The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture is processing requests from wind energy project proponents for temporary wind monitoring activities on Crown lands. This process is not part of the ongoing crown land nomination and bid process with the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology. This is also separate from the environmental assessment process through the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

Wind energy project proponents are permitted to apply for a temporary licence to place data collecting meteorological evaluation towers on Crown lands. To date, five companies have applied for meteorological evaluation towers, and the applications cover 19 potential tower sites in the eastern, western and Northern Peninsula regions. Thus far, eight sites have been approved, one has been rejected, and all others are under assessment.

These licences are temporary during the data collection phase; once data collection is complete, the licence terminates and the conditions include the need for the site to be returned in a condition acceptable to the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

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Media contact
Erin Shea
Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
709-729-3733
erinshea@gov.nl.ca