Proposed Sandy Point windfarm statement
As council members and staff, we strive to take a community-focused approach while working in the best interest of all residents of the Municipality of Shelburne.
The ultimate goal of council is to move the municipality forward. This can sometimes result in council adopting a position that may not be popular to all.
Council has made a commitment to work with the province to help address the global climate change challenges we all face in an effort to create a better future for our next generation. Council takes this commitment seriously.
We recognize that we are in a climate crisis, and society's dependence on fossil fuels is not sustainable. It was for this reason that, in 2015, the council of the day, in conjunction with the Integrated Community
Sustainability Plan (ICSP), chose to specifically address wind development, including utility-scale projects, in its Land Use Bylaw. The ICSP recognizes the global threat of climate change and that renewable energy is a key component to reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs).
We understand there are varying views with respect to the proposed Sandy Point Windfarm development and respect that some residents do not agree with the proposed project.
To the individuals demonstrating their opposition, rest assured that you have been heard; however, the municipality's review would be administrative in nature and would only occur if the project makes it through two separate provincial processes; a competitive, province-wide
Request for Proposal (RFP) and a provincial Environmental Assessment (EA).
Should the proposed project be selected through the RFP process, we encourage all concerned residents to participate in the province's EA process that will ultimately guide the Minister of Environment and Climate Change's decision on the project.
As indicated, council has taken the position that it supports renewable green energy. Wind energy is a natural resource that can be used to help the province reach its goal of phasing out coal-fired electricity by 2030.
It will take residents working together across Nova Scotia to help reach this goal, including communities in the Municipality of the District of Shelburne.
Council and staff have been receiving correspondence pertaining to the proposed Sandy Point Windfarm and are more than happy to respond to those who are seeking information in a respectful way. We also encourage residents to engage with resources and information concerning the proposed project found on the Municipality of Shelburne website.
What will not be tolerated, however, is defamation of character, harassment, and attacks on the personal integrity, of its elected officials and staff. At a minimum, when correspondence of this nature is received, it will not be responded to.
On behalf of all residents, the municipality will continue to focus on the important work we are doing with our partners on the development of the Marine Innovation
Center, a housing and economic development strategy, an accessibility plan, and efforts to ramp up advocacy around the need for the expansion of cell service to name a few. We are also wholeheartedly committed to being a positive player in combating climate change.
It is critical that our community work together to build upon our successes, such as our large-scale internet accessibility plan, and focus our efforts on the many exciting initiatives that are underway within the municipality today.