Tag Archives: assessment

Marter Township Generating Station Environmental Report – Blanche River – Part II Order Request

Krugerdorf Chutes, Blanche River

This proposal has a Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) contract which pays a 50% peaking bonus for all power generated.  FIT Contracts have a 40 year term.   Projects with FIT contracts cannot be told to stop generating if Ontario has a surplus of power – they get paid for all power generated whether it is required or not.  Proposed to produce 2.1 MW Installed Capacity, which with seasonal flows will more realistically produce 50% of that – approximately 1 MW of power.

ORA has made a Part II Order request to the Minister of Environment to elevate this proposal to an Individual Environmental Assessment – a much more rigorous environmental assessment.  Awaiting MOE response.

Published: 14 March 2014

Excerpt:

“It is ORA’s submission that Xeneca’s approach falls far short of their claims in many key aspects of this ER, and does its best to sell the reader on the project, with an approach of convincing the reader to just trust them, let them build it, and then through monitoring and adaptive management during pre and post construction the riverine ecosystem will be just fine. This approach is not acceptable.”  Read more below:

Download (PDF, 593KB)


Proposed Hydroelectric Generating Station at the Bala Falls

Bala Falls Portage

Posted 8 March 2014

There is a lot at stake in a battle that has gone on for close to a decade.  Through a “Competitive Site Release” in 2004 the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) made some Crown land available south of the Bala north falls for the development of a hydro-electric generating station (Bala is north-west of Gravenhurst). The MNR is very motivated to see this happen, as not only would it help fulfill the province’s mandate for additional power generation from renewable energy sources, but MNR staff would also no longer need to adjust stop-logs to regulate water flows and levels, or be responsible for the maintenance and repair of the Bala north and south dams – instead, the proponent would have these responsibilities. Unfortunately, the MNR appears to be so motivated that they have shown little concern for the many negative impacts on fish spawning and other habitat problems that would be created.

In 2005 a proponent was awarded “Applicant of Record” status, and since then has proposed at least three different configurations, all of which would also create major public safety and economic problems.

SaveTheBalaFalls.com, the local cottager association, and the public have therefore been actively engaged both in the process and also in ensuring the appropriate government Ministries, agencies, and politicians are presented with the many outstanding concerns and issues.

One major issue is that the Bala Falls landscape is central to Bala and the surrounding area’s recreation and tourism economy as the falls are very visible and accessible, and are the main focus of visits – including literally bus-loads of tourists in the summer. They come to view the falls, to climb on the rocks, and to play in the usually serene water at the base of the falls. There are also residences within 200 feet, as well as long-time and very popular public in-water recreation that occurs within 50 feet, both upstream and downstream of the proposed generating station and the treacherously turbulent water it would create.

Another major issue is that the proposed project would obstruct a traditional and historic Portage, which is still in use. As a result of a request by the MNR, written historical proof was provided to confirm that this Portage was in use prior to the initial Crown land patent, and Section 65(4) of the Public Lands Act prohibits such obstruction. In May 2013 the MNR unilaterally declared that this land was suddenly too dangerous for the public to access – even though their own 2011 Public Safety Measures Plan for this exact area had no such concerns. We have responded with reasons why this proposed project would still be illegal under the Public Lands Act, and await a response on this complicated topic.

Two years ago, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) told us that in the ten years the current legislation has been in place, there have been more than 50 requests to elevate different proposed hydro-electric generation proposals to an Individual Environmental Assessment. Such further study is the required first step to having any chance of an Environmental Assessment (EA) approval being denied. But the MOE has denied EVERY ONE of these 50 requests. That is, there has never been a “Part II Order” request for elevation approved. This places the fairness and efficacy of the entire EA process in question.

The current situation for the proposed Bala project is that not only are major approvals still required from all four levels of government, but there are legal challenges as well.

And SaveTheBalaFalls.com and the community will continue to ask; would it be safe, would it be beautiful, and would there be enough water over the falls to continue to draw people to Bala. We still don’t have answers, so we continue to ensure decision-makers know the problems.

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Town Responds to the Enerdu Environmental Self-Assessment – The Millstone

Published on February 4th 2013

At its special meeting on January 31st, Council authorized the submission of the following response on behalf of the Town to Enerdu’s environmental assessment of the proposed project:

January 31, 2013

Ms. Muriel Kim
OEL-HydroSys P.O. Box 430 3108 Carp Road Ottawa, Ontario KOA 1L0

Mr. Ron Campbell
Enerdu Power Systems inc. 9094 Cavanagh Road Ashton ON KOA1BO

Ms. Kim and Mr. Campbell:

RE: Mississippi Mills Report on Proposed ENERDU Expansion Environmental Report

The Town of Mississippi Mills has prepared a comprehensive report in response to the Environmental Report which was prepared as required under the Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) for Waterpower Projects with regards to the proposed expansion of the Enerdu Generating Station. The report has been available for a 47-calendar day review period, from December 17, 2012, to February 1, 2013. In the preparation of its response, the Town gathered feedback during this period from various community stakeholders including Council, sub-committees of Council, public groups and municipal staff. in doing so, the Town was able to capture the concerns of the community and are submitting the following comments:

BACKGROUND

Enerdu Power Systems is proposing an expansion and redevelopment of its existing hydro electric facility located in the old Flour Mill in the Town of Mississippi Mills, formerly Town of Almonte. The property subject to the application is located at 11 Main Street, along the north shore of the Mississippi River in the north-eastern part of the Mississippi River.

The Wylie Flour Mill was built in 1842 and the basement of the building was subsequently developed into a power generation plant. The timing of the conversion has not been confirmed, but historical records discuss an operational power plant in 1905. Recently, the flour mill portion of the building (above the working power plant) was converted into upscale condominiums. The Environmental Assessment has identified the existing generating station as a “run-of-river” facility, which consists of a powerhouse and an overflow weir.  The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed project has been completed to assess the potential impact of the development on the natural and physical environment and to provide information to the applicant regarding development planning of the site, assess potential impacts and propose mitigation measures.

The EA was finalized by OEL-Hydrosys on behalf of the applicant in December 2012 and was provided to the Town at the end of December. The Town is requested to provide comments to the Applicant by February 1, 2013. Continue reading