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Cumberland County
Needs Your Input

The Municipality of Cumberland is conducting a review of municipal regulations controlling small and large wind turbines. You have until March 2nd to tell them your concerns relating to the location, approvals and decommissioning of both small and large wind turbines. (Find email and postal address to send comments here.)

Protect Wentworth Vally's concerns are outlined in this sample letter. You may use this letter in full or use any of the these 8 key points in your own comments to the Cumberland County Planning Department.

Turbine setbacks should be at least 5,000 meters to the nearest property line or residence to help lessen the impact of noise, flicker, visual impact, ice throw, and structural failure.
Issues of decommissioning should be addressed by the requirement for a Decommissioning Bond. Decommissioning and construction damage to roads, lands and waterways should not be the responsibility of the tax payer.
There should be a Review Committee comprised of the Development Officer, members of Council, the planning department and the public before granting approval to any wind project.
There should be site inspections done by a qualified surveyor or engineer to ensure that each approved wind turbine conforms to the approved site plan. Inspection reports should be posted for the public record.
Require proponents to establish Community Protection Funds to pay out claimants who have suffered damage as a result of failing to meet the stringent bylaw standards put forth regarding setback, flicker, noise etc.
Wind Turbines must have an Ambient Degradation Noise Standard no greater then 25 dB(A) as measured at existing residences.
Prohibit two or more Wind Turbine Projects (one proponent with multiple turbines in one construction time frame) in close proximity to 5 or more residences where the residences are within 1 km of each other.
Municipality of Cumberland’s Policy 4-53 of the Municipal Planning Strategy. Council should consider amending the Wind Turbine Restricted Overlay to add the Wentworth Valley as a tourism area and therefore no wind turbines would be permitted in this very valuable and narrow part of the valley.