Construction of an industrial wind power facility is being proposed for Wentworth Valley. An Ontario based company is proposing sixty six 120 m or 400 foot high turbines (36 stories) be erected on Higgins Mountain stretching from across the highway from Folly Lake to Ski Wentworth. Many turbines would line the ridge of the Valley, in close proximity to homes. The 100MW industrial power facility would produce enough energy to supply power to up to 30,000 homes in Nova Scotia, making it one of the largest industrial wind power plants in the country. While realizing the benefits wind power and other renewable energies have on helping decrease the production of greenhouse gases and our reliance on traditional power sources, there are concerns with a large wind development located in a rural community. These include: noise and possible health implications, adverse light effects including a shadow flicker or strobe light on the ski hill and surrounding homes, decreased property values, the impact on wildlife and recreational trails and the aesthetic impact the wind turbines will have on the natural beauty of the Valley. There is no comprehensive provincial policy governing the development of industrial wind power plants in Nova Scotia. Establishing wind turbine setbacks from homes and properties is left to the municipality. The Folly Lake-Wentworth Valley Environmental Preservation Society is calling on the provincial government to place a moratorium on the development of industrial wind power facilities until a comprehensive policy is in place and further study is done on the potential impacts industrial wind power plants can have on a region.

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