Wind Energy Project roadmap for New Brunswick

Wind energy projects support the provincial government’s commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as outlined in New Brunswick’s Climate Change Action Plan (2023–2027) (PDF 3.1 MB). To help proponents understand the process, the development of wind projects is typically divided into three main phases, described below: the conceptual phase, the permitting phase and the construction phase.

1. Contact the Energy Branch, Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development at [email protected] to advise them of the proposed project.
2. Contact the Meteorological Service of Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, at [email protected] with proposed project information to assess its potential interference with weather radars. For more information, see Guidelines for wind turbine and weather radar siting.
3. Consider land-use plans, zoning by-laws and other local/municipal requirements.
4. Assess the project site characteristics and potential interactions with the proposed project.
5. Consider setbacks for wind projects in the project planning and design phase including the best approach for meeting setbacks, based on the province’s turbine siting requirements and mitigation of potential impacts.
6. Initiate engagement with the public, stakeholders and First Nations. 
7. Contact NB Power to discuss an agreement, their study requirements and potential partnerships and funding.

For projects on Crown lands:

Work with the Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development to obtain a Licence of Occupation for Wind Exploration (required) and an option to secure the first right to apply for a Wind Farm Lease over the exploration area (optional).

Submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) registration document to the Department of Environment and Local Government and obtain a Certificate of Determination to proceed; obtain other applicable permits, licenses, approvals, etc. as required.

Conduct post-construction monitoring of the impact to the environment, wildlife and biodiversity as required through permitting.

For projects on Crown Lands:

1. Apply for a Wind Farm Lease for all wind turbine and electrical substation sites. 
2. In addition to a lease, a Licence of Occupation may be required for geotechnical investigations, general construction, access and distribution. These licenses of occupation may need to be issued prior to lease execution.
3. Apply for a Licence of Occupation for all connecting access roads and distribution lines. If transmission lines connecting the project to the provincial power grid impact Crown Lands, an easement granted to NB Power is required.
4. A lease for a wind farm would not be issued prior to an EIA being approved as well as a Power Purchase Agreement being secured.

When planning a wind project, project proponents should consider setbacks early in the planning and design phase including the best approach for meeting setbacks, based on the province’s turbine siting requirements. The following information is not intended to be a comprehensive list as there may be project-specific or site-specific (i.e. local government bylaw) requirements, as more detailed wind sector-specific information is available online (PDF 414 KB).

Except for the setbacks to public highways, roads, streets and non-maintained roads, in situations where project components cannot meet the setbacks below, detailed rationale and additional mitigation may be submitted for review and consideration. Please note that turbine height, referenced throughout this document is defined as the distance from the base to the highest point on the structure. For a horizontal-axis wind turbine, the highest point is defined as the tip of the blade when the blade is in a vertical position above the hub where the rotor is attached.

Lakes, watercourses and wetlands  
(including all soil disturbance associated with the structures) 
Setback = 30 m

Coastal features 
(e.g., coastal wetlands, estuaries, beaches and dunes)  
Setback = 500 m

Public highways, roads and streets  
(including roads and streets within the boundaries of a city, town or village) 
Designated as highways under the Highways Act; and areas designated for those purposes in a plan adopted under the Community Planning Act 
Setback = 500 m from the edge of the right-of-way, or 3.5 X height of turbine, whichever is greatest

Public non-maintained roads 
(including resource access roads)  
Setback = 1.5 X height of turbine

Crown land woods access roads  
Setback = Assessed on a case-by-case basis by Crown Lands Branch, Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development

Existing recreational, institutional and residential areas and areas designated for those purposes in a plan adopted under the Community Planning Act 
Setback = A minimum of 500 m

Industrial areas (e.g., industrial parks, mines, quarries, etc.) 
Setback = assessed on a case-by-case basis by Crown Lands Branch

Telecommunication, fire, airport and other tower structures  
Setback = 500 m, or 5 X height of turbine, whichever is greatest as per Radio Advisory Board of Canada guidance

Provincial parks, archaeological sites, historic sites and heritage sites with tourism, commemorative, or religious/ceremonial components 
Setback = 1 km buffer

Other wind exploration area boundaries, meteorological test towers, wind turbines and other associated infrastructure 
Setback = Assessed on a case-by-case basis by Crown Lands Branch

Species at Risk Habitat (Species at Risk Act) 
Setback = Assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development considering the recovery needs of the species, protection measures established through regulation and mitigation measures incorporated into site design 

National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries  
Setback = 500 m

Important migratory bird nesting sites and migration routes (Migratory Birds Convention Act) and important water-bird breeding colonies (Fish and Wildlife Act)  
Setback = 1000 m

Areas not available for wind power exploration as per the department’s Allocation of Crown Lands for Wind Power Projects Policy include:

• national and provincial parks and park lands held by the minister under the Parks Act
• operational quarries and mine sites
• economically viable peat lands (e.g., available peat = 1 m or deeper)
• existing Crown land leases, except as provided in Sections 8 and 11 of the Allocation of Crown Land for Wind Power Projects Policy
• protected natural areas and nature legacy protected areas
• deer wintering areas, old forest communities and habitats, eastern habitat joint venture sites, RAMSAR sites and international shorebird reserves
• any other site-specific fish, wildlife and environmental areas identified during the department’s review process or during the EIA

The requirements below are not all inclusive and are intended to be a reference to key information requirements. For more comprehensive guidance on preparing EIA registrations, please refer to the Guide to EIA in New Brunswick (PDF 1.1 MB), the Sector Specific Guidance for Wind Projects and check local government bylaw requirements.

Noise 
Provide a noise impact study assessing noise-sensitive locations within 1 km of the nearest turbine. 

Shadow flicker 
Shadow flicker modelling as per the Sector Specific Guidance for Wind Projects and mitigations. 

Visual impact assessment 
Visual impact assessment and proposed mitigation as per the Sector Specific Guidance for Wind Projects.

Cultural and heritage resources 
In areas where a historical background study or the most current Archaeological Predictive Model indicates that archaeological resources may be present, an Archaeological Impact Assessment will need to be conducted by a licensed professional archaeologist.

Birds 
At least one year of complete bird surveys (four seasons) including radar and acoustic monitoring, with adequate coverage of the entire site prior to EIA registration. The second year of bird monitoring may be submitted after EIA registration but will be required before commencement of construction.

Bats 
At least one full year of complete bat acoustic monitoring (spring and fall) and field habitat assessment, with adequate coverage of the entire site prior to EIA registration. The second year of bat monitoring may be submitted after registration but will be required before commencement of construction. Projects sited within 5 km of known bat migration routes and hibernacula may necessitate enhanced survey requirements.

Wetlands 
Identification, delineation and functional assessments of wetlands that may be impacted (directly or indirectly), per Sector Specific Guidance for Wind Projects and Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Wetland Policy. Discussion of how wetlands, including wetlands of special significance, will be avoided to the extent possible and any proposed mitigations.

Flora and fauna  
Identification of rare and at-risk flora, fauna and their habitats considering information held by the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Center augmented by targeted field surveys with adequate site coverage where appropriate. Discussion of the duration and seasonality of the surveys and any proposed mitigations.

Fish and fish habitat 
Fish habitat assessment following the advice of the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Surface water  
Field identification of watercourses and baseline water quality data. Discussion of impact to water quality and mitigations.

Groundwater 
Identification of groundwater users and baseline or general description of groundwater quality, any interactions with groundwater, including impact and mitigations.

Weather conditions 
Description of ecoregion and climate norms.

Climate change 
Description of greenhouse gas emissions, mitigations and adaptation (planning and preparation for a changing climate) within relevant sections of the assessment.

Air quality 
Discussion of air emissions (e.g., dust) and mitigations. Description of any monitoring programs.

Geology and hydrogeology 
Description of geological setting, including surficial and bedrock and known geohazards (potentially acid generating rock, karst topography).

Public safety 
Assess potential for injury to the public due to ice throw/blade throw, tower collapse or risk of fire.

Meteorological Service of Canada weather radars 
Potential project impact on weather radars will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Meteorological Service. Proponents are required to consult with the Meteorological Service and provide the results of that consultation to the EIA Branch.

First Nations engagement and public engagement 
Provide a summary of any engagement, actions and discussion that occurred prior to EIA registration, if applicable. If not undertaken prior to registration, a summary will be required before a decision is made on the review.