August 12, 2011
Vanesa Enskaitis
Public Affairs Liaison
Xeneca Power Development Inc.
T: 416-590-9362 X 104
Dear Ms. Enskaitis:
Please find enclosed my response to the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Chute generating plant.
First of all, I would like to comment on the fact that NO correspondence was received from Xeneca in respect to the proposed Chute Generation Station on the Ivanhoe River. I find this very disturbing as we represent local commerce in and around Foleyet.
The Chamber of Commerce has a list of questions that concern the local businesses and residents.
- What will be the tangible economic outcome for the community of Foleyet if and when this dam is built?
- Will local residents as well as First Nations have first priority to be employed as construction workers even if they have to be trained, and will this training take place in Foleyet?
- Will office space be required with Internet hook up and would this space be rented in Foleyet?
- Will construction workers be housed in Foleyet or surrounding area?
- Will fuel and food be purchased locally in Foleyet?
- Will local timber and construction companies based in Foleyet be awarded timber harvesting for transmission lines and road construction and maintenance?
- How many of the 40,000 man hours estimated to build the facility will be dedicated to the residents of Foleyet and First Nations?
- How much of the 18 million dollars that is to be spent on this project will actually be spent in Foleyet? Please quantify this.
- Do dead lines and penalties over ride the Eco system of the river? An example of this is the tight time lines that were available to examine the EA.
- Why are we still producing electricity with coal and selling it to the United States when we have a surplus of hydro?
- Who is financing the construction of these dams – the Ontario government, private investors, or Xeneca?
- Who is going to pay for the extra cost under the FIT program? With $ .12 for regular power and $.185 for peak power guaranteed for 40 years. There is a considerable price difference between what we pay and what Xeneca will receive. Who is going to pay this difference?
- Does 14 million tons of coal actually produce 3.6 mw of power to supply 1,129 homes?
- The 2 million in tax revenue to the local government and province over 40 years does not make sense; is that 2 million per year or 2 million over the life of the contract? This is not made clear in the EA and is a small amount of revenue to pay for loss of the Eco system.
- At this point in time, there doesn’t seem to be any additional support and improvement in the EA for Recreation and Tourism lost because of the construction of this dam.
Conclusion
There are a lot of dollar signs but no significant economic benefit to the residents of Foleyet, to the Town of Foleyet, or to the outfitters in the Foleyet area. As a matter of fact (and it is documented in the EA) the dam will do more harm than good. This is not a good balance between construction and destruction.
Respectfully yours,
Hugh Currie
President of Foleyet Chamber of Commerce
Box 114
Foleyet, ON
P0M 1T0