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MPP Nicholls Comments on Airport Wind Turbines
January 21, 2015
Chatham-Kent Essex MPP Rick Nicholls issued a statement in the Ontario legislature late last year. In it he stated, “Care must be exercised when determining where to locate these monstrous, impeding industrial wind turbines, especially when they have been constructed around airports.”
Nicholls went to on to say that his primary reason for the removal of the 8 turbines was for safety reasons. “It would appear to me that someone was asleep at the switch when eight industrial wind turbines were allowed to be built inside already-established airport zoning regulations at the Chatham-Kent Municipal Airport.”
These airport zoning regulations—or AZRs, as they are known—were established for safety reasons to protect the pilots, passengers and families of those flying in and out of the airport.
“Long before I became Her Majesty’s loyal opposition critic for community safety and correctional services, I challenged the location of these turbines because of safety concerns,” Nicholls said.
Nav Canada issued a Notice to Airmen only after Transport Canada had asked GDF Suez to voluntarily remove the turbines back in 2013. This notice was a warning to aircraft to be aware of the turbines when approaching the airport. Nicholls went on to say that in his opinion, the notice was to protect
Nav Canada from any lawsuits that could have happened had there been an accident.
“It still doesn’t dismiss the fact that there are 8 IWT’s illegally constructed inside the AZRs. Someone needs to be held accountable and as the Critic for Community Safety I will continue to work hard to protect vulnerable aircrafts not only at the Chatham airport, but at airports throughout Ontario. Safeguarding public safety is imperative. It is the right thing to do,” Nicholls concluded.
