Emotions were running high in Pain Court as Pattern Development held a public meeting to discuss the North Kent Wind project. 
The idea behind the meeting was to speak to residents’ concerns and show greater transparency, however Cindy Boogaart, whose parents live in the project area, says she’s not impressed.
“They’re citing studies and models and research in other areas,” she says. “I think they have a real opportunity here to do research in a real environment and I think they’re overlooking that, and I’m concerned they’re just looking after dollars and shareholders and not the health of the people who live here.”
Pattern Development continues to refute claims that pile driving associated with wind turbine construction has any effect on area water wells.
External Affairs Senior Manager Beth O’Brien says it’s understandable that there’s been some confusion over any possible connection.
“They’re looking for answers, and if Water Wells First is providing that answers I can see why they’d look at that and see a correlation,” O’Brien says. “But correlation doesn’t prove causation, and we’re trying to prove that we have done our homework and we are thoroughly analyzing each of these complaints to prove that we are not at fault, and there are other issues going on.”
Responding to health concerns, Chatham-Kent’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr David Colby maintains that visible sediment isn’t a danger to human health.
“It’s dissolved substances that are toxins that you can absorb that we are concerned about,” Colby explains. “Checking sand for what its trace composition are is not something that we need to do.”
At least 150 residents took in last night’s meeting, although many appeared to leave dissatisfied, believing their concerns aren’t being taken seriously.
