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, 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 →

Inground Infiltration of Wastewater

By Linda Heron on Monday, June 7th, 2021

Posted in Aquatic Life, Brook Trout, Fisheries, Joint, ORA Submissions, Pollution, Press Release, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, Water Quality, West Credit River

In consideration of the ecosystem benefits of a healthy West Credit River and its sensitive Brook Trout and Redside Dace population, we are recommending that inground infiltration of the final wastewater effluent be seriously considered, as a viable alternative to discharging warm sewage effluent directly into the West Credit River. Discharge of treated effluent by way of passive infiltration into the ground with slow percolation into this relatively small stream is the best way to ensure that the final effluent reaches the stream as natural and cold groundwater.

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Media Release: Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant – Federal Review Denied

By Linda Heron on Thursday, May 27th, 2021

Posted in Aquatic Life, Brook Trout, Fisheries, Impact Assessment Act, Joint, ORA Submissions, Pollution, Press Release, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, Water Quality, West Credit River

West Credit River. Photo by Steve Noakes.

Judy Mabee, Chair of the Coalition and President of the Belfountain Community Organization stated that, “The Coalition is not deterred by the Minister’s Decision. We will continue on with our work to protect this highly valued coldwater Brook Trout population in the West Credit River. We are more than willing to work with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and other federal and provincial regulators, including the Town of Erin and its consultants, to advocate for a wastewater plant that sets a new best in class industry standard for the protection of sensitive coldwater receiving streams.”

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Minister Wilkinson Decision on Designation Request – Letter to Coalition

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, May 26th, 2021

Posted in Aquatic Life, Brook Trout, Fisheries, Government, Impact Assessment Act, Joint, Land Use, ORA Submissions, Redside Dace, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Sewage, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, West Credit River

After careful consideration of the information provided by the Town of Erin, federal authorities, provincial ministries, the local conservation authority, the concerns expressed in your letter, other known public concerns, and advice from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency), I decided that the Project does not warrant designation pursuant to Subsection 9(1) of the IAA.

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Proposed Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant – Follow-up Commitments to the Environmental Study Report

By Linda Heron on Friday, May 21st, 2021

Posted in Aquatic Life, Brook Trout, Fisheries, Impact Assessment Act, Joint, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, Regulatory Submissions, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, West Credit River

The Coalition has carefully reviewed the ESR to see what habitat related to endangered or threatened species, Schedule 1 SARA species, migratory birds or rare and uncommon plants may have been impacted by significant damage that was done on the Solmar property in late December 2020 and into the first quarter of 2021. In particular, the damage related to the premature removal of brush and trees in and around the Project site, as well as significant damage to a first order tributary to the West Credit River in a Provincially Significant Wetland and Greenlands Natural Heritage designated area (Addendum 2). The Coalition has ascertained that there were no permits or authorizations for any of this work to take place. It is very difficult to do additional bird and tree studies when a great number of the trees and habitat were removed and burned.

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Requests to Ministers – Erin WWTF

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, May 12th, 2021

Posted in Fisheries, Impact Assessment Act, Joint, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, West Credit River

The proposed Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant (Project) would release over 7 million liters of sewage effluent daily into the West Credit River, which is a relatively tiny receiver stream. This large volume of sewage effluent would be released downstream at the Wellington County Line into one of the last remaining native Brook Trout Populations in southern Ontario. This self-sustaining Brook Trout population is thriving because of the West Credit River’s unique and pristine coldwater habitat.

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Erin WWTP – Concerns over Brook Trout and Fish Habitat on the West Credit River

By Linda Heron on Tuesday, May 4th, 2021

Posted in Aquatic Life, Brook Trout, Climate Change, Environmental Assessment Act, Fisheries, Impact Assessment Act, ORA Submissions, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, West Credit River

Redds just below culvert.

To confirm our position that the habitat within the culvert is not degraded and supports Brook Trout throughout the year, we draw your attention to a video by Steven Noakes, a local videographer, entitled, Brook Trout fry at proposed outfall location Erin WWTP, taken on the 30th of April 2021 in and around the culvert at the proposed effluent discharge site. The video confirms that Brook Trout fry are abundant in and around the culvert and demonstrates that the culvert habitat is not degraded, removing any question that it supports Brook Trout. In addition, Brook Trout spawning activity occurs a short distance above and below the culvert, where redds are abundant within 75 to 100m of it. There is no question that this area supports Brook Trout in various life stages.

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Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant – Assertion by the Haudenosaunee

By Linda Heron on Friday, April 30th, 2021

Posted in First Nations Treaty Rights, Impact Assessment Act, Joint, ORA Submissions, Pollution, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, Water Quality, West Credit River

The purpose of Aaron Detlor’s communication was to “advise that the Haudenosaunee hold treaty rights over the area contemplated by this Project, and that the Project will interfere with those rights and interests… At the same time we are hereby asking Minister Wilkinson and the Crown generally to withhold any pending approvals subject to the commencement of a good faith process to uphold the honour of the Crown”.

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Experts agree: Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson must designate Erin Waste Water Treatment Plant for Impact Assessment

By Linda Heron on Monday, April 26th, 2021

Posted in Aquatic Life, Brook Trout, Fisheries, Impact Assessment Act, Joint, ORA Submissions, Pollution, Press Release, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, Water Quality, West Credit River

West Credit River. Photo by Steve Noakes

Jack Imhof, an Aquatic Ecologist/Watershed Scientist, says “It is essential an independent federal assessment of the Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant be conducted in order to ensure the health of downstream communities and survival of the last healthy Brook Trout and Redside dace populations left in the Credit River watershed. This is NOT a “Fish or People” issue.” Jack Imhof has been involved in the study, assessment and management of the West Credit River since 1979, as well as the data collection and writing of the West Credit Subwatershed Study.

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Follow up to Town of Erin & Solicitor: Damage to Tributary on Solmar Land, Joint

By Linda Heron on Thursday, April 8th, 2021

Posted in Fisheries, Government, Joint, Municipal, ORA Submissions, Redside Dace, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Sewage, Species at Risk, Urban Development, Waste Water Treatment Facilities, West Credit River

West Credit River Brook Trout. Photo by Steve Noakes.

The Coalition for the West Credit River, of which the Belfountain Community Organization is a member, wish to inform Mayor Alan Alls and Council (the “Town”) that the questions asked in our 18 February 2021 correspondence were either not addressed at all or not satisfactorily addressed in the final Environmental Study Report (ESR) for the proposed Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant (Erin WWTP).

The Coalition reached out in good faith to the Mayor, in the hopes that he would answer our questions, and perhaps resolve some of our concerns and make it unnecessary to take this matter to the federal level for a review under the IAA. However, it has become crystal clear that the Mayor was not acting in good faith when we were informed by the Town’s lawyer, Quinto Annibale, in his 10 March 2021 email to me, that “all of the questions and issues which were raised and answered during the Part 2 Order request made to the Minister of the Environment Conservation and Parks pursuant to the Environmental Assessment Act. As you know the Minister considered each of these issues and refused to grant the Order. Since you participated in the Part 2 order request, my client sees very little useful purpose in answering the same questions again and therefore will not be responding to the detailed questions contained in your February 18, 2021 correspondence”.

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