[getsmart-l] environmentalists slam greenbelt incinerator site

[Laura Bowman]

March 30, 2007

NEWMARKET - York council's adoption of an East Gwillimbury greenbelt site as
a shortlisted site for a new incinerator is a "betrayal" according to Laura
Bowman, volunteer with York-Simcoe Naturalists.

"The selected shortlisted site is on Greenbelt lands protected by
legislation, precisely the type of location the York Region consultants
indicated that they would not be selected in the most recent public
consultation."

At a public consultation held in Newmarket last fall, Kelly Spitzig and Andy
Campbell from York Region made a presentation promising that incinerator
shortlist sites would not be located on Greenbelt lands.  However, the East
Gwillimbury site on the shortlist released this week and approved by the
Regional council is located on the "protected countryside" portion of the
provincial Greenbelt.

The lands are proposed "employment lands" scheduled for an upcoming Official
Plan Amendment in East Gwillimbury.  When the Town of EG released its plans
for these lands last year, York Simcoe Naturalists immediately raised
concerns with the Town about intrusion onto Greenbelt lands.

"The lands in question were protected by the province because they are
important natural and agricultural lands" said Ms. Bowman. "The site is not
appropriate for an incinerator which will pollute the surrounding area with
dioxins and mercury, rendering produce nearby potentially unsafe and
impacting birds and fish in the area."  The area is in the Black River
watershed, and adjacent to meadows, mixed forest and intensive agricultural
lands.  "The Black River's fish and wildlife will be hurt the most by this
choice of site, it is the birds and fish that suffer most from mercury
contamination."  In 1999 the Ministry of the Environment released a study
that noted that an incinerator would likely render mercury and dioxin levels
unsafe for nearby fish and wildlife and contaminate local foods.  A Lake
Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Study notes that the Black River is
already contaminated with several heavy metals, including mercury.  "This
project can only make the problems of the Black River worse, the river is
already contaminated and an incinerator will add more mercury and a new
contaminant, dioxins."

The announcement comes after the region refused to disclose the air
pollution controls in its procurement plans, conflict of interest or long
list of sites to the public.  However, during the "site selection process"
consultations in 2006, officials from the Region assured York Simcoe
Naturalists and other stakeholders that greenbelt lands would not be
selected for the shortlist.  This week, the Region disclosed a report that
included a greenbelt site in East Gwillimbury.

"The announcement this week is a betrayal of the public and a clear attempt
to circumvent a transparent public process" said Ms. Bowman.  "The Region's
consultants for this project have always refused to discuss the
environmental impacts of the project from air pollution, now they want to
change the rules of site-selection after the fact by changing their plans to
keep the site away from important natural areas and off of the greenbelt."

The Region has not released details about the type of air pollution controls
that would be used in an incinerator on the site, or how the highly
hazardous fly ash waste would be disposed of - instead using vague promises
about "new technology".

"Its time for York Region residents to wake up" said Ms. Bowman "this
proposal is for a facility that will burn blue box materials, create highly
toxic hazardous waste, pollute the environment and destroy greenbelt
lands, - it is not an environmental project, it is about rushing into a 300
million dollar contract in a blind attempt to find a magic solution."

Last week the Provincial government approved changes to the Environmental
Assessment process that will make it easier to get approvals to burn garbage
and recyclable materials in a variety of facilities.  "These projects need
more scrutiny, not less - how can the public trust that the facilities will
be clean when the Region won't tell us how the pollution will be controlled
and a full environmental assessment is not done?"  Ms. Bowman noted.  "The
shiny pictures and the nice promises don't tell the whole story.  Its not a
coincidence that the site is right next to the York Region recycling
facility - they have been open from the beginning that they plan to burn
blue box materials."  The new changes to the Environmental Assessment
Process mean that York Region has the option of skipping the detailed
scrutiny of the impact of emissions that would normally be required for this
type of project.

The Region conducted a public opinion poll last year that found that 96% of
respondents felt the natural environment/public health and safety is either
extremely or very important in making the decision on where the waste
management facility should be located.  "The priorities of the community are
clear, the environment should be the first consideration" said Ms. Bowman
"The selection of a greenbelt lands site near important waterways and
natural features shows that the Region is indifferent to these priorities."

York-Simcoe Naturalists representatives plan to attend the April 10th public
meeting in Newmarket.  The aims and objectives of the York-Simcoe
Naturalists are: to further public awareness of the natural environment of
the area; to identify and encourage the protection and preservation of
environmentally significant habitat and species; to establish and maintain a
permanent record of environmental change in the area; and to institute and
advance a co-operative working relationship with other conservation-minded
organizations.

York-Simcoe Naturalists is a club member of the Ontario Nature Network and
made two submissions on the Incinerator environmental assessment in 2006.

Contact:
Laura Bowman
Public Consultation Coordinator
York Simcoe Naturalists
cell: 416-873-8752
ysnclub at yahoo.ca

www.yorkregionnature.ca/ysn
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