourselves with decommissioning of the structures when their service life is at an end. To some readers, these fees may appear to be arbitrarily high and punitive, but, I assure you that engineering and financial expertise does not come cheap. Investigating the claims, reviewing the setbacks and consulting with people who could potentially be harmed or inconvenienced by these installations does not come cheap. Further, we know that many environmental organizations and agencies have “bought in” to the concept of green energy and do not do any significant investigation as to possible harmful environmental effects on flora and fauna.

   A further issue of course is noise and noise abatement. Frankly the provincial government has not done a proper job. They have done nothing significant to measure noise levels. The Ministry of Health has only reviewed old graduate student developed or literature survey studies. The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) has not even developed rigorous measurement doctrine for conducting noise tests. This failure to act has been well documented by Wind Concerns Volunteers and similar organizations like Wind Action Ontario. You could well be responsible for conducting these tests in the face of provincial inaction. Are you prepared to bear the burden of the costs or face the liability of inaction? Have you purchased insurance or required bonds to hold council harmless against any actions that might be brought? This costs money and the source of any required funds is obvious. Fees charged will eventually come from the very taxpayers that you should protect – so include a levy to insure that you can be protected, or so that you can commission the required testing.

   Let your imagination run wild local councils! Review your building permit fees. Review your road usage fees. Review all your fee structures and liability issues.

   Review your security fees for public meetings. Ensure that only the local police force is empowered to provide security for local meetings – after all they know the locals best. Besides it too is another obvious source of income.

   The opportunity to redirect provincially collected funds to the local councils is virtually unlimited. The only limit is your imagination.

   Set rates for Solar and Wind environmental fees depending on habitat destruction! Ensure that all of these fees are collected in advance. Use the money to expand your parks and nature reserves.

   Now, let’s not kid ourselves; altruism is only part of the picture. There is real money to be made from the Green Energy subsidies. Why should all the money go offshore? Upgrade your infrastructure by redirecting the wind company profits to your local till.

   These ideas are just a way of redirecting provincially collected taxpayer fees to local coffers – it is fair game. That money is taxpayer money being paid to wind companies that are financed by large international banks, merchant banks, investment houses and insurance companies. Feel no guilt about attaching profits from these institutions – they are in business for one reason only – to make a profit. You should have no compunctions about reducing that profit and “taxing” windfall profits.

   As a closing issue let me remind you that this should do more than make money. It should get all the development issues on the table. It will put the program under a scrutiny that I do not believe it can bear. It should kill the diseased goose laying the leaden eggs. Last, but not least, it should be the beginning of the end for a political party that did not investigate before it leaped into action.

   It’s time to quit rolling over. It is now time to use your imagination.

   Pass this information to your local councils. Even if they are pro-wind and pro-solar surely they can see the opportunity for revenue enhancement! If we cannot stop these developments the profits should go the local population. That was the original intent of the Green Movement and the Green Energy Act. It’s time to return to the roots of the movement. Power (and money) to the people.

   Do you have any suggestions for additional items? Please post them on Wind Concerns. I will be happy to update this document with fresh ideas!

   By,
   David Robinson, B.Sc.
2. Tyrone says:

   February 25, 2011 at 2:35 pm

   Pelosi conveniently forgets to mention the reason why she wants Natual gas over oil is due to her stock investment in T Boone PIckens Clean Energy company. For her to have an investment in an alternative energy company and her pushing for alternative energy policy screams CONFLICT OF INTEREST!!!