D C candidates welcome EA for mega quarry

2011-09-08 By DAN PELTON Staff Reporter

The provincial environment ministrys call for a full environmental assessment (EA) of the proposed Melancthon mega-quarry has all but confirmed that the project is a major issue in the Oct. 6 Ontario election campaign. Dufferin-Caledon Liberal candidate Lori Holloway has publicly voiced her opposition to the proposed 2,316-acre quarry and welcomed the announcement Sept. 1 by Environment Minister John Wilkinson. An individual EA will ensure that the largest quarry in Ontarios history will allow the public an historic level of public scrutiny, and transparency, she said, and it will require Highlands Companies to show the public the highest level of scientific proof that our environment will be protected. But incumbent Tory MPP Sylvia Jones said she fears the EA announcement might be little more than a political manoeuvre on the Liberals part. While I support a measure that would bring a heightened level of environmental protection and scrutiny to a project of this size, the timing of announcing support for an Environmental Assessment just days before an election is called is suspect, said Ms. Jones in a press release responding to Mr. Wilkinsons announcement. Provisions of the Aggregate Resources Act call for a quarry applicant in this case the Highland Companies to address all objections from individuals, organizations and government agencies. The act, however, also says an EA is not necessary. While Highlands application has significant opposition, they have been following the rules in doing so. The ministerial announcement suddenly changed those rules.

Ms. Holloway was not apologetic and maintained that the ARA, in its current form, is not equipped for a quarry application of such magnitude. This is an unprecedented application, and therefore requires an unprecedented response, said Ms. Holloway. It is critical for the government to manage the provinces resources in a way that is fully protective of our water sources, agricultural lands and be vigilant of the balance between our environment and the need for aggregate resources. Dufferin-Caledon MP David Tilson says he plans to lobby federal Environment Minister Peter Kent to have a joint federal-provincial EA. Although this is generally seen as a provincial issue, Mr. Tilson has maintained the feds are involved due to the implications the quarry might have on the provinces water resources and ultimately its fisheries, which fall under federal jurisdiction. I still believe that water is a big issue, said Mr. Tilson. He noted the use of dynamite in the quarry would have an impact on local rivers, which will ultimately end up in the Great Lakes. He added that experts in such matters are needed to determine the possible implications. Green candidate Rob Strang said an EA holds environmental protection to a much higher standard. The Environmental Assessment process would include a review of the EA by all interested ministries and agencies as well as federal bodies. Following this, the EA, the government review and an EA Branch summary will be circulated to the public for comment. This full range of government bodies are better equipped to make the initial evaluation of the EA and they will include policies such as food and agriculture. Ms. Holloway added that an individual EA will ensure that the largest quarry in Ontarios history will allow the public an historic level of public scrutiny, and transparency, and it will require Highlands Companies to show the public the highest level of scientific proof that our environment will be protected. The Green Party has advocated more recycling of aggregate to limit

quarry activity, instead of using virgin materials. The Ontario Stone Sand and Gravel Association (OSSGA), meanwhile, has stated that a large number of municipalities dismiss recycled aggregate as not meeting their standards. As well, to increase recycled material to just 20 per cent of yearly provincial production would require an additional 21,580,000 tonnes. To put this in perspective, the massive demolition of Terminal One at Torontos Pearson International Airports produced just 450,000 tonnes. Crunching the numbers, in order to increase our percentages, we would need to demolish 47 buildings, roads, or structures of equal size to Pearson Terminal 1 every year to increase to (20 per cent). I do not dispute the OSSGA figures, said Mr. Strang, but the engineering community, municipalities, the provincial government, the OSSGA and its members need to meet the challenges to recycling aggregates and come up with the standards and quality assurance methods necessary to maximize the recycling of concrete, asphalt and rocklike material. Mr. Strang says increasing the provincial levy on virgin aggregate from 11.5 to 50 per tonne will provide incentive to meet these challenges. He added that, to ensure that recycled aggregates can be used where appropriate, there must be adequate research and training so that the engineers making the specifications have confidence that quality assured recycled material would do the job. There cannot help but be some speculation that the unanimous support by all three candidates could be more politically, rather than environmentally, motivated, The candidates insisted this is not the case. An environment assessment is not an either/or scenario, pointed out Ms. Holloway. The (ARA) process will continue, and no ARA licence will be awarded until the Minister of the Environment approves the EA. Furthermore, I count several additional points in the Environmental Assessment where the public is invited to comment and participate. This will allow more opportunity for public participation in this process, and greater transparency.

Mr. Strang said that the minimum 30-day public comment period in the ARA is completely inadequate and should have been changed years ago. He said he hopes the environment minister would have the opportunity to have standing, present expert witnesses and evidence and crossexamine the witnesses and evidence of the proponents.