​The Richibucto Wind Project is not anticipated to impact the bald eagle population. There have been no documented eagle mortalities from wind farms in Atlantic Canada and across Canada, bald eagles made up less than 1% of mortalities observed according to the Wind Energy Bird and Bat Monitoring Database. The West Cape Wind Farm in PEI has also observed bald eagles in the area which have continued to use the site during operation with no reported incidences.
Some older wind farms have observed eagle deaths as a result of collision with blades. However, these older sites were often sited poorly and before developers had a good understanding of how to properly site their projects. For example, wind farms sited in migration pathways would present a much higher risk to eagles, and birds in general which is not the case for the Richibucto Wind Project. Studies in the USA have found higher rates of golden eagle collisions compared to bald eagles suggesting this species may be more susceptible to collisions with wind turbines due to foraging and flight behaviours. Though higher eagle mortalities have been documented in the USA, less than 3% of all human caused eagle mortalities were related to wind farm operations.

The turbine model chosen for this project is an Enercon E126-EP3 and will has a capacity of 3.8 MW, which will power approximately 900 homes annually even with periods of low wind. The wind turbine technology used for this project is larger than those used for New Brunswick’s existing wind farms and this allows a single turbine to produce one and a half times that of existing technology. Using a single wind turbine that is slightly larger, allows Natural Forces to reduce the environmental impact of the project by requiring a smaller area than what would be needed for two turbines. The turbine hub height is 135 m high, and the blade length is approximately 63.5 m long resulting in a maximum height of 198.5m.

The main reason for proposing only one wind turbine is the capacity of the local distribution grid. After NB Power completed a feasibility assessment, it was determined the local substation could only handle the interconnection of approximately 3.8MW as such, there is not likely to be any expansion projects in the future. Additionally, many of Natural Forces operational wind farms in Nova Scotia are small projects like the proposed Richibucto Wind Project. These smaller projects are financially more feasible and allow local community groups like Pabineau First Nation to partner on the project providing local economic development.

During operation, if significant noise impacts are noticed at nearby homes, there are operational mitigation measures that can be implemented. Noise impacts are most likely to be observed if a home is located directly downwind from the turbine. If the noise complaints are reoccurring, the Proponent can determine at which wind direction the noise is observed and either shutdown the turbine or rotate the direction of the blades reducing the noise levels observed at the home. The Proponent is committed to monitoring the occurrence of all noise complaints for the Richibucto Wind Project and will work with land and business owners to implement an effective solution. For more information on how to contact the Proponent with any concerns you may have, please refer to the Complaint Resolution Plan in Appendix I of the EIA located in the “What’s Happening?” section of the Project Webpage

​The turbine has been located approximately 1.2 km from the nearest homes.

The Projects installed capacity will be 3.5 MW from a single turbine. This is enough to power approximately 900 New Brunswick homes.

The municipalities of the Town of Richibucto and the Village of Rexton will receive direct benefits through annual Real Property Taxes. Each municipality has a tax rate and upon submitting the annual payments to the Department of Finance, the municipalities will receive an amount based on the applicable municipal tax rate.

The wind turbine will be owned by Oinpegitjoig Wind limited Partnership. This partnership has been formed between Natural Forces Wind Inc (a private entity) and Pabineau First Nation who will be majority owner of the wind project.

The Proponent will hire local contractors where possible during construction. The Proponent has already met a few local contractors at the second Open House who would like to participate in the project’s construction. Construction activities are likely to start in the fall of 2018, and local contractors are encouraged to reach out to Natural Forces to provide more information about their work.

This project will create work for local business during the construction phase of the project. Workers will be needed for the civil works, the turbine foundation, the electrical works and crane work. There will also be a need for a contractor to maintain the road and clear the road of snow during the winter months throughout the operational phase of the project.

The Project is located on private land. There are no project plans to move the turbine into crown lands. The proponent prefers to keep the Project landowner’s identity confidential out of respect for their privacy.

The project is located approximately 500 m east of the Peat Moss Facility and 60m south east of the wetland area. The proposed turbine location is on land that remains dry all year. However, the surrounding Project lands are more saturated due to previous land disturbance and Peat Moss facility drainage.

An environmental concern associated with wind farms is the possible impact to birds. This impact is mainly from direct collision with the blades. For all of Natural Forces wind farms, post-construction bird and bat mortality studies are conducted for two years after commissioning. These studies occur in the Spring and Fall during migration periods where bird activity is the highest. The Proponent hires a third-party consultant to visit the Project site approximately three times a week to search for possible bird collisions. The searchers are tested for efficiency in finding birds and the site is also tested for possible scavengers that may remove the birds before searchers can find them. By using the number of observed birds, the searchers efficiency, and any scavenger removal, accurate collision rates can be determined. Natural Forces has observed anywhere from 0-4 collisions per year at their wind farm sites in Nova Scotia. All of the previous post-construction studies from Natural Forces sites are posted on the respective webpages. Post-construction studies of the Richibucto Wind Project will also be posted online for public review. For more information about the impacts of wind turbines on birds, Canada has a nationwide database called the Wind Energy Bird and Bat Monitoring Database that provides an annual report of bird and bat collisions submitted to the database. Atlantic Canada observes the lowest collision rate per turbine across Canada.

Information about the Project and the Open Houses has been advertised in the local newspapers in both French and English for the August and December events. Newsletters providing Project information and Open House dates and times have also been sent for both events. These newsletters reached over 1,200 homes and business in the local area. The Proponent welcomes any questions or concerns from the Public and encourages them to reach out. Contact information for Natural Forces and the webpage has been provided on each advertisement and newsletter and is provided at the bottom of this webpage. ​

​​A study done by Health Canada in 2014 investigated the health effects of wind turbine noise. This study found that wind turbine noise was not associated with self-reported sleep, illness or stress levels. For more information on this topic, please visit the Health Canada Environmental and Workplace Health page.