“NextEra Energy Resources believes providing energy to power our nation should have minimal impact on the environment” or so they claim on their company’s website; however, NextEra Energy removed a tree branch housing an eagle’s nest in Haldimand County Jan. 5. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) approved NextEra Energy’s request because removing the nest would reduce the risk of eagle mortality.
Bald Eagles were extirpated from the Great Lakes Basin due to chemical pollution and were reintroduced into the area in 1980. Since then, reproductive rates have been very low. In 2011, there were only 57 active nests in Southwestern Ontario, five of which were located along Lake Eire in Haldimand-Norfolk County. Bald eagles return to areas they were born to breed in early to mid-February, which is weeks away. The Bald eagles that utilize this nest will likely not reproduce this year.
The MNR could not have granted this permission to NextEra Energy at a worse time. Removing this nest is a significant impact on the environment. The MNR should be held accountable for their bureaucratic actions and inability to protect Ontario’s wildlife.
Carolyn Jordan
BSc. Western