The North Kent Wind Project is starting preliminary foundation work and that isn't sitting too well with at least one local activist.
Preliminary work includes limited piling activity at two turbine locations and vibration monitoring as required by the Ministry of the Environment.
Officials with the project say "groundwater impacts are not anticipated" adding that "North Kent Wind has been advised by scientific experts it retained during the application for the Renewable Energy Approval and the subsequent appeal that there are no reasons to believe that vibrations will influence groundwater."
Full construction is expected to begin in late April or early May pending ministry approval if the monitoring results show no problem with the groundwater.
The project is expected to be finished at the end of this year or early in 2018.
Protests Promised As Construction Ramps Up
If the North Kent Wind Project isn't shutdown soon, though, Water Wells First members are promising to hold demonstrations at Ministry of the Environment offices across the province.
Spokesperson for Water Wells First Kevin Jakubec speaking at a public meeting at the Country View Golf Course. March 7, 2017. (Photo by Natalia Vega)
Jakubec says he's reaching out to all fellow water protectors including Standing Rock protesters in North Dakota to join the protests.
Standing Rock protesters opposed the Dakota Pipeline because it threatened that area's water supply.
"If you're going to proceed ahead and damage, there's not going to be anymore cover up of this issue that happened in Dover," says Jakubec. "This is going to be very public and if we're seeing wells damaged and we call this the one well line and, if you cross the one well line, Water Wells First will become even more of an activist organization."
Samsung owns half of the North Kent Wind Project and Jakubec says plans are also underway for a boycott of Samsung products if the company doesn't stop the wind farm by the end of May.
Jakubec says government officials need to do their fiduciary duty and protect the water supply.
"I think you'll find that Water Wells First is going to become an extreme activist group and we'll go after Samsung and the MOE offices," says Jakubec. "We need to see the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change not take Samsung's side, not protecting Samsung's corporate profits."