Nova Scotia eyes 2 bays under provincial jurisdiction for wind farms
Chedabucto, St. Georges bays under consideration, but province says consultation needed
The Nova Scotia government has identified two bays under provincial jurisdiction as potential sites for marine wind farms.
They are Chedabucto Bay, at the Atlantic entrance to the Strait of Canso, and St. Georges Bay, in the Northumberland Strait.
But the government insists nothing will proceed until fishermen are consulted.
"We know that there are major winds there and something could happen there," said Natural Resources and Renewables Minister Tory Rushton.
"But I want to be very clear. There is nothing going into work until the regulations are all put in place, until the proper consultation is done with the fishers."
Both bays are home to active inshore fisheries.
They were identified by the province in a briefing with fishing industry representatives last month. The scenarios would see an initial capacity of 400 megawatts and ultimately up to one gigawatt of electricity production — the equivalent of 310 large-scale wind turbines.
"Those are numbers that have been discussed," Rushton said.
That would represent 20 per cent of the province's stated goal of issuing leases for five gigawatts of electricity from offshore wind by 2030.
Sea-bed leases
Rushton said the province is in no hurry to proceed despite an offshore wind road map released in June that called for sea-bed leases as early as 2024 in bays that are under exclusive provincial jurisdiction.
The bays were identified as Bras d'Or Lake in Cape Breton, St. Georges Bay in Antigonish, Chedabucto Bay, St. Margarets Bay, Mahone Bay and St. Marys Bay. They have now been narrowed down to Chedabucto and St. Georges.
"There's a lot of conversations that still have to go on before this would take place," Rushton said. "I have to emphasize once again we are not looking to pit another industry against the other. We have a thriving fishing industry. We do not want to jeopardize that."
Fishing industry 'encouraged'
Rushton's comments have been well received by fishing industry representatives.
"At this point we are encouraged to hear this type of language coming from the government," said industry spokesperson Kris Vascotto, of the Nova Scotia Fisheries Alliance for Energy Engagement.
Vascotto hopes Rushton will not authorize anything inside bays before a separate federal and provincial regional assessment is completed that will help draw up rules for offshore wind power development in Nova Scotia.
"If you just look at these areas there's a lot of fishing activity. There's not a heck of a lot of extra room that's so-called not being used, but there is some," Vascotto said.
"So really, this is a question about being able to identify those places together and say, 'Well, perhaps this spot over here, because of the layout of the land, is ideal for offshore wind and because of the wind potential, and at the same time this would have minimal impact on the fishing industry.'"
The five-member offshore regional assessment committee is holding information sessions across the province and will submit interim recommendations in the spring.
One set of rules
Housing Minster Sean Fraser, Nova Scotia's representative in the federal cabinet, said there should be one set of rules for wind development. St. Georges Bay is inside his Central Nova riding.
"I'd like to have an opportunity to engage in particular, not just the community, but specifically the local fishermen," Fraser said. "This is a big deal. When I talk to people on the ground there is some consternation.
"Working with the provincial government to establish a process that's familiar to industry and that allows communities to participate in it is the right approach."
Maine lobster fishermen score win
Earlier this month, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management removed inshore Maine waters from areas available for wind development.
Large parts of what is known as Lobster Fishing Area 1 were included in the original call for development released in April.
The area was removed after lobbying by lobster fishermen, the Maine congressional delegation, including Sen. Susan Collins, and some environmentalists.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
