EBR Application for Investigation of Town of Erin – Proposed Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant – Joint

By Linda Heron on Friday, August 27th, 2021

Posted in Environmental Assessment Act, Environmental Registry, Environmental Reports, Erin WWTP, Fisheries, Joint, Land Use, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, Regulatory Submissions, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, West Credit River

West Credit River Brook Trout. Photo by Steve Noakes.

The Belfountain Community and Planning Organization and Linda Heron are filing an Application for Investigation of the Corporation of the Town of Erin, under Part V, of the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993. We are very concerned that the Town is moving forward to the construction phase of the Project when it has not yet fulfilled key commitments it made in its Town of Erin Urban Centre Wastewater Servicing Class Environmental Study Report. The Ministry will investigate whether the Town contravened or violated Section 38 of the Environmental Assessment Act.

Please click on this Google Drive link to view or download the Application for Investigation and Appendix A. Continue reading →

Media Release: Concerns over Brook Trout in the West Credit River

By Linda Heron on Thursday, October 29th, 2020

Brook trout spawning in a coldwater stream. Film by Steve Noakes

Articles:
Groups concerned about Erin’s proposed plant effect on coldwater fish, by Keegan Kozolanka
Ontario Rivers Alliance says town has ‘dismissed’ plans to protect Credit River brook trout from Erin wastewater plant, by Alexandra Heck

The Town of Erin (Erin) is in the design phase of a new sewage treatment plant, and the Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) is concerned that the sewage plant effluent will endanger some of the most productive and highly valued brook trout populations in the West Credit River. Continue reading →

Town of Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant – Concerns over Brook Trout and Fish Habitat on the West Credit River

By Linda Heron on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020

Posted in Environmental Reports, Erin WWTP, Fish/Eel Mitigation & Recovery, Fisheries, ORA Submissions, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, Water Quality, West Credit River

Finally, the West Credit River is a headwaters tributary of the Credit River and is considered the crown jewel of coldwater brook trout fisheries in Ontario. This fishery significantly adds to the economic and social fabric of the province, with Ontario fisheries contributing a total of approximately $2.5 billion annually to the provincial economy. MNRF’s own documents predict that climate change will reduce the number of watersheds in Ontario with brook trout by 50% by 2050.

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Calabogie Generating Station Redevelopment Project – Notice of Completion

By Linda Heron on Saturday, January 25th, 2020

Posted in American Eel, Calabogie GS, Class EA for Waterpower, Energy, Environmental Reports, Hydroelectric, Lake Sturgeon, Madawaska River, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Species at Risk

The fact that Lake Sturgeon and American Eel no longer exists in this section of the Madawaska River, is all the more reason that OPG should make every effort to rehabilitate these populations and include effective fish passage for these and other fish species at this facility. OPG is a provincial entity and as such should set the example as a beacon for responsible and sustainable hydroelectric facilities and operations in Ontario.

Continue reading →

Calabogie Generating Station Redevelopment – Madawaska River

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, August 21st, 2019

Posted in American Eel, Calabogie GS, Dams, Environmental Reports, Madawaska River, ORA Submissions, Repair/Replacement, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Species at Risk

Peaking operations, with the variable flow discharge and ramping patterns, the rate and frequency of water level changes, and the amount of time the station is at its maximum discharge level, can all have a significant impact on the degree of channel and bank erosion.

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Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment – Speed River

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, April 18th, 2018

Posted in Dam Removal, Dam Removals, Dams, Environmental Reports, ORA Submissions, Removal, Rivers at Risk, Riverside Dam, Speed River, Water Quality

Drought conditions could place additional stress on riverine ecosystems, while more extreme rainfall will heighten the risk of dam failures (18 dams were breached in a South Carolina flood in October of 2015) with rapid release of high volumes of water. There have also been recent dam failures right here in Ontario – the Gorrie Dam failure last year in Wingham was the most recent, putting more than 150 property owners at risk.

Continue reading →

10 Ontario Rivers Protected from 19 Hydroelectric Projects

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, July 13th, 2016

Wabagishik Rapids – Vermilion River

MEDIA RELEASE: For Immediate Release: 13 July 2016

10 Ontario Rivers Protected from 19 Hydroelectric Projects

SUDBURY: The Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) is celebrating a major victory in the protection of 10 Ontario rivers that have been under threat from 19 proposed hydroelectric projects. Actions taken by the ORA and its members have led to what was considered to be impossible – the termination of 19 Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) Contracts.

In 2011, ORA came into being to address a rash of 87 proposed hydroelectric proposals initiated under the Green Energy Act. The offer of generous incentives to produce power during peak demand hours had proponents rushing to claim access to falls and rapids on rivers all across the province. The number of proposals to actually receive FIT Contracts was soon reduced to 41, and of those, Xeneca Power Development Inc. had secured 19 contracts for projects involving 23 Crown sites on 10 Ontario rivers. Continue reading →

Wabagishik Rapids Generating Station – Minister’s Decision on Part II Order Request

By Linda Heron on Monday, July 11th, 2016

Posted in Class EA for Waterpower, Energy, Environmental Reports, Government, Hydroelectric, ORA Submissions, Part II Order requests, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Vermilion River, Wabagishik Rapids

Wabagishik Rapids, Vermilion River – Photo by Aleta Karstad

It was very surprising and disappointing to read your decision letter; however, it was somewhat understandable when the Minister’s decision was based upon inaccurate and unsupported responses contained within the Ministry Review (Review) document, Xeneca Power Development Inc.’s (Xeneca) correspondence, and the Environmental Report (ER). Continue reading →

Blanche River Part II Order Request – MOECC Decision

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, July 8th, 2015

Posted in Blanche River, Class EA for Waterpower, Dams, E-Newsletter, Energy, Environmental Reports, Hydroelectric, Marter Township GS, ORA Reports, ORA Submissions, Part II Order requests, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk

On March 14, 2014, Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) submitted a Part II Order request to the Minister of Environment on the Environmental Report for the Marter Township, Blanche River Hydroelectric proposal, on the grounds that, in our opinion, Xeneca Power Development Inc. did not meet the requirements of the Class Environmental Assessment for Waterpower (Class EA) in numerous areas.

ORA is pleased to report that today we received a response from the Minister’s office, stating that “based on the ministry’s review of the Environmental Report, Xeneca has failed to meet the Class EA requirements”.

The Ministry is requiring Xeneca to go back and correct several deficiencies. Once the deficiencies are corrected Xeneca can resubmit its Notice of Completion and Environmental Report. This will be very difficult for Xeneca to fulfill with just one employee and a cell phone. We are still awaiting decisions on the Part II Order requests ORA submitted on the Wabagishik, Frederick House and Ivanhoe Rivers Environmental Reports.

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Xeneca to Valued Stakeholders

By Linda Heron on Tuesday, April 7th, 2015

Posted in Class EA for Waterpower, Dams, Energy, Environmental Reports, FIT Program, Green Energy Act, Hydroelectric, Large Energy Procurement, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk

Wabagishik Rapids, Vermilion River – Photo by Aleta Karstad

Given your past interest in one or more of our projects we wish to advise that Xeneca Power Development is proceeding through a restructuring process brought about by significantly extended development timelines, increased regulatory requirements and exposure to rapidly escalating environmental, permitting, development and civil costs. Due to the above noted delays and costs that were not contemplated in Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) pricing and contract timelines, project economic viability has, in some cases, been driven into a negative position, and, as such, it is expected that some FIT contracts will be cancelled in order that those projects can be bid into Ontario’s upcoming Large Renewable Procurement (LRP) program.

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