Heather Wright/The Independent

Officials from Environment Defense Canada are urging St. Clair Township politicians not to endorse a plan for another proposed natural-gas-powered electricity plant saying it will mean more cancer causing chemicals being emitted in their community.

The plea came Monday as township council took another look at a project proposed by the Ottawa-based Vogtech Renewables. CEO Gabriel Fono says his company’s plans a 195-megawatt battery electricity storage project and a 250-megawatt natural-gas powered generation plant at the corner of Greenfield and Bickford Lines near Courtright. Fono also talked about a hydrogen powered electrical plant.

When the company first came to council, Fono was vague on details and promised a community open house later that week. He said people were very excited about the prospect of the power projects. Fono also appeared to misunderstand the municipal structure of Lambton, saying the plant would be built in Sarnia.

Dec. 1, Fono returned to council and said he received good feedback at the community meeting. Mayor Jeff Agar noted there were only six people there, including himself and his spouse.

“The community is very happy with the fact the we are doing this project; doing that together,” said Fono, speaking remotely to council Monday.

He added the St. Clair “region is probably the best region for this type of project and for other energy types of projects.”

Fono committed to providing $1,000 per year per megawatt of energy produced; if the project was fully developed, that could bring in about $500,000 in new revenue yearly.

But some councillors, like Holly Foster, were not impressed. 

“I hadn’t even heard about your company before two weeks ago when you came, and I don’t believe you did your due diligence to even contact the staff and the fire chief,” she said asking council to reject the proposal. 

Mayor Jeff Agar asked Fono to consider signing a Memorandum of Understanding that committed the company to a community benefit agreement and provided safe guards for the community. Fono said he’d be glad to meet with staff and discuss the plans further.

Council agreed to have Vogtech Renewables return on Dec. 15 for a final decision on whether the township provide  letter of support for the project.

Then Mike Marcolongo, associate director of Environmental Defense, urged council to reject the plan. He said the cost of natural gas power is increasing and is not an affordable way to produce energy. He added Vogtech couldn’t point to one comparable project it has done. And Marcolongo says the company’s plans aren’t transparent. “A project this size, with decades of impact requires far more transparency, clarity and demonstrated capability.

“These are huge red flags.”

Marcolongo says a 250-megawatt plant “locks the township into higher emissions, higher risks and higher costs for decades.

“There was no talk of the impacts of gas-fired generation emissions on residents and near communities in the last for the last two endorsements,” Marcolongo said noting emissions have been linked to cancer and that the area already has “consistently higher than regulated limits.

“In essence, by endorsing gas-fired generation in this community, you are increasing a known carcinogen being emitted in your community and increasing the risk of certain cancers, including leukemia.”