ERT Concludes Turbine Project Will Cause Serious Harm To Human Health

The Environmental Review Tribunal ("Tribunal") has for the first time concluded that a wind turbine project would cause serious harm to human health. The Tribunal also concluded, as it did in an earlier case, that the project would cause serious and irreversible harm to an endangered bat species, specifically the little brown bat.

The facts of this case are unique, as they dealt with whether the proposed locations of the wind turbines were too close to the takeoff and landing of two aerodromes. The appellants argued the turbine locations would cause airplane accidents resulting in serious injury or death. Ultimately, the Tribunal agreed. This is unlike most human health cases, which have been argued unsuccessfully on other factors, such as sound emissions causing serious harm at certain levels, chronic stress or sleep deprivation.