VALLEY VOICES NEWSLETTER
July 31, 2008
Shelter Valley Aggregates (SVA) has told Valley Voices (V V) that the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) issued them a conditional license for the Turk Rd pit in February of 2008. The conditions of the license, accomplished by V V, are that the DDT be removed from the pit lands, that the haul route to the east to connect to Cty Rd 25 go through a successful Class A Environmental Assessment, and the haul route be constructed before the operating license becomes effective. The MNR has said that once the EA on the haul route is complete they will let SVA work the pit for the gravel they need to construct the haul route.
Despite the issuance of the conditional license, MNR has yet to post the license or the conditions of the license on the Environmental Registry (EBR) website.
THE CLEANUP: SVA has completed the removal of the DDT that was buried on the pit property. In addition to containers of DDT previously reported to be on the site, the contractor located and removed over 2000 bottles containing a 25% DDT solution. Some of the bottles removed were located along the eastern boundary with, and on the land of, the adjacent former municipal dump property. Other containers consisted of fly spray containers and metal containers of powder containing DDT. The work was done for SVA by D. L. Services, of Brighton, a contractor recommended to SVA by the Ministry of Environment. Ministry of Environment inspectors were on site at all times SVA's contractor was working on the site. No concrete tank containing DDT was on the property. The DDT materials have been put in special containers for transport off site for disposal at a licensed waste disposal facility. Soil samples have been sent to a laboratory for testing. The report of SVA's consultants with test results will be provided to A/H and VV. According to Terrence Korotki, the A/H Clerk , a copy of the DDT report will be available on the A/H website. Contaminated soil on site will be put into containers for removal and disposal off site under MOE supervision once the extent of soil contamination is known from soil test results. The site must be cleaned up to the MOE's satisfaction before they will issue the clearance certificate that SVA requires to satisfy the MNR's conditions of the pit license. The MOE clearance certificate means that the site satisfies MOE standards. It does not mean that the site is returned to a "pristine" condition. D. L. Services have recommended that 3 monitoring test holes be installed on the property to test and monitor ground water and Mr. Morgan has confirmed that this will be done.
FINANCING: The strict conditions obtained by VV and attached to the license, some of which we understand are unprecedented, have so far prevented SVA from finding “joint venture” partners for the pit . Mr. Morgan has confirmed that this has been a much more expensive process than he originally thought. V V estimates the costs for the cleanup, the Environmental Assessment for the haul route and construction of the haul route will be well over $750,000. SVA is arranging financing to cover the expected costs.
SVA’s DEBT TO V V: V V has received 1/2 {$5000} of the $10,000 owing by SVA. The rest will follow once SVA obtains the financing it requires to proceed.
THE NEXT STEPS: When (if?) SVA gets the MOE Clearance Certificate, A/H will start the haul route Environmental Assessment to be paid for by SVA. SVA will have to put up a bond for the costs . The Environmental Assessment (“EA”) for the haul route begins with an application to the Ministry of Environment (“MOE”) for approval. The first step is to hire Consultants to prepare terms of reference for MOE approval. The proposed terms of reference must be made public for comment. Once the MOE approves the terms of reference they must be published. The consultants hired by A/H and paid for by SVA will then proceed with the work based on the approved terms of reference. Once the EA is complete and any deficiencies dealt with the MOE must review the results before issuing or refusing an order for approval . MOE must make their decision public. If there are disputes that cannot be resolved they are referred to the Environmental Review Tribunal. During the EA process the Minister of Environment can bump the EA up to a full hearing before the Tribunal.
J.G.Stewart Construction, http://www.jgstewart.ca/ a well-known operator out of Orillia, will be hired to operate the pit once the license conditions are satisfied.
It will be a long time before any digging. SVA has no idea how long the E A will take or when it will start.
