Big Island’s Ian Hanna is pretty sure having both federal and provincial politicians involved will help slow down wind turbine developments in Ontario — at least until more studies are completed.

Bob Runciman, the senator for Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, presented a motion in Senate earlier this week calling for a moratorium on wind energy projects in the area stretching from Wolfe Island to Prince Edward County.

Thursday, Hanna was at Queen’s Park as Prince Edward-Hastings MPP Todd Smith’s private members bill — the Local Municipality Democracy Act — was read.

While Runiciman’s motion lacks the power to stop wind projects on its own, the Senate did back it unanimously.

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While he’s “not here to knock wind energy at all,” Runciman is primarily concerned about the placement of turbines in relation to winged creatures’ migratory pathways, not the possible effects of human health.

“It’s a tough thing to get interested in, or aroused about, but I’ve got a soapbox here and I hope to be able to utilize it to help the cause,” he said.

Runciman and his wife, Jeannette, got interested in the issue, he said, after reading reports about the effect the wind turbines on Wolfe Island were having on the bird and bat populations.

“One of the things I’ve been concerned about is the lack of concern being expressed by a lot of environmental groups, wildlife groups, who I think have been very quiet on this because it’s sort of politically correct to support green energy despite whatever the cost might be,” Runciman said.

Read the full story via Windmill foes have a new friend – Belleville Intelligencer – Ontario, CA.