(Updated) Environmental Assessment Review decision throws caution to the Digby Wind Power Project

(Editor's note: This article was printed in the Digby Courier on July 2, 2009. at the bottom of the page, readers will find the original wording of an online version, published on June 23, 2009.)

Nova Scotia's Deputy Minister of Environment has issued a decision on the Digby Wind Power Project's Environmental Assessment Report that appears to leave the project twisting in the wind.

For how long, however, remains unclear.

In a June 19 letter addressed to SkyPower Corporation VP Charmaine Thompson, Deputy Minister of Environment Nancy Vanstone states quite simply, "I have determined that the registration information provided is insufficient to allow me to make a decision."

The letter basically boils down to numerous requests for additional information before the ministry can proceed with issuing a yay or nay.

Lorrie Roberts of the Environmental Assessment Branch says, “This is not uncommon, it’s just an extra step. For the Minister to make good decision, additional information is needed.”

Some examples of the Deputy Minister's requests:

SkyPower will have to provide more data about the impact of turbine placement on landscape connectivity and species movement.

Noise simulations will have to be recalibrated to account for the effects of the ocean on noise levels.

More information is needed about how SkyPower plans to reduce public exposure to noise.

Further study is required to identify potential sources of low-frequency noise and address any related health concerns.

Less specifically, "SkyPower Corp. must provide the details of all issues and concerns raised by local residents and how the company proposes to address them."

SkyPower has one year to provide to respond. The Minister will have 50 days to issue a judgment on the appended submission.

Construction of the 30-megawatt development was scheduled to begin this September. The facility was expected to become operational as early as Spring 2010.

SkyPower Community Relations & Marketing Manager Tanya Bragg avoided making specific estimates as to how much time will be required to comply with the deputy minister’s requests or when the company expects to receive approval to begin the construction phase. “We are working closely with NS Environment as part of the EA (Environmental Assessment) process to clarify the content of the EA report and to provide any additional information that may be required,” says Bragg. “As experienced and responsible developers, we always anticipate that the regulators may have questions regarding our EA report. As a result, our timelines will not be impacted because of the flexibility we’ve built into our development schedule.”

Roberts says, “Whether this affects timelines depends entirely on how quickly the company can respond to the information requests.”

Looking at the measurements, consultations, and re-analyses required to comply with the Deputy Minister's missive, it is difficult to predict just how long the Digby Wind Power Project will need to find its second wind. “SkyPower is working quickly to respond to the requests from the Ministry. We are confident that we will be able to respond to the Ministry in an expeditious manner,” says Bragg.

To read the Deputy Minister's letter, visit http://www.gov.ns.ca/nse/ea/digby.wind.sky.power.asp ************************ (Editor's Note: Below is the original wording of the above article, as it appeared online June 23, 2009)

Nova Scotia's Deputy Minister of Environment has issued a decision on the Digby Wind Power Project's Environmental Assessment Report that appears to leave the project twisting in the wind.

For how long, however, remains unclear.

In a June 19 letter addressed to SkyPower Corporation VP Charmaine Thompson, Deputy Minister of Environment Nancy Vanstone states quite simply, "I have determined that the registration information provided is insufficient to allow me to make a decision."

The letter boils down to numerous requests for additional information before the Ministry of Environment can proceed with issuing a yay or nay. It does not make clear whether these are issues that should have been resolved previously, or whether these are new concerns discovered during the review process.

Some examples of the Deputy Minister's requests:

SkyPower will have to provide more data about the impact of turbine placement on landscape connectivity and species movement.

Noise simulations will have to be recalibrated to account for the effects of the ocean on noise levels.

More information is needed about how SkyPower plans to reduce public exposure to noise.

Further study is required to identify potential sources of low-frequency noise and address any related health concerns.

Less specifically, "SkyPower Corp. must provide the details of all issues and concerns raised by local residents and how the company proposes to address them."

In a recent newsletter, SkyPower and partner Scotian Windfields Inc. had predicted the Ministry of Environment would approve their Environmental Assessment Review by the end of June.

That optimism now appears to have been premature.

SkyPower has one year to respond. The Minister will have 50 days to issue a judgment on the appended submission.

Construction of the 30-megawatt development was supposed to begin this September. The facility was expected to become operational as early as Spring 2010.

The June 19 decision would appear to jeopardize that September start date. Looking at the measurements, consultations, and re-analysis required to comply with the Deputy Minister's missive, it is difficult to predict just how long the Digby Wind Power Project will need to find its second wind. -----

The Courier has contacted SkyPower Corp, Scotian Windfields Inc., DoE's Environmental Assessment Branch, and the Municipality of the County of Digby for comments. Updates will be published as those perspectives become available.

To read the Deputy Minister's letter, visit http://www.gov.ns.ca/nse/ea/digby.wind.sky.power.asp