How to Request an Environmental Assessment

by STOP the Quarry on Thursday, June 9, 2011 at 12:18pm In Ontario, no quarry of any size is subject to an EA under the Environmental Assessment Act. There is a limited environmental review under the Aggregate Resources Act, but it is not as comprehensive or sweeping as one conducted under the EAA. Given the massive size of the proposed quarry (2,300 acres) and its potential impact on vital food and water resources, Highlands proposed mega quarry must be subjected to a full EA. Heres how you can help. The public can demand an EA but must make a formal request with specific reasons. Below is a list outlining how you can help as well as specific reasons that can be included in your letter to the Minister of the Environment. Choose a few or all. 1. Write and encourage others to write, as well. Along with specific reasons (listed in point 2), please include a sentence that says: "I am requesting the Ministry of the Environment designate the proposed mega quarry as a major commercial or business enterprise or activity pursuant to ss. 3(b) of the Environmental Assessment Act." 2. Use some of these suggested comments in the letter to the Minister of the Environment: The proposed mega quarry is unprecedented in its size, magnitude and potential impact on the natural environment, local agricultural industry and surrounding communities. This is the largest proposed quarry in Canada. The Environmental Assessment Act was created in 1975 to deal with large private sector undertakings of this kind and provides a fair, legal and reasonable legal process that is much more comprehensive than if it is simply reviewed under the Aggregate Resources Act and Planning Acts. The proposed mega quarry would be located at the headwaters of several important river systems. Under the application, Highland would excavate about 200 feet below the water table. The vast majority of people living downstream from the site rely on the watersheds for their drinking water which could be at serious risk because of the mega quarry activity. Highlands proposal anticipates managing about 600-million-litres of

water each day in perpetuity. This is about 25 percent of the water consumed or used in Ontario every day. The proposed mega quarry would be excavated on some of the most fertile agricultural land in Ontario. It consists almost entirely of Class 1 farmland. This part of Dufferin County has a strong history of agricultural activity and is still vital to the provinces food production. It is imperative that the water resources continue to be available in their current quality and quantity. The supposed dewatering process proposed by Highland anticipates taking pristine water from underground, after it has been exposed to the elements including blasting chemical residue, particulates and other contaminants and then pumping the standing water back into the aquifer. Highland intends to run its pumping system 24 hours a day, 7 days per weekin perpetuity. Highland admits that its activities could impact the inflow of the Pine River by approximately 10 percent. Thats a major impact by any measure, but this impact could be even more significant at times of the year when the Pine River is stressed due to climactic events. Highlands materials were prepared in order to comply with the less environmentally vigorous mandate of the Ministry of Natural Resources. As a result, Highlands consultants did not give sufficient weight and testing to the potential impact to the environment that would be required under the more rigorous analysis conducted by way of an Environmental Assessment under the Act. The Ministry of Natural Resources does not have the adequate resources itself to review the application. This was recently addressed in the Ontario Municipal Boards decision on the Rockfort Quarry and by the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. The MNR does not have the potential damage to the environment as its primary focus. The Minister of Natural Resources, Linda Jeffrey, has also stated that she does not believe that rehabilitation as described by Highland will occur. While this demonstrates bias and potential prejudging of the application, if the Minister is correct, then the application should be viewed in the absence of Highlands promises of rehabilitation to agriculture. The province has not completed a thorough mapping of all underground streams, aquifers and waterways in several of the most important watershed areas, including the Nottawasaga and Grand headwaters, which could be adversely affected by the proposed mega quarry.

Under the Environmental Assessment Act, the term environment is defined broadly to include not only air, land, water, plant and animal life, but also human life and the social, economic and cultural conditions. Under the ARA, the environment is narrowly construed. When one is dealing with the largest quarry ever proposed in Ontario, using unproven methods, plunging 200 feet below the water table at a site which is the headwaters of important river systems, the more encompassing purview established under the Environmental Assessment Act is the most, and perhaps only, appropriate legislation to judge the merits of Highlands application. Highland has no experience in the aggregate industry, let alone the capacity to manage and make commitments in regard to the largest quarry proposed in the history of Canada.

2. Call, fax, send letters or email The Honourable John Wilkinson, Minister of the Environment 77 Wellesley Street West 11th Floor, Ferguson Block Toronto ON M7A 2T5 Telephone: (416) 314-6790 Fax: (416) 314-7337 jwilkinson.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org 3. Copy The Premier: Dalton McGuinty Legislative Building Queen's Park Toronto ON M7A 1A1 (email):https://correspondence.premier.gov.on.ca/en/feedback/feedback.aspx 3. Visit the EBR site and voice your concerns officially with the government at the following location: http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do? noticeId=MTEyNTY2&statusId=MTY4ODI5&language=en