GABP President's Letter to the Editor re: "Transmission line now one step closer."

President Bill Celhoffer has submitted the following letter to the Owen Sound Sun Times re: "Transmission line now one step closer" article. Read the full article in our January 5 post.

January 9, 2010

Dear Editor:

Your headline article "Transmission line now one step closer", January 4th, 2010,
was much appreciated by the Grey Association for Better Planning (GABP). This
powerline issue, and other technical decisions by Hydro One have not received
anywhere near enough attention in the press. 

Sadly, for Ontario taxpayers and Hydro ratepayers, this  transmission line is just
one more bad decision following from  the horrendously expensive decision to "go
nuclear". If the old Ontario Hydro hadn't been essentially bankrupted by the costs
of the Candu reactors, they would have had money to upgrade our  entire transmission
system to current North American standards, something we do not have now. This
high-voltage powerline "expansion" is not necessary. If it is built it will not help
those companies or individual investors who want to develop small, green sources of
electricity. The only reason for the expansion of this transmission line is to
prepare for the future expansion of Bruce Power. (Sound fishy? Taxpayers money being
used to help a private corporation?) This is a battle between alternative green
power (the David of the story) and mega-power stations and the high-voltage
transmission lines that go along with them (the Goliath of the story). Hydro One
won't come out and admit it, but they are on the side of Goliath.

Investment in sustainable green energy technology has far more long-term potential 
to benefit Grey and Bruce than a transmission line which  can only offer "all kinds
of jobs for part-time labourers driving truck, building fences and stuff like
that."

Now, as once before, the last barrier to the powerline expansion is the Niagara
Escarpment Commission (NEC). Back in 1987, with lots of support from citizens of
Grey, they stopped the Bruce to Essa powerline. We need to wait for the NEC appeal
process to run its course before we can say whether David or Goliath wins this
round.

The failure of Ontario's politicians to deal effectively with problems of
electricity cost and supply goes back decades. None of the major political parties
have clean hands on this. Seems like a perfect opportunity for our maverick MPP.

 

Bill Celhoffer, President GABP

Biodigester Approved

Georgian Bluffs and the Township of Chatsworth have approved construction of a biodigester. For the full article see the Owen Sound Sun Times article.

Hydro Corridor

On November 27, 2009, the MOE approved the environmental assessment on Hydro One's proposal for corridor expansion. For more information, read the article in The Owen Sound Sun Times.

Malcolm Kirk - Grassroots Hero

Malcolm Kirk, a GABP director, has been selected as a 2009 Grassroots Hero in On the Bay magazine's third annual salute to people making a difference in our communities. The article outlines Mr. Kirk's  record of accomplishments in conservation in our area. Fittingly, Old Baldy, one of the many natural areas he worked so diligently to preserve, provides the backdrop for the accompanying photo of Mr. Kirk.

The entire article features the ten other recipients of this honour as well. You  can check out the story online on page 13.

If you would like a hard copy, On the Bay is available at Crow's Nest Books and Gifts in Collingwood and Downtown Bookstore and Cafe in Owen Sound.

Keppel Quarry Expansion Hits Speed Bump

Harold Sutherland Construction Ltd. must seek the approval of the Niagara Escarpment Commission, for a proposal  to expand the Keppel quarry, before proceeding to the Ontario Municipal Board.

Hearing Officer, James McKenzie postponed the prehearing for six months, allowing time for the NEC to make a ruling on the application, which will likely be heard at the scheduled February commission meeting.

Attendees at the brief prehearing, held December 1, included: principal opponent, Nancy Shouldice and her lawyer, Ted Horton; the Grey Association for Better Planning representative, Peggy Hutchison; and other individuals holding party status. Several GABP directors made the trip to the Shallow Lake Community Centre to show their support.

One individual with party status, expressed concern with the revelation that the area proposed for the expansion had been reduced in size. McKenzie advised that that issue was not within the purview of the prehearing.

The concern, shared by other opponents to the expansion, is that a reduction in the size of the proposed quarry is a strategy not a compromise.  David White admitted as much, in speaking to a Sun Times reporter about future expansion.

For more information go to The Owen Sound Sun Times link:

http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2202231

Climate Action Day - October 24

Doug Nadler, a long-time member of GABP has asked that we help him promote the
Climate Action Day march and demonstration and festivities in Collingwood October
24th. 

Chatsworth/Georgian Bluffs Biodigester

Went to the information meetign at Keady Community Centre regarding the thinking behind and planning of the biodigestser.

The municipalites are putting up local taxpayers money along with the 2 million plus from the federal and provincial governments. The local councils are keen because they are confident the project will be profitable (meaning that it will cover operating and maintenance costs at least) through the selling of electrical power into the grid.

The plan is sensible-the lagoon is already there, being used to handle about 25 cubic metres of septage per day from Sunset Strip and other sources. The capacity is about 50; the new system is designed to come closer to that capacity, and the lagoon is always there as a back-up in case of technical problems.

This will be the first system using septage along with some kind of chopped organic matter (corn stover, canola straw or suchlike). Assuming it will work, it will be an important step towards a better solution to the processing of household septage in Ontario.

Bill C.