Question 1

Who may Island residents contact re possible employment during project period?

Answer 1

We would be happy to pass along any inquiry regarding employment or business advertisement on to our contractors.  If someone is interested in working on the project, we ask that they send us an email at windlectric@amherstislandwindproject.com, contact us through our website, or contact Tim Sullivan, the Local Development Manager, at 416-605-3070.

Question 2

Do email responses go directly to the individual or to the committee member placing the question?

Answer 2

Email responses will go back to the individual who posed the question.

Question 3

Approximately how long will it take before an individual receives an answer to their question?

Answer 3

Individual response time is dependent on the type of question which is asked. We are working on improving the response time and hope to provide responses in reasonable time.

Question 4

Will the waterfront be restored to its previous pristine condition no matter the circumstance?

Answer 4

Windlectric has committed to restoration activities as outlined in the REA Decommissioning Plan. Windlectric is to remove project components and remediate areas according to permit conditions.

Question 5

Have all permits been received from Loyalist Township?

Answer 5

All permits and plans required to carry out current work the in water work have been obtained and reviewed by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (the MOECC).

Windlectric is committed to following all federal, provincial and municipal standards and currently have all required permits required for any work currently being completed.

 

 

Question 6

Were representatives of the Kingston Field Naturalists, Loyalist Township, the County of Lennox and Addington, and the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority invited to participate on the Committee?

Answer 6

In November, 2015 with assistance from Stantec Consulting, the following notifications were undertaken:

The REA condition states that notification of the CLC shall be established by:

Question 7

Is there an opportunity to expand the Community Liaison Committee?

Answer 7

With respect to the composition of the group, we are very fortunate to have found a group with synergy and membership that constitutes a fair representation and balanced views.  While we are willing to consider adding membership with new opinions, we would do so only if the group could maintain that fair and balanced representation.

Question 8

The safety of the community is a very high priority.  Has a comprehensive risk analysis been conducted?  Where can the Emergency Response Plan be found? 

Answer 8

Safety is also taken very seriously by the team and company, not just for workers on the site, but also for the public.  As part of our Operations Plan, which has been posted on the Township website, the Emergency Response and Communications Plan can be found in section 4.3 under Public Safety Plan. The project will adhere to regulations in place (road and marine regulations) that are also designed to ensure public safety.

Question 9

What is Windlectric’s understanding of the Commercial Operation Date and the status of the Notice to Proceed?

Answer 9

Please refer to the IESO website for publicly available information on this project: http://www.ieso.ca/sector-participants/feed-in-tariff-program/overview. Windlectric is constructing the Amherst Island Wind Project under a valid FIT contract.

Question 10

Why did Windlectric place the docks in the documented locations?

Answer 10

The location of the docks was based on satisfying multiple project constraints including:

Navigation of medium and large vessels, including ferries and barges, with crossing paths on the Great Lakes is common practice. The public and vessel traffic are safeguarded by applicable law and marine transport best practices that will be followed at all times during the project.

Question 11

How many trips will Windlectric make on the public ferry for construction related trips?

Answer 11

The public ferry use for construction will be limited to construction related to dock construction (including the access road from Front Road to the island dock). All equipment necessary for construction of the dock and related access road has already been mobilized to the island dock construction area. Most of the material required has also been transported to site. The major material required for the island dock including steel for the piers and the steel dock sections will be transported to the island dock using project barges, and not the public ferry. The remaining planned use of the public ferry for transport of construction materials will be for minor steel components that can be transported by a trailer suitable for loading onto the ferry without delay to the ferry schedule. The public ferry will also be used by workers travelling to-and-from the island dock work site. The public ferry will also be used for the transport of consumables for the project (e.g. fuel delivery). It is also possible that an unforeseen circumstance (e.g. a change in site conditions, unforeseen subsurface conditions, or a change in design) will result in a change in the planned use of the public ferry for dock construction.  Demobilization of equipment for the site will occur from the constructed dock as much as is practical according to prudent and safe construction industry practice in order to minimize the use of the dock for this purpose.

Question 12

What was the reasoning behind locating a cement plant by the school?

Answer 12

The location of the batch plant was previously discussed at the ERT, in relation to human health and the tribunal had no concerns, and location has been approved.  The company elected to place the batch plant in the central laydown area of the project.

The REA prescribes the conditions for the batch plant.  In addition, the REA modification #3 contains the air and noise report which indicates that the batch plant will comply with the government requirements [please see the project web site for copies of these reports – http://amherstislandwindproject.com/site_main/index.php/approvals/final-renewable-energy-approval-technical-documents/]

Question 13

Will Windlectric post all permits as they are received on the website to improve the public’s understanding of the project and schedule? What permits are outstanding?

Answer 13

Windlectric has no plan to publish all permits beyond those required by the permitting authorities.

Question 14

Windlectric’s Terms of Reference for this Committee indicate that there will only be 2 meetings open to the public.  How, then, will this “two-way communication” work?

Answer 14

In addition to the CLC meetings, monthly CWG meetings will be held to have this dialogue. Questions that the community submit through the CWG/CLC, website, and email will be logged and answers will be posted on our website.  We also have a local development manager, Tim Sullivan, who is available to discuss certain concerns further in person.

Question 15

Has Windlectric consulted with AI Public School staff concerning an emergency evacuation plan in the event of a fire, spill, explosion or other accident at the construction site?

Answer 15

Our team has met with school staff to discuss concerns and to review the project as a whole. We are committed to working with the school on an ongoing basis to ensure they are updated on the status of the project and any potential issues.

Question 16

What archaeological monitoring has been conducted on the island?

Answer 16

We have considered the location of the two archaeological sites on the mainland, in relation to the proposed construction work area, and have revised the project development area such that no impacts will occur at the sites.  Work will occur only in the monitoring buffer zone around the sites, which is in compliance with the regulations. A monitoring plan, using a licensed archaeologist, was submitted to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports. No construction activities will be allowed within the 20 m buffer surrounding the sites and a protective fencing along a 20 m buffer will be erected and maintained throughout the construction period of the mainland temporary dock infrastructure.

Question 17

How can I calculate how many (estimated) truck trips will be required in my area over the course of the Wind Project’s construction phase?

Answer 17

The Windlectric team has made detailed projections on the number of truck trips required to and from all areas of the Island. The easiest way to calculate this number is to refer to the legend and reference table contained on Algonquin drawing AMHST–207. This map can be found in Schedule 3 of the Operations Plan.

The numbers for each road segment in the table are cumulative: for instance, the number of one-way trips along road segment J is estimated to be 5,191 one-way trips (4,766+395). Since these trips require an equal number of return trips, that brings the total to 10,382 trips (5,191 x 2) for that particular road segment. While these numbers may sound high, please keep in mind that they are spread out over the course of the entire construction period, currently scheduled to end in Fall 2018.

Some deliveries share road segments before splitting off into separate directions, so you will notice that those segments nearest to the dock, and on Stella Road will see the highest volume.

Question 18

I am concerned about my home’s foundation, and about the safety and quality of my well water. What is being done to limit vibrations from trucks passing by on the roads?  

Answer 18

Windlectric takes the integrity of residents’ homes and water supplies very seriously. For that reason, we have worked to limit the equipment that will pass through the Village of Stella to just four sets of turbine components. These loads will travel along Front Road and return following delivery. There are no other heavy loads (including concrete trucks) associated with the project that will pass through the Village of Stella.

This commitment is detailed in Section 2.1 of the Operations Plan. It is also illustrated by the figures attached as Schedule 3 and Schedule 19 of the Operations Plan. The plan for protecting Cultural Heritage Resources, including the use of sophisticated vibration monitoring technology in the village of Stella, is provided in Schedule 17 of the same plan. You can read those Schedules in greater detail here.

Question 19

The natural landscape and history of our Island is so important. Is there truth to the rumours that the hill in front of St. Paul’s Church in Stella might need to be scaled down?  

Answer 19

The Amherst Island area has a rich cultural and historical heritage that we must continue to preserve as the Wind Project progresses.

Recently, Windlectric was happy to share the news that the profile of the hill just south of St Paul’s Presbyterian Church (1881 Stella 40 Foot Road) will not require modification during construction of the Amherst Island Wind Project. Fortunately, through discussions with our turbine delivery contractor, we were able to find a solution that will minimize impact to this important community landmark.

On a related note, we were also able to lay collector systems without any impact to the trees along the stretch of road in front of St. Paul’s. We were able to accomplish this because we will use directional drilling instead of conventional trenching.

Question 20

Where can I find information on wind turbine impact mitigation?

Answer 20

Information regarding impact mitigation can be found on page 20 of the Operations Plan.

http://amherstislandwindproject.com/site_main/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Windlectric-Ops-Plan-Final-170502.pdf

Question 21

How does a “Watercourse” differentiate from a “Water body”?

Answer 21

The REA regulation defines the term “water body” as follows:
“…a lake, a permanent stream, an intermittent stream and a seepage area but does not include, a) grassed waterways, b) temporary channels for surface drainage, such as furrows or shallow channels that can be tilled and driven through, c) rock chutes or spillways, d) roadside ditches that do not contain a permanent or intermittent stream, e) temporarily ponded areas that are normally farmed, f) dugout ponds, or g) artificial bodies of water intended for the storage, treatment or recirculation of runoff from farm animal yards, manure storage facilities and sites and outdoor confinement areas”.
There are features on the island, in the context of the REA definition, that do not meet the definition of a “water body”. Therefore, alternative language has been used to describe water features which are not covered under the above definition.

Question 22

Are there noise limits associated with construction and truck traffic?

Answer 22

Yes. All construction related activities are governed by the Loyalist Township Noise Bylaw. Any exemptions to the by-law would require Township approval. Care and consideration will be given to limit noise impacts, including optimizing work practice efficiency to reduce equipment run times, strict quality controls, regular equipment servicing to ensure proper operation, and ensuring all regulatory compliance noise suppressing equipment is installed and functioning as intended.

Question 23

Will the turbines produce light flicker?

Answer 23

A turbine will produce Shadow Flicker however, all provincially and federally regulated guidelines were observed and abide by in the design work for the Amherst Island Wind Farm. Therefore Shadow Flicker resulting from the operation of the Turbines will not exceed the regulated or suggested limits. Please refer to the Shadow Flicker Report at the following link.

Question 24

Are buses/vans transporting personnel travelling on the same barge as fuel trucks?

Answer 24

The Project received verification from Authorities in regards to Dangerous Goods regulations, the vessel can lawfully carry diesel fuel trucks without any passenger restrictions. For information, this is based on the elevated flash-point of the fuel involved.