Protestors were outside the courthouse in Goderich on Friday to support a proposed injunction against the K2 Wind Power Project as it went before a judge.
Protesters carried signs that read ‘Stop the wind turbines’ and ‘Rural landowners deserve democracy,’ while inside the courtroom was full, with at least 100 people in attendance.
Shawn and Trish Drennan want the construction of a 140 turbine wind farm near their Huron County farm stopped until a health study on potential impacts can be completed.
The Drennans’ attorney Julien Falconer says “It is proposed to put 12 turbines within two kilometres of this family farm that’s been in their family for generations…there are way too many questions right now about the impact of these wind turbines.”
But the province and companies like Samsung who will reap the benefits of the wind farm say the injunction is premature, because you can’t claim health effects until after the turbines are built.
The province also argued on Friday that their injunction should be dismissed because there is an Environmental Review Tribunal to deal with turbine issues.
But the Drennans say the tribunal is just rubber-stamping wind projects, not analyzing the pros and cons.
Some of the Drennans neighbours who have leased portions of their farms for the project feel that the benefits, including $5.6 million per year in investment, will be lost if the injunction is successful.
The case is being closely watched by all sides in the ongoing wind turbine argument.
Legal arguments wrapped Friday and a decision on the injunction is expected in a few weeks.
