Residents Encouraged To Review Environmental Assessment Process From Walker Environmental

Monday, 3 February 2020 at 12:37

A comprehensive briefing of the Environmental Assessment process will be available on the Joint Municipal Coordinating Committee's website today.

OXFORD COUNTY - The Joint Municipal Coordinating Committee is encouraging Oxford County residents to learn more about the process on the Southwestern Landfill proposal from Walker Environmental Group.

The EA, expected to be released in the early part of 2020, will include a number of studies on the potential impact it'll have on the surrounding communities. It is a key step in Ontario's Environmental Assessment Act that will decide whether the landfill will be approved to operate in Zorra Township.

Head of the JMCC Marcus Ryan says residents will get three formal opportunities to review it.

"There is an opportunity now for them to read that Environmental Assessment proposal that Walker is going to put forward and understand it and ask questions, and that formal process is beginning now where there's going to be more detailed information from the proponent, Walker."

Today the JMCC is releasing a comprehensive briefing of the EA online, along with peer review processes to date.

He adds the JMCC is trying to be as transparent and as engaged as possible to residents so their concerns are addressed.

They'll have a chance to offer feedback during the pre-submission of the EA draft. Their second opportunity will then come during a seven-week comment period after the draft is submitted and then a final five-week public review after the Ministry's review is completed.

Ryan says he hopes residents have a good understanding of the EA.

"We get to participate. The Joint Municipal Coordinating Committees don't get to approve it but we do have our own peer review team that's going to do our own scientific review of what Walker is going to put forward. And I really hope that residents understand that process and are prepared then to understand all of the science, and it's going to be hard. There's a lot of very detailed science being done here, which is a good thing, but it's going to be very hard for people to understand, myself included."

Ryan adds they want residents to understand the process of how they can participate because they want them to participate as much as possible.

The draft EA will examine things such as the impact on air quality, water quality and more.

After residents provide their feedback, a final decision will be made by the Minister of Environment, Conservation of Parks.

The JMCC briefing is available for download and a high-level summary is also available here.

The JMCC is also encouraging residents to watch for updates on the timing for public comment on the proposal. The updates will also be posted to JMCC's website.