Amherst Island Wind Info

Overnight this sculpture, by an unnamed artist, mysteriously appeared on the side of the 2nd concession road, right on top of where CHD had filled in a protected wetland. I gathered up all the pictures I could find and have them here. Almost needless to say, within 24 hours it was removed. WCO has sent an email to the WI mayor, offering to buy it back, but he hasn't responded. I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.

8 files, last one added on Jul 26, 2009

A collection of pictures taken the summer the project went into operation.

1 files, last one added on May 12, 2009

22 files, last one added on Mar 25, 2009

Construction at Baseline and 3rd Line road.

6 files, last one added on Jan 05, 2009

Flooding from construction as wetland encroachment effects watercourse between 2nd (Little Sandy Bay) and 3rd Line Roads.

6 files, last one added on Jan 05, 2009

2nd Line Road - The road has been widened with loose aggregate and rubble. Rubble has been pushed 15 to 20 feet into the Little Sandy Bay Wetland to widen the road, for the length of approximately 200 yards. I did not observe any drainage precautions, nor did I observe a silt barrier present to contain silt from entering the watercourse.

3rd Line Road - The road is flooded in three areas between Hwy 96 and the wetland creek. The road is almost impassable to passenger cars. Significant flooding occurs 50 ft in advance of the creek culvert, to a depth of roughly 1 ft. There are no warning signs in advance of the flooded areas. There is no available space to turn around. The wetland creek is flooded, and there is no indication that water is running. It would appear from the road that the water through the wetland is blocked to the west.

Numerous trees have been bulldozed at "The Old Grimshaw" property further along the road.

Following these observations, I have some questions:

To what extent has road widening activity on 2nd line road encroached on the wetlands at Little Sandy Bay? What drainage precautions were used to prevent aggregate, silt and other construction debris from encroaching on wetlands? Is the current condition of the Little Sandy Bay Wetland consistent with the requirements for construction set out in the E.R.R.?

What is the cause of extensive and sustained flooding on 3rd Line Road? Why is the wetland watercourse disturbed? Why does the flow of water appear to be blocked from the west? Are the current conditions on 3rd Line Road and the creek and wetland area consistent with the requirements for construction set out in the E.R.R.?

6 files, last one added on Jan 06, 2009

Note the flooding at the wetland creek on 3rd Line Road. The culverts were crushed by the weight of the aggregate trucks and cement trucks (66 loads per turbine base). The final photo is a clear picture of the now stagnant watercourse -- this is the easterly section of the Little Sandy Bay Wetland: showing the implication of the aggregate and rumble dumped at 2nd Line to accommodate overhead poles.

6 files, last one added on Jan 05, 2009

This is the current condition (December 23rd, 2008) of the provincially significant wetland (PSW) Little Sandy Bay on Wolfe Island: aggregate and rubble bulldozed directly into the wetland (note no silt barrier to prevent aggregate and silt from drifting into fish breeding sites) to position overhead hydro poles from the turbine (you can see how close it is to the wetland area). This "road" expansion and deliberate encroachment WAS NOT INDICATED IN THE ERR. In fact ERR stated that no PSW would be crossed by access roads. The municipality authorized this encroachment at a municipal council meeting the day before construction began on the request of the company (passed by a councillor who is also a landowner with optioned land for the project).

Note, this encroachment has caused flooding further east in the wetland area. No watercourse flow occurring.

Note, center of the turbine base is 120 m from the wetland, which means the blade tip closer to 50 metres from the turbine.

Little Sandy Bay marks the most controversial siting of the turbine project -- the greatest concentration of roads, wetland encroachment is in the most important bird breeding, foraging and nesting areas in this IBA. Little Sandy Bay opens directly into the Gulf of the St. Lawrence. Blandings Turtle colony was sighted in this location in 2006. Now, fish breeding, herpitile breeding, nesting and hibernating, ad avian habitat has been lost.

6 files, last one added on Jan 05, 2009

Taken by a couple of Amherst Islanders in November 2008.

16 files, last one added on Dec 08, 2008