Rodney Northey
Partner
Certified Specialist (Environmental Law)
Article
8
On Feb. 20, 2014, an Ontario Court set aside the 2013 decision of the Environmental Review Tribunal over the Ostrander Point Wind Energy Project. That 2013 decision was notable for being the first decision to grant an appeal of a renewable energy approval (REA) under Ontario’s 2009 Green Energy laws, and basing its decision on endangered species concerns.
The 2014 Court decision is equally notable, but for different reasons than the Tribunal decision it reverses. The Court provides detailed guidance on how the Tribunal should apply the test of serious and irreversible harm to endangered species, what evidence on endangered species is needed, its jurisdiction to impose measures to mitigate any harm, and the process to be followed before the Tribunal grants an appeal that terminates a project.
This guidance suggests important changes to how the Tribunal should conduct its hearings and raises the bar on what is needed to challenge an REA in a Tribunal appeal.
The Ostrander Point wind energy project (the “Project”) is a 9-turbine wind energy facility slated to be constructed on a 324 hectare parcel of Crown land located approximately 15 kilometres south of Picton, Ontario. After the project applicant obtained a renewable energy approval (REA) from the Ministry of the Environment, two local interest groups, the Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County (“Alliance”) and the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists (“Naturalists”), appealed to the Environmental Review Tribunal in January 2013. Following a lengthy hearing, the Tribunal decided on July 3, 2013 to revoke the REA for the Project.
The Tribunal revoked the REA over concern that the Project would cause serious and irreversible harm to the Blanding’s turtle, a “threatened species” under Ontario’sEndangered Species Act, 2007 (the “ESA”). The Tribunal made this finding even though the Project was previously authorized by an ESA permit. This permit acknowledged some harm to the Blanding’s turtle, but provided monitoring and mitigation measures to conclude there was an overall benefit to the species in Ontario. After acknowledging the ESA permit, the ERT nevertheless concluded that harm would result. It also concluded that it lacked the jurisdiction to impose mitigation measures to prevent the harm. As such, the ERT concluded it had no other option but to revoke the REA for the Project.
See Gowlings’ article on the ERT’s July 3, 2013 decision: Click here.
Both the Ministry of the Environment and the project applicant appealed the Tribunal decision to Ontario’s Divisional Court. The Alliance and the Naturalists cross-appealed, on the basis that the Tribunal was wrong to dismiss the issues of harm to birds/alvar and harm to human health.
We focus on the Court’s reasons for reversing the Tribunal:
Taken together, the Court’s reasons suggest important changes to the Tribunal process for hearing REA appeals.
Virtually all of these changes appear to impose increased obligations and costs on those seeking to successfully appeal an REA to the Tribunal. The Court’s attention to population data and analysis suggests a need for greater scientific depth and sophistication from those appealing REAs on the basis of harm to plant and animal life. Similarly, the Court’s conclusions on remedies and fairness suggests that future hearings may need clear phases to distinguish between findings and outcomes. Lastly, the Court’s views on the importance of ESA permits suggests that, where such permits have been issued, appellants will need to add specific regard to Permit conditions in their REA appeals.
It is rumoured that this litigation is not over. The next step would be the Ontario Court of Appeal.
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