Chester: Kaizer Meadow Wind Project

The Municipality of Chester is set to move ahead with a wind project at its Kaizer Meadow Landfill Facility. The $5.5 million dollar project will be fully owned by the municipality and will feature a large 2.3 megawatt turbine. The project was approved in December but was officially announced by Energy Minister Charlie Parker this morning. Warden Allen Webber called it a good investment for everyone involved. "It's about doing your part to reduce our carbon footprint by producing energy from a renewable resource such as the wind, that can be used locally by our own residents so they can feel good...they're doing their part. But, there's a economic side of this too, and once the switch is turned on this will be a positive revenue generator right from the first year," Minas Basin Pulp and Power of Hantsport has been contracted for project management, operation and maintenance. Webber expects the turbine will be operational early in 2013.

Bowater Mersey Plans Biomass Project

Bowater Mersey is one of four successful applicants under the province's COMFIT program. Officials at the Brooklyn based-mill are planning a 3.3 megawatt combined heat and power biomass project. The company will install a turbine and generator to improve waste heat recovery from steam generated at the facility. The captured steam would then be turned into electricity. Energy Minister Charlie Parker made the announcement near Chester this morning. He also announced Community Feed-in Tariff approvals for the Halifax Regional Water Commission, Town of New Glasgow and Celtic Current of Mulgrave. Each individual project must go through environmental assessments but today's announcement will allow each group to proceed to the next stage of development. The water commission is proposing an 11.5 megawatt large-wind project in Lake Major, near Preston. Nine projects in total have been approved so far under the COMFIT program, generating about 25 megawatts of electricity.

Soccer club concerned about losing Centre fields

The impending shutdown of Centre Consolidated School is creating concern for a local soccer organization. The West Nova Fuels/Lunenburg United Soccer club is worried the school's closure in March, could affect their use of its two soccer fields. The club has approached the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg proposing the two enter into a long-term agreement to operate the fields. Instead, council has decided to move ahead by establishing an ad hoc committee to look into the issue. Mayor Don Downe says the committee is the best option at the moment.

"The committee would be a representative of our council and their soccer association and taking a look at the short-term requirements that will be there and also, looking at the more important issue, the long-term aspect of how do we retain that soccer pitch."

Deputy Mayor Frank Fawson, Councillor Basil Oickle and Councillor Cathy Moore have shown their support to be part of the ad hoc committee. The nominating committee is expected to make its recommendations for the ad hoc group by next Tuesday's council meeting. The two Centre fields are roughly 25 and 50-years-old and the original lower turf is considered to be one of the best natural fields in the province.

New Logo for Bluenose Academy

The logo for Bluenose Academy is out. The school received 30 entries for the contest, which closed January 30. Of the 30 submitted, four were chosen for students to vote on Monday. The voting results are in and Darlene McCarthy's entry was selected as the new logo.

COMFIT: Kaizer Meadow Announcement

The province is set to announce more successful applicants under its COMFIT program this morning. Energy Minister Charlie Parker will make the announcement at the Kaizer Meadow Solid Waste Facility, near Chester. The Community Feed-in Tariff is part of Nova Scotia's Renewable Electricity Plan and will help the province reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The goal of the program is to enable communities to benefit from renewable electricity programs at the local level. The government has set targets of 25% renewable electricity by 2015, and 40% renewable electricity by 2020. COMFIT is one element designed to help the province meet its renewable energy goals. We'll have more details later today.