DRAFT Project Description Reportzeroemissionpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/projects/... · 11/16/2012 · Wind Farm Collie Hill DRAFT Project Description Report M.K. Ince and Associates

Wind Farm Collie Hill

DRAFT Project Description Report

Prepared by:

Prepared for:

Wind Farm Collie Hill


Prepared by: M.K. Ince and Associates Ltd.

Prepared for: Wind Farm Collie Hill LP

November 16, 2012


Wind Farm Collie Hill DRAFT Project Description Report

M.K. Ince and Associates Ltd. i November 16, 2012

Table of Contents

1 PROJECT OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 REGULATORY AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................... 1 1.2 CONTACT INFORMATION .................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 REQUIRED AUTHORIZATIONS ............................................................................................................................... 2

2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................................................. 4

2.1 PROJECT STRUCTURES & TURBINE TECHNOLOGIES ................................................................................................... 4 2.2 PROJECT LOCATION ........................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3 PROJECT ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................................................... 8

2.3.1 Planning ................................................................................................................................................... 8 2.3.2 Construction ............................................................................................................................................. 8 2.3.3 Operation and Maintenance .................................................................................................................. 10 2.3.4 Decommissioning ................................................................................................................................... 10

3 PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ........................................................................................................ 12

3.1 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 12 3.2 AIR ............................................................................................................................................................... 12 3.3 PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY ............................................................................................................................. 12 3.4 WATER BODIES AND GROUNDWATER ................................................................................................................. 14 3.5 LAND USE ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 3.6 BIRDS ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 3.7 BATS ............................................................................................................................................................ 16 3.8 NATURAL HERITAGE FEATURES AND SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE..................................................................................... 16

4 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................... 18

5 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 19

Table of Tables

Table 1-1 Ontario Regulation 359/09 Project Description Report Requirements ......................................................... 1

Table 1-2 Municipal and Conservation Authority Permits/Approvals ........................................................................... 2

Table 1-3 Provincial Permits/Approvals ........................................................................................................................ 2

Table 1-4 Federal Permits/Approvals ............................................................................................................................ 3

Table of Figures

Figure 2-1 Project Overview Map .................................................................................................................................. 6

Figure 2-2 Project Location Map ................................................................................................................................... 7


M.K. Ince and Associates Ltd. 1 November 16, 2012

1 PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Wind Farm Collie Hill project is a 5.4 MW Class 4 Wind Energy Generation Facility proposed on

private agricultural lands within the Township of Asphodel-Norwood by Wind Farm Collie Hill LP. The

facility will consist of three (3) REPower MM100 wind turbines (or similarly appropriate technology),

each with a nameplate capacity of 1.8 MW. A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) has been acquired for

the project under Ontario’s Feed-In Tariff (FIT) Program.

The purpose of the Wind Farm Collie Hill project is to generate energy from a clean, renewable source

and to provide electricity to Ontario consumers. The promotion of wind energy within the Township of

Asphodel-Norwood will displace greenhouse gases, air pollution, and toxic solid waste from traditional

energy production methods in the Province of Ontario. This will greatly contribute to the preservation of

the natural environment.

The proposal includes the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of these wind

energy projects and their associated access roads, substation, distribution lines and poles, and other

infrastructure.

1.1 Regulatory and Reporting Requirements

The Green Energy and Green Economy Act, passed in the Province of Ontario in 2009, mandates a

Renewable Energy Approval (REA) process under the Environmental Protection Act, Ontario Regulation

359/09 for specified classes of renewable energy projects. The Wind Farm Collie Hill wind project is

subject to this process, which will evaluate the project’s environmental and community impacts and

mitigate or avoid them where necessary. M.K. Ince & Associates prepared this Project Description Report

(PDR) to meet the requirements of Ontario Regulation 359/09 and provide a brief overview of the

proposed project to stakeholders.

The reporting requirements set out by O.Reg 359/09 are summarized with reference to specific sections of

the Project Description Report in Table 1-1.This checklist should be used for reference purposes only

and should not replace a full reading of the report.

Table 1-1 Ontario Regulation 359/09 Project Description Report Requirements

Required Documentation Location in Report

Set out a description of the following in respect of the renewable energy project;

Any energy sources to be used to generate electricity at the renewable energy

generation facility. Section 2.1

The facilities, equipment or technology that will be used to convert the renewable

energy source or any other energy source to electricity. Section 2.1

If applicable, the class of the renewable energy generation facility. Section 1

The activities that will be engaged in as part of the renewable energy generation

facility. Section 2.3

The name plate capacity of the renewable energy generation facility. Section 1

The ownership of the land on which the project location is to be situated. Section 2.2



Any negative environmental effects that may result from engaging in the project. Section 3

An unbound, well-marked, legible and reproducible map that is an appropriate size

to fit on a 215 mm by 280 mm page, showing the project location and the land

within 300 m of the project location. Figure 2-2

1.2 Contact Information

The proponent of the Wind Farm Collie Hill project is Wind Farm Collie Hill LP. M.K. Ince and

Associates Ltd. (MKI) is providing consulting services for the project.

Contact information is as follows:

Ingo Stuckmann

Wind Farm Collie Hill LP

WindWorks Power Corp

346 Waverley Street

Ottawa, ON K2P 0W5

Email : [email protected]

Katie Meyer-Beck

M.K. Ince and Associates Ltd.

11 Cross St., Dundas, ON L9H 2R3

Tel: 905-628-0077

Fax: 905-628-1329

Email: [email protected]

1.3 Required Authorizations

The project will require permits from Federal, Provincial, and Municipal levels of government. The list

presented below covers some of the key permits and approvals that will be required in order to construct

the Wind Farm Collie Hill project.

Table 1-2 Municipal and Conservation Authority Permits/Approvals

Permit Responsible Agency Info

Building Permit Township of Asphodel-

Norwood

Ontario Building Code compliance

Road right of way

agreement

County of Peterborough Required for running electrical cabling in or

under existing road rights of way

Entrance permit County of Peterborough May be required for upgrades to existing

entrances

Table 1-3 Provincial Permits/Approvals


Renewable Energy

Approval (REA)

Ministry of Environment,

Ministry of Natural Resources

Project approval, environmental impact

assessment

Connection

Agreement

Hydro One Networks Inc.,

IESO

Process requirements for project grid

connection

Transportation Permit Ministry of Transportation Highway road traffic and safety

Generator’s License Ontario Energy Board Interconnection to provincial grid



Table 1-4 Federal Permits/Approvals


Navigational

Clearances

Transport Canada, NAV

Canada

Radar, navigational lighting, blade markings,

aeronautical clearance



2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

2.1 Project Structures & Turbine Technologies

Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of surface winds into electrical energy in the form of electricity.

There are four major components of a wind turbine: the blades, the shaft, the generator, and the tower,

which supports the first three. As the wind travels across the turbine blades, a lift force – similar to that

which allows airplanes to fly – causes the blades to turn. The turbine blades rotate the shaft, which is

connected to either a direct drive generator or an induction generator, thus producing electricity.

As currently envisioned, the wind turbine type proposed for the Wind Farm Collie Hill is the

REPower MM100 WTG. This turbine has three (3) fibreglass blades equipped with lightning arrestors.

This model has a total swept area of 7854 m². The rotor diameter is 100 m and the hub height will be

100.0 m, for a maximum total height of 150 m above grade. Each tower will be conical, made of steel and

be approximately 5 m in diameter at the base. During operation, the blades rotate clockwise at speeds

between 7.8 and 13.9 rpm (revolutions per minute). The blades of the MM100 are pitch-controlled and

are designed to cut out when wind speeds exceed 22.0 m/s (79.2 km/h). The manufacturer’s specifications

of the REPower MM100 wind turbine are included in the Wind Turbine Specifications Report in the final

REA submission.

The base of each turbine will be a poured concrete foundation with reinforcing steel bars. The foundation

will contain a mounting ring to which the base of the tower will be attached. The foundation

specifications will depend on the results of a geotechnical investigation of the proposed wind farm

location.

Transformers will be installed either adjacent to or within the base of each turbine tower and will step up

the voltage from the generator voltage to a higher intermediate voltage for connection to the internal

project substation and collector system. The substation of the wind park will house metering,

communication equipment, control devices, and a transformer which will step up the voltage to 44 kV to

match the local distribution lines. Connection from the substation to the existing distribution grid will be

carried out via a length of overhead cabling to be built and owned by Hydro One. The overhead cabling

will run within existing road easements to the M28 Feeder of the Otonabee Transmission Station.

2.2 Project Location

The facility is proposed on privately-owned agricultural lands near the community of Hastings in the

Township of Asphodel-Norwood, a municipality of the County of Peterborough. All turbine locations

have been sited within the area bounded by Centre Line to the North, River Road to the South, Fifth Line

to the West and Sixth Line the East. An overview of the project location is illustrated in Figure 2-1.

The Wind Farm Collie Hill project location is an area encompassing all facility components including the

following:

• turbine foundations and towers,

• the bladeswept area,

• crane pads and turbine component laydown areas,

• access/construction roads,

• parking lot,

• administration area,



• electrical cabling, and

• the substation.

Figure 2-2 depicts the above mentioned project components and also identifies the boundaries of the

project location.



Figure 2-1 Project Overview Map



Figure 2-2 Project Location Map



2.3 Project Activities

2.3.1 Planning

The initial stages of the project development process involved various studies to plan, assess and appropriately

design the proposed Wind Farm Collie Hill project. Project planning activities included the following.

Installation of a meteorological tower was undertaken to monitor local wind patterns and determine generation

potential.

Consultation with stakeholders, including the public, planning and permitting authorities, representatives of the

municipalities, aboriginal groups, provincial and federal agencies, and other relevant parties was undertaken as

per O.Reg. 359/09. The first of two public meetings was held on August 23, 2010 at Asphodel-Norwood

Community Centre. The second and final public meeting is planned for early 2013.

The Renewable Energy Approval process has been carried out by M.K. Ince and Associates Ltd., which has

provided consulting services to conduct the necessary environmental studies and prepare the Renewable Energy

Approval Application documents as per Ontario Regulation 359/09. All environmental studies have been

completed and made available to the public 60 days prior to the final open house.

The results of the planning studies are available in the final REA reports that have been made public at the

proponent's website: www.zeroemissionpeople.com.

2.3.2 Construction

The construction phase of the Wind Farm Collie Hill project is planned for the second half of 2013 and is

expected to take approximately four months to complete.

Turbine construction will be undertaken in stages which are described in detail in the Construction Plan Report to

be submitted as part of the REA Application. The construction activities involved in the Wind Farm Collie Hill

project are outlined below:

Surveying and siting to mark the turbine locations, boundaries of foundation excavation, road and cabling routes,

etc.

Site clearing to remove vegetation at the locations of proposed infrastructure. The facility was designed to remain

on agricultural land and avoid wooded areas to the extent possible.

Construction of non-paved gravel surface roads and an administration area will be undertaken to allow access to

each individual wind turbine site, the parking lot and the temporary Site Office. This will involve the excavation

and grading of topsoil, deposition of aggregate and gravel materials, and further grading and compaction as

necessary. Roads have been designed to follow existing pathways, where possible, and be located to minimize the

impact on current land uses.

Construction of crane pads and laydown areas will be undertaken. A ‘pad’ area of approximately 25 m x 45 m

adjacent to each turbine location will be excavated, graded and constructed using an aggregate base with a gravel

surface in order to support the weight of heavy machinery. Rotor laydown areas will be graded where necessary

and will not require aggregate or gravel.



Construction of concrete turbine foundations reinforced by steel rebar will be undertaken approximately two to

four weeks prior to turbine erection to allow for curing. Foundation design, including the foundation type and

dimensions, will be finalized based on the results of the geotechnical surveys at the turbine locations. De-watering

of the foundation pits may be required during periods of significant rainfall.

Delivery of equipment such as cranes, and turbine components will be accomplished with oversized trucks on

public roadways after obtaining the necessary permits from the Ministry of Transportation.

Turbine assembly and installation will be accomplished using two large cranes supported on the pad area adjacent

to each turbine site. The rotor will be assembled on the ground and raised during a time with calm winds and is

highly weather dependent. Alternatively, the hub will be installed into the nacelle and then each blade will be

lifted individually by the cranes.

Transformer installation and electrical works will involve the installation of the transformer on the concrete pad

adjacent to the base of each turbine tower, or within the tower if possible. An electrical connection will also be

made between the transformers and the turbine nacelles with cabling routed underground through the foundation.

Cabling for the project internal electrical collector system will also be buried and, will run adjacent to internal

project access roads or, for a short distance, within the road easement of Regional Road 2.

Substation construction will involve the construction of a concrete foundation which will include a large reservoir

to be filled with aggregate/gravel, allowing for any oil accidentally spilled from the transformers to be captured

within the interstitial space between the aggregate. Rebar, concrete formwork and substation equipment will be

assembled and installed. The cabling of the substation will be connected to the buried cabling of the project

collector system and the Hydro One network. Connection from the substation to the existing distribution grid will

be carried out via a length of overhead cabling, to be built and owned by the generator

The substation of the wind park will house metering, communication equipment, control devices, and a step up

transformer. The substation will require an area of approximately 30 m x 40 m and will be fenced to prevent

unauthorized access.

Water Taking is only anticipated in the event that rainfall accumulates in excavated areas and does not drain

rapidly enough for construction activities to continue in a timely manner. Any other water required for

construction activities, such as for dust control, will be brought in from off site.

Turbine Commissioning will involve a series of tests that will be performed on the wind turbine to confirm

protection system functionality and compatibility with the electricity grid.

Waste Disposal during construction will include the separation of waste, to be placed in disposal bins which will

be removed and disposed of by a licensed waste removal contractor.

Removal of Crane Pads and temporary construction roads will take place at the end of the construction phase, if

requested by the landowner. Aggregate and gravel will be excavated and removed from site. Topsoil that was

previously stockpiled on site will be used to backfill the excavated areas.

Site Rehabilitation upon commissioning of the turbines will restore portions of agricultural lands temporarily

disturbed through construction by grading, repairing tile drainage where necessary, re-applying topsoil, and de-

compacting soil where necessary. Non-agricultural areas will have topsoil re-applied; they will be re-graded with

due consideration to natural drainage patterns and seeded with non-invasive native grasses and herbaceous plants.



2.3.3 Operation and Maintenance

Following the construction phase, the Wind Farm Collie Hill project is expected to be operational by the first half

of 2014. The operation phase is expected to be carried out continuously over the anticipated project life of 20

years in accordance with the project’s FIT Contract. Further details regarding project activities throughout the

operational phase of the facility are included in the Design and Operations Report in the REA submission for the

project and are summarized below.

Wind turbine operation on a day-to-day basis requires almost no human intervention. Dedicated supervisory

control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems will be used to capture real-time turbine feedback and monitor

outputs. When winds are sufficient, the turbine blades will rotate at a speed of 7.8 to 13.9 rpm (revolutions per

minute). The turbines will not operate in cases of mechanical breakdown, extreme weather conditions and during

maintenance.

Wind farm maintenance will involve regular inspection and maintenance, including routine oil changes, motor

maintenance and lubricant and fluid replacement. Periodically, major components of the wind turbines such as

blades or generators may require replacement, which may require reconstruction of the crane pads.

Environmental monitoring of environmental impacts will take place post-construction to assess any project-

related impacts to the environment. Complete descriptions of monitoring plans are provided in the Environmental

Effects Monitoring Plan contained in the Design and Operations Report.

Waste management at the facility will involve the collection of waste materials including oils, solvents, lubricants

and physical parts that will be brought off-site and disposed of according to relevant regulations.

Noise and air emissions during the operation of the turbines will consist solely of noise, largely composed of

aerodynamic noise associated with the passing of air over the rotating blades of the turbine as well as some

mechanical noise emitting from the rotating parts of the turbine. Further details pertaining to noise emission from

the turbines and nearby receptors are described in the Design and Operations Report and the Noise Impact

Assessment included in the final REA submission. No other air emissions will be generated by the operation of

this wind energy facility.

Water taking and stormwater management activities will be limited as no water taking, sewage management, or

biomass equipment processes will occur at the facility during the operations phase of the project. The only

stormwater management during the operations phase of the project will be related to any ongoing post-

construction erosion and sedimentation controls, discussed in the Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan

contained in the Design and Operations Report.

2.3.4 Decommissioning

The Feed-in Tariff (FIT) contract awarded to the Wind Farm Collie Hill project has a 20-year term beginning

from the Commercial Operation Date (i.e. the date upon which the turbines are commercially operational). At the

conclusion of this term, the decision will be made whether to continue operating the facility – conducting

maintenance and upgrades as necessary and selling the electricity through a new power purchase agreement or

through the spot market – or to decommission the wind park entirely.

Regardless of any decisions to extend the life of the project, decommissioning will eventually be necessary.

Detailed information regarding decommissioning activities is provided in the Decommissioning Plan Report

included in the final REA submission. The activities planned in the decommissioning phase of the Wind Farm

Collie Hill project include the following.



Site clearing and preparation will involve the removal of vegetation from road corridors, crane pads or at turbine

sites as required. Any vegetation cleared from the site requiring off-site disposal will be taken to local waste

disposal facilities.

Road and crane pad construction/modification will take place as necessary and may involve the excavation of

topsoil, clearing grading and the possible use of geotextile and/or aggregate material depending on local

geotechnical conditions.

Removal of turbines and ancillary equipment will involve the disassembly of the turbines on site. Transformers at

the base of the turbines will be disconnected and drained. The turbine parts will be removed, then reused,

refurbished or recycled where possible. Oil will be disposed of according to relevant regulations. Turbine

foundations will be broken up and removed to a depth of approximately 1 m. This activity will take

approximately two months.

Removal of roads, administration area, and electrical infrastructure will involve the excavation of installed gravel

and aggregate, the removal of any overhead cabling and poles, as well as the removal all substation equipment

from the site. The substation foundation will be removed to a depth of approximately 1 m. The material removed

will be reused and recycled if possible or disposed of at appropriate waste facilities. The excavated areas will be

filled with soil from on site. Underground cabling will be left in place and only the ends will be removed as

excavating cabling often causes greater environmental disruption than leaving the cables in place. Similarly, the

installed culvert will be left in place.

Site rehabilitation and waste management will involve remediation and re-vegetation of disturbed land. Topsoil

stripped during decommissioning will be re-applied. Agricultural areas will be returned to agricultural use. All

damaged tile drains will be fixed. Re-vegetation will use native non-invasive grasses and herbaceous plants. This

activity will take approximately two weeks.



3 PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES

3.1 Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Resources

Archaeological Resources may be uncovered or damaged by equipment during construction, major

maintenance or decommissioning activities. However, pre-construction Stage 1 and Stage 2

Archaeological Assessments identified no archeological resources and thus the risk of damage to

archaeological resources resulting from the Wind Farm Collie Hill project is considered to be low. In the

event that archeological resources are uncovered during any phase of the project, work will be stopped

and Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (MTCS) and First Nations officials will be notified.

Cultural Heritage Resources can potentially be impacted by development. Specifically, wind turbines can

create shadows that alter the appearance of heritage resources; change the surrounding environment or

context of a heritage site; or obstruct significant views. Pre-construction assessments of cultural heritage

identified 2 resources of heritage value in the study area, one of which has the potential to be impacted by

construction activities. However, maintenance of a 50 m buffer zone between the building and below-

grade construction activities is expected to address any risks to cultural resources.

3.2 Air

Dust and Odour may result from construction and decommissioning activities, particularly site clearing,

and grading. During operation, use of gravel roads by maintenance workers during dry periods has the

potential to create dust similar to any other gravel or dirt path in the vicinity. This effect is anticipated to

be minor in terms of impact and limited in geographic and temporal extent.

Noise emissions above levels typical in a rural area may result from the operation of construction

equipment; however, noise receptors are not expected to be significantly affected due to the limited nature

of construction, maintenance and decommissioning activities. During operation, the turbines will create

noise, largely composed of aerodynamic noise associated with the passing of air over the rotating blades

of the turbine as well as some mechanical noise emitting from the rotating parts of the turbine. Local

residents may experience an increase in noise levels in proximity to the turbines during turbine operation.

Predictive noise modeling has been conducted to assess turbine-related sound levels at nearby receptors

under worst-case conditions and has identified that the project is in compliance with the Ontario Ministry

of Environment’s Noise Guidelines for Wind Farms (October 2008). These guidelines mandate a limit of

40 dBA at the nearest noise receptors, so no significant impacts are anticipated. Further detail related to

the project-related noise and mitigation measures is provided in the Design and Operations Report and

Noise Impact Assessment.

3.3 Public Health and Safety

Impacts to public health and safety from the Wind Farm Collie Hill project are expected to be minimal.

Detailed assessments of potential health and safety impacts were conducted and included the following.

Fires could unexpectedly result from the construction, operation, or decommissioning of the project.

Alternatively, it is possible that a fire started off-site could spread into the project area. In the unlikely



event of fire, appropriate mitigation measures and contingency measure have been prepared to manage

the risk of fire. These are detailed in the Design and Operations Report.

Construction poses a potential risk of injury to members of the general public if they were to come on

site, due to the presence of heavy machinery and construction equipment. However, the implementation

of mitigation measures to inform the public and limit unauthorized access is anticipated to minimize this

risk. These are detailed in the Construction Plan Report and the Design and Operations Report.

Ice Throw is a potential negative project-related impact to public health that was assessed in a pre-

construction review of existing literature. With appropriate mitigation measures including turbine

setbacks from residences and automatic monitoring of ice accretion throughout turbine operation, the risk

of ice throw affecting the public is anticipated to be minimal.

Blade Failure resulting in blade throw is a potential result of turbine operation. However, the risk of blade

failure is very low and, with regular maintenance, no impacts are anticipated.

Aeronautical Safety is a potential issue due to the height of the turbines. Appropriate lighting of turbines

as determined through consultation with Transport Canada and the Department of National Defense is

anticipated to mitigate the project’s impact to aeronautical safety.

Shadow Flicker assessments completed in the pre-construction stage of the project have determined that

potential shadow flicker resulting from the project occurs at a frequency below 2.5 Hz and is thus

considered a potential nuisance impact, as opposed to a health impact.

Human Health impacts have occasionally been reported by people living near wind turbine generators and

include: nausea/vertigo, headaches, dizziness, anxiety, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), tinnitus (ringing in

the ears), and sleep deprivation resulting in mood disorders and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms

are not experienced by all local residents, but have recently been reported by a small number of

individuals. A pre-construction desktop analysis of peer-reviewed literature discussing the impacts of

wind turbines to human health indicated that risks to human health are not anticipated to result directly

from properly-sited wind turbines. One recent literature review states: "To date, no peer reviewed articles

demonstrate a direct causal link between people living in proximity to modern wind turbines, the noise

they emit and resulting physiological health effects. If anything, reported health effects are likely

attributed to a number of environmental stressors that result in an annoyed/stressed state in a segment of

the population" (Knopper and Ollson, 2011). The Wind Farm Collie Hill project has been designed in

accordance with all applicable Ontario regulations and as such is not expected to cause impacts to human

health. Further details related to the potential for human health risks are included in the Design and

Operations Report.

Electro-Magnetic Radiation and extremely low frequency electric fields will be generated by the

distribution lines, transformer station, and generators at the Project. As the strength of these fields is

similar to that resulting from existing infrastructure, and decrease quickly with distance, no significant

ELF fields are expected to impact nearby land users.

Further details pertaining to project-related impacts and mitigation measures are included in the Design

and Operations Report as part of the final REA submission.



3.4 Water Bodies and Groundwater

As part of the REA process, identification and assessment of water bodies in or within 120 m of the

project location was undertaken through a records review and site investigations. This assessment

identified two seeps within 120 m of the project location.

Potential project-related impacts to soil and groundwater include the following.

Spills and leaks of petroleum, oil and lubricants may result in their accidental and uncontrolled release,

which would lead to adverse effects on terrestrial habitat and species, soil, groundwater quality and

human health and safety. However, the implementation of appropriate mitigation and contingency

measures, which are fully described in the Design and Operations Report, are expected to minimize these

risks.

Impacts due to erosion and sedimentation from clearing, grading, excavating and potential soil and root

compaction during construction, major maintenance activities and decommissioning, may result in

changes to stormwater patterns. This may increase erosion and concomitant impacts to surface water in

the vicinity of the project location. The implementation of appropriate mitigation, monitoring and

contingency measures is expected to minimize these risks. These measures are described within the

Construction Plan Report and Design and Operations Report.

Impacts from products for snow removal may result from excessive salt or sand use which may cause

saline runoff that could impact local groundwater or contribute to sediment-laden runoff that may cause

blockages in drainage structures. With the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures (described

in the Design and Operations Report), these impacts are expected to be minimal.

Impacts from water takings may occur if de-watering is required in excavated areas. Water takings are

only anticipated in the event that rainfall accumulates in excavated areas and does not drain rapidly

enough for construction activities to continue in a timely manner. In these cases pumps will be used to

remove rainwater from the excavated areas. The water will be pumped from pits into the adjacent fields,

and will include filtration of silt as necessary. It is possible that more than 50,000 L/day of water will

need to be removed. No negative impacts are anticipated from the removal of the rainfall from excavated

areas as the excavated areas are well removed from existing water courses and surface water flows will

therefore not be impacted. De-watering is not anticipated to impact ground water as excavation is not

anticipated to reach the water table.

Further details pertaining to project-related impacts and mitigation measures are included in the Design

and Operations Report as part of the final REA submission.

3.5 Land Use

The land use in and adjacent to the project area is and has traditionally been agricultural. The Wind Farm

Collie Hill project location is primarily composed of fields used in the production of cash crops, such as

soy, corn, and wheat.

The Township of Asphodel-Norwood designates the Wind Farm Collie Hill project lands as ‘Restricted

Agricultural’ and ‘Rural.’ The operation of a wind energy facility is not anticipated to significantly impact

land use and resources in the project area.



Potential impacts to current land use are discussed in greater detail in the Construction Plan Report and

Design and Operations Report which include the following considerations:

Traffic volume and size may be affected by construction traffic that may inconvenience local residents.

However, minimal impacts to provincial and local infrastructure are anticipated as increases to traffic

volume will be limited in extent and duration.

Impacts due to change of land use may result because project infrastructure will be located almost entirely

on agricultural areas, which will remove a limited amount of agricultural area from production. The

project turbines and related infrastructure have been sited to minimize disturbance to existing land use.

Thus, impact due to change of land use are anticipated to be minimal.

Waste, if improperly disposed of can be unsightly and cause human safety and health concerns and has

the potential to contaminate soils, surface- and groundwater if the waste is toxic. Mitigation and

contingency measures have been prepared to ensure that waste from the facility is managed such that the

potential for adverse impacts is reduced. These are further detailed in the Construction Plan Report,

Design and Operations Report, and Decommissioning Plan Report.

Telecommunications may be impacted by the tower and blades of wind turbines. A pre-construction

assessment of these impacts has been undertaken as per RABC/CanWEA Guidelines. Minor impacts to

over-the-air television broadcast reception are possible, and will be mitigated on a case-by-case basis. No

other impacts to communications infrastructure are anticipated.

Visual landscapes in the local area will be impacted, as the wind farm will be a highly visible feature from

some vantage points. All three turbines will be lit, in response to a request from the Department of

National Defense, however the lighting will be synchronized in order to minimize light pollution at night.

The Wind Farm Collie Hill project is not anticipated to have significant negative residual impacts on land

use and resources in the project area. Details regarding appropriate mitigation measures are provided in

the Design and Operations Report.

3.6 Birds

Mortality surveys at wind facilities in North America suggest that bird mortality is occurring as a result of

interactions with turbines. A review of post-construction monitoring studies at 46 wind farms across the

United States found that most wind farms reported fewer than 4 bird fatalities per megawatt per year

(NWCC, 2010). Most fatalities noted occurred during bird migration periods though were highly varied

regionally (NWCC, 2010). Mortality data from the MNR suggests that operational wind farms in Ontario

average roughly 2.5 bird deaths per turbine per year (OMNR, 2011b). A full description of monitoring

plans and mitigation measures is provided in the Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan contained in the

Design and Operations Report.

Disturbance during the construction and decommissioning phases due to the presence of humans and

machinery and the associated noise will likely cause birds to avoid areas under construction. Breeding

behaviour has the potential to be impacted. Although it is expected that many resident birds will become

habituated to the wind turbines, there may be some behavioural impacts during operation. Avoidance of

the wind farm may result in habitat fragmentation for some species.

Habitat loss during the construction phase due to the clearing of vegetated areas may occur. Breeding bird

habitat may be impacted, however clearing will be avoided during the breeding season (May to July). If



any tree clearing is to be conducted during breeding season a biologist will search the area to be cleared

and if any active nests are found in the area they will be staked off and avoided until breeding activities

have ceased.

Pre-construction site investigations in the project study area conducted as part of the Natural Heritage

Assessment identified no significant bird habitat. The project study area, as it consists of already-

disturbed primarily agricultural lands with low value for bird species, is not sensitive habitat, nor is it a

major migration route for birds. Impacts of the wind farm on birds are thus expected to be low.

Impacts and mitigation measures including a post-construction monitoring program are fully described in

the Construction Plan Report and in relevant sections of the Design and Operations Report including the

Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan.

3.7 Bats

Mortality of bats as a result of direct collision or barotrauma is a potential negative impact of wind turbine

facilities as bats are less equipped to avoid turbine blades because their navigational systems depend on

echolocation, which detects objects in their flight path.

A review of post-construction monitoring studies at 46 wind farms across the United States found most

wind farms reported fewer than 10 bat fatalities per megawatt per year (NWCC, 2010). Most fatalities

occurred during bat migration periods, although this pattern showed high regional variability (NWCC,

2010). Data from the MNR suggests that operational wind farms in Ontario average roughly 4-14 bat

deaths, per year per turbine (OMNR, 2011a).

Disturbance to bats during the construction phase due to the presence of humans and machinery will

likely cause bats to avoid the areas under construction and thus has the potential to impact breeding

behaviour. For some species habitat fragmentation due to the presence of turbine and access roads may

impact behaviour.

Habitat loss during the construction phase due to the clearing of vegetated areas may occur. No

significant bat maternity roosts were identified during pre-construction surveys therefore minimal impacts

are anticipated. Cleared areas have been minimized to the extent possible.

Impacts and mitigation measures including a post-construction monitoring program are fully described in

the Construction Plan Report and in relevant sections of the Design and Operations Report including the

Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan.

3.8 Natural Heritage Features and Significant Wildlife

Pre-construction assessment of natural heritage features and significant wildlife involved records reviews

and site visits to ascertain the presence of natural heritage features on site. The results of the Natural

Heritage Assessment identified the following significant features in or within 120 m of the project

location:

• 3 wooded areas

• 1 wetland

• 2 amphibian breeding habitat

• 1 snake hibernacula



• 1 seepage area

As a part of the NHA and REA processes, potential project impacts on significant natural heritage

features were identified and are summarized briefly below:

• Potential for contamination of soils from spills and leaks

• Potential for erosion and/or sedimentation

• Potential for disturbance of wildlife using wooded or seepage areas

• Potential for short term, localized dust generation during construction and decommissioning

activities

• Possible temporary disruption frogs or toads living in wooded areas or wetlands as a result of

construction activities

• Erosion may affect water quality in the wetland or ephemeral ponds which support breeding

populations of amphibians

• Snakes migrating from hibernacula during the spring emergence period or returning in the fall

may experience direct injury or mortality by construction vehicles operating in the area

The potential impacts to natural heritage features listed above are not expected to result in significant

residual impacts as mitigation measures and monitoring plans have been prepared as appropriate and are

detailed in the Natural Heritage Environmental Impact Assessment and the Environmental Effects

Monitoring Plan contained in the Design and Operations Report.



4 CONCLUSION

The Wind Farm Collie Hill project, proposed by Wind Farm Collie Hill LP, will have a nameplate

capacity of 5.4 MW. The project infrastructure will consist of three REPower MM100 wind turbine

generators (or similarly appropriate technology) each of 1.8 MW capacity, as well as associated

infrastructure, including pad-mounted transformers, electrical cabling, access roads, an administration

area and a substation. The project will be constructed on privately-owned agricultural lands near the

community of Hastings in the Township of Asphodel-Norwood, a municipality of the County of

Peterborough. The Wind Farm Collie Hill project has received a Power Purchase Agreement under

Ontario’s Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program. This Class 4 wind energy project is subject to the Renewable

Energy Approval (REA) process per Ontario Regulation 359/09 under the Environmental Protection Act.

Environmental studies carried out under the REA process will ensure that the Wind Farm Collie Hill

project produces clean, emissions-free electricity while minimizing negative environmental effects.



5 REFERENCES

Ministry of Natural Resources, 2011. Bat and Bat Habitats: Guidelines for Wind Power Projects.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@renewable/documents/document/st

dprod_088155.pdf

Ministry of Natural Resources, 2011. Bird and Bird Habitats: Guidelines for Wind Power Projects.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@renewable/documents/document/st

dprod_071273.pdf

Knopper, L., Ollson, C. (2011). Health effects and wind turbines: A review of the literature.

Environmental Health 10: 1-10.

National Wind Coordinating Collaborative (NWCC). Wind Turbine Interactions with Birds, Bats, and

their Habitats: A Summary of Research Results and Priority Questions Spring 2010.

http://www.nationalwind.org

Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE). 2008. Noise Guidelines for Wind Farms: Interpretation for

Applying MOE NPC Publications to Wind Power Generation Facilities.

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/publications/4709e.pdf Last retrieved May 28, 2010.

Renewable Energy Approvals Under Part V.0.1 of the Act, Ontario Regulation 359/09 made under the

Environmental Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter E.19.

Township of Asphodel-Norwood. Official Plan 2008.

http://www.asphodelnorwood.com/documents/Official%20Plan.pdf

Documents

DRAFT Project Description Reportzeroemissionpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/projects/... · 11/16/2012 · Wind Farm Collie Hill DRAFT Project Description Report M.K. Ince and Associates