Elk Point discussing to get involved in voicing potential wind turbine concerns

Elk Point town council is scheduled to discuss whether to get involved and voice concern about a proposed wind turbine project near the community.

Elemental Energy has been looking to build up to 17 wind turbines that have capacities of 4.5 megawatt power, with a hub height of 120 metres and a blade length of 82 metres, in the Northern Valley, south of Elk Point, according to previous correspondence with Lakeland Connect in August 2023.

Town council has been requested by a local group called Wind Concerns to get involved.

In August, the provincial government paused Alberta Utility Commission (AUC) approvals of projects like wind turbines and solar panel farms for a six month period. That time will elapse on Feb. 29, 2024.

The turbines would be roughly eight kilometres from the Town and five kilometres from the airport.

Wind Concerns believes that evidence of negative health affects to humans and livestock, the damage to the whooping crane, possible affects to air travel at the airport, damage to the endangered species of the whooping crane, amongst other affects.

Town council will discuss whether to direct Administration to draft a letter from the Mayor’s Office to Alberta Utilities Commission, Honourable Premier Danielle Smith, Honourable MLA Scott Cyr, cc Reeve and Council of County of St Paul, requesting Industrial Wind Turbine factories be paused or a moratorium in the Province until municipalities can carry out their planning processes with their residents to determine where turbines should be located.