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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, April 28, 2010 · 2 Flynn's power plant bill sails through second reading By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A private members' bill that could stop a 900-megawatt gas-fired power plant from being built on the Fordowned lands of 1500 Royal Windsor Dr., took another step towards becoming law Thursday, surviving its second reading a Queen's Park. Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn said the bill received near unanimous support during this reading with 28 members voting to support the bill and only one voting against it. "The support of all three parties on my proposed legislation to make Ontario a safe energy leader is a positive step forward to address the health and safety concerns associated with locating natural gas power plants in Ontario," said Flynn. The private member's bill seeks to establish separation distances for natural gas power plants and, if passed, will prohibit the construction of such plants unless they are at least 1,500 metres away from any land zoned for residential use or an educational or health care facility. "What I did is I looked at the plants that have been built without very much public opposition and they all tend to be in and around the 1,500 metre (separation) range," said Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn Flynn. "Also, you start to see a drop off in the PM (particulate matter) 2.5 figures around 1,000 to 1,500 metres away from the facility. By the time you get to the 1,500 metres and beyond you're down to background levels." If the bill passes it could have a significant impact on the power plant proposed for Oakville because this plant would be located on a site only 320 metres from the nearest residential area and school. The power plant's size and proximity to residences has generated considerable opposition in recent months from both citizen groups and the municipal government, which have attempted to block it at every turn. Potential pollution and industrial accidents are the greatest fears associated with the facility. Flynn said the Oakville power plant proposal makes little sense since under current legislation a single 10-megawatt wind turbine could not be built on the Royal Windsor Drive site because the Ontario government has mandated that wind turbines be at least 550 metres away from homes, schools and health care facilities. With the bill passing its second reading, it must now go before a standing committee where members will seek comment on it from members of the public, the scientific community and others. If it survives that process, it will go to its third reading and pending success there to the Lieutenant Governor for Royal Assent, at which point it would become a law. Exactly how long all this will take cannot be determined and that has Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh steamed. In a press release issued Friday, Chudleigh said power plants are exempt from the bill if they have obtained all of the required approvals, permits and other instruments before the bill formally passes. Chudleigh said TransCanada, the developer of the proposed Oakville plant, anticipates having all these approvals in place by the summer or fall of 2010 meaning it is unlikely Flynn's bill will be passed quickly enough to apply. To prevent this from happening, Chudleigh attempted to get the MPPs present during Thursday's meeting to skip the committee process and take the bill directly to the third reading, however, the Liberals prevented him from doing this, he said. "I support Bill 8 in spirit and in deed, but yesterday showed that it was a public relations gimmick, " said Chudleigh in the press release. Flynn countered this accusation stating it showed just how out of touch Chudleigh is with what has happened regarding the proposed Oakville power plant in recent months. "TransCanada won't have all of its approvals in place before the Legislature rises for the summer. These guys are years away from getting their approvals," said Flynn. "You've got the interim control bylaw to deal with, you've to the appeal to the Ontario Superior Court, you've got the Site Plan Committee of Adjustment approval, you've got the environmental assessment that I think is going to follow from the Ministry of the Environment. You don't do all this by June 3." Flynn said that by attempting to skip the bill to the third reading without going to the committee first, Chudleigh could have killed it as its case to become law would not have been as strong without input from members of the public, the scientific community or other stakeholders. "There isn't any legislature in the continent that would pass a bill like that. They would vote against it," said Flynn. "You vote against a bill at third reading and it's dead." Flynn said the portion of the bill that exempts power plants, which have their permits and approvals in place was added to the bill as a way of being fair to power plants that are currently under construction. While it may be some time before Flynn's bill becomes law, the Oakville MPP remains optimistic. Flynn said in some cases recognition that an issue is important to people can get the government to take action on its own. Both Chudleigh and Flynn are continuing to call on the Minister of the Environment to conduct an independent environmental assessment of the proposed TransCanada plant. GLAZIER OPTICIANS Saturday, May 1, 2010 9-5pm View entire collection of frames and sunglasses from two premier eyewear manufacturers, SALT. and LINDBERG visit 1011 Upper Middle Rd. E. Oakville, Ont L6H 4L2 905-845-7007