Add roaring motorcycles, powerboats to noise polluter list
Sir: Reva Steenbergen must be commended for her stand on the excessive noise from modified vehicle exhausts (Woman seeks action on loud modified cars, truck, May 5).
Add to the list of excessively loud noise created by the exhaust of internal combustion engines those of motorcycles and some powerboats.
In my neighborhood we can hear the Harleys and screamer motorcycles as soon as the weather starts to get better, followed by the occasional police siren catching a racer.
The question I have is - why can these motorcycles allowed to be sold with the ability to make excess noise in the first place? A decibel meter would only confirm these machines create unnecessary noise when operated.
The “Freedom” riders would argue it’s their right to do so. OK, but what about my right to not have to listen to it? It’s my freedom to enjoy peace and quiet that’s being stolen.
I want to be able to enjoy hearing birdsong, or the breeze rustling leaves. These simple pleasures are too often interrupted by the excessive noise of these machines.
Some powerboats that blast up the river into Lake Huron also make too much noise. Again, the problem is they are allowed to be sold like that in the first place.
Amending the exhaust of any machine to make it louder should carry a severe penalty.
I hope Reva Steenbergen is successful in getting action against this noise pollution.
Lou Spizzirri
Sarnia
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Councillors, make decisions based on what’s best for all
Sir: There has been a loud hue and cry about a consultant's report not recommending residential expansion in Bright's Grove, on the south side of Lakeshore Road.
Who are they? The landowners and their real estate agents who would be the ones to make the money from expanding into prime farmland and building homes valued at close to a million dollars.
And now MPP Bob Bailey says it should be done. But this is predictable behaviour because his party leader, Doug Ford, wants to put a 400-series highway through the greenbelt around Toronto, spurring development in that buffer area over time.
Business and profits are what matter to the Conservative Party (and timely votes and financial support during this election from the construction companies and unions).
Two city councillors even resigned from the committee because they didn’t agree with the recommendations. They are supposed to represent all city residents, so why would they resign over a matter that affects only a small part of the city? The committee is also looking at amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning By-law, which affects the entire city, but I guess they aren’t interested in those matters.
I hope city councillors take the long view on these matters and think about all of the residents of Sarnia, not just the ones that can afford million dollar homes.
Peter Westfall
Sarnia
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Conservative government has woeful track record on clean energy
Sir: The recent decisions by General Motors and BASF SE to build new electric vehicle parts plants in Quebec is a clear sign Ontario is at a competitive disadvantage in attracting new manufacturing investment because of our increasing reliance on natural gas plants for generating electricity.
Quebec is clearly the preferred province to invest as a result of its clean electricity supply, with both companies citing its clean energy grid as a major reason to locate there.
Doug Ford’s deliberate neglect of clean energy in favour of natural gas is a major deterrent to new manufacturing investment in Ontario, as companies are increasingly being held to account for their carbon footprints.
A clean energy supply should be the highest priority for Ontario to attract new industrial investment.
When Doug Ford was elected Premier of Ontario he spent $231 million cancelling 758 green energy projects. He then sued the federal government, spending $30 million of our tax money to fight the carbon tax, and lost in court.
Ford also scrapped incentive programs for buying electric vehicles and cancelled plans to build electric charging stations across the province.
Ford also promised, when elected, to reduce our electricity bills. Instead, the cost of electricity has increased along with greenhouse gas emissions. His failure to invest in clean energy and instead increase the amount of electricity produced by natural gas will increase emissions more than 400%, as reported by the Independent Electricity System Operator.
Ford is recklessly taking Ontario in the wrong direction in so many ways, but his obstinate opposition to clean green energy will be disastrous to our economy and our efforts to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
If you care about these things, as we all should, then do not re-elect this man as Premier, nor any of his candidates as MPPs.
Allan McKeown
Sarnia