The District of Kitimat has approved a motion of no objection to an application for Vancouver-based Sea Breeze Power to continue investigative work for wind turbines in and around Clague Mountain Park.
The renewable energy developer has applied for a new Investigative Licence for wind power purposes on just under 1,500 hectares of unsurveyed Crown Land in the vicinity of Mount Clague and Anderson Creek. If approved, this would allow the developer to further look into the feasability for the site as a wind turbine location.
At their Feb. 18 meeting council approved the motion subject to a number of conditions to the application, including that investigative work will not diminish the park landscape, disrupt recreation access or impact cabin use. There are also a number of guidelines in place to reduce the visual impact of any facilities involved with the work.
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During the meeting there was also a suggestion from Coun. Mario Feldhoff that he would like to see members of Sea Breeze Power give a more in-depth presentation to the District at a future point in time about their plans for the area.
The developer previously held an Investigative Licence in this same area, however in 2017 it was cancelled after they informed the Province it was no longer required. The 2020 applicantion is currently under review by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
The developer was the first in British Columbia to address wind power as a commercial enterprise in the private sector and the first in British Columbia to achieve a full Environmental Assessment Certificate for the 99-megawatt Cape Scott Wind Farm, located on the northern tip of Vancouver Island.
Currently the company is investigating some 220,000 hectares for wind power development. To this point, they have and secured over 50 Investigative Licences in various regions of British Columbia.
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