Although in favour of wind generation, Paul Chantree of Melancthon says he's concerned about how the rezoning is being handled by the township.

Mr. Chantree is an apiarist, a co-founder of Dufferin Environmental Concerns Committee, and the area representative to Grand River Conservation Authority.

He says potentially affected properties are being rezoned prior to the necessary testing for the suitability as turbine sites. If found unsuitable, he says, the township hasn't as yet devised a way to remove the zoning.

His concern is that "the property owner, or someone else, could come along and install a generator," even though Canadian Hydro Developers had found the site unsuitable.

Mr. Chantree's own property is among those that could be rezoned for wind generation/agriculture. He said he hasn't signed a lease as yet, and won't until he knows specifically where the turbine would be placed.

Canadian Hydro has a 20-year contract with the provincial government to provide energy to the Hydro One grid. Landowners are paid on the basis of the amount of electricity turbines on their property produce for the grid. The payment is based on the rates in place at the time of delivery. Each turbine is metered.

Mr. Chantree was among landowners at a township council's review last week of an Environmental Screening Report for Phase 2 of the generating project. In a later interview, he said his other concern is that there is no minimum guarantee of income from the turbines, something an earlier proponent for a wind plant had offered.

Guarantees or not, many farmers in Melancthon are delighted with the agreements and view the generating plant as something of a salvation for the besieged agricultural industry.

Jim Wilson, an early supporter of the wind farm, has five turbines on his property. Having just returned from Northern Ireland this week, he said we are "away behind them" in the use of wind energy.

"Every home has one of these to generate its own power. They're everywhere there."

Mr.Wilson says the turbines are an opportunity for farmers to earn money after several years of difficult times. "I feel that anyone who doesn't take advantage of this is being foolish. But I have good neighbours, and everyone is free to have his own opinion."

He thinks some early opponents are beginning to change. "I get one or two people coming to see the [five on his property] almost every day, some of those from Amaranth. I'm happy to take anyone on a tour." And he thinks some

opponents are displeased that the turbines aren't going on their properties.

"There was this woman at a meeting in Dundalk who complained that the farmers would be gaining the revenue. I told her this is Canada, not a socialist country and asked her if she would expect me to share with her if I won the lottery."

With respect to land values, Mr. Wilson said a broker in the Bruce Peninsula had said a property there had sold for three times its previously listed price because of two turbines that had been installed.

A recent study of Melancthon property values showed a greater increase in those close to the turbines than those farther away. This was consistent with U.S. government sponsored studies in several states.