A closer look at the Green Energy Act

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Lake Ontario Waterkeeper’s comments on Bill 150, the proposed Green Energy and Green Economy Act, highlight several provisions that may have effects outside the scope of renewable energy development in the province.

In particular, the Green Energy Act:

• Leaves the door open to include nuclear power developments as “renewable energy projects”;
• Removes municipal control over the environment and zoning of “renewable energy projects”;
• Creates a “Renewable Energy Facilitation Office” – a government-funded and staffed agency dedicated to serving a specific segment of for-profit private companies;
• Establishes a new test for appeals that puts the onus on the citizen to provide much more stringent evidence of harm than existing regulations under the Environmental Bill of Rights.

“Energy is the biggest and most important issue in the province,” explains Lake Ontario Waterkeeper Mark Mattson.  “The Green Energy Act has widespread environmental impacts and affects the future of government decision making.  We need to understand the implications of what we are deciding and how its going to affect our ability to have clean water and strong communities.”

The Green Energy Act is currently in debate awaiting a vote for Third Reading today in the Ontario Legislature.

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper’s look at the Green Energy act also continues on this week’s Living at the Barricades.  Mark and Krystyn are joined by Scarborough blogger and activist John Laforet as we explore how the changes in the proposed Green Energy Act will affect much more than the development of energy projects in Ontario.

Music on this week’s show:
Around the Block by Company of Thieves
Give Up and Go Away by Strippers Union
Backyard by Guster

Listen to the show:
Listen to this week’s show online (right-click to download).
Subscribe to the Living At the Barricades Podcast via iTunes