CWS Rush for Landfill Approval Leaves Public Behind

      In a surprise move, CWS has announced plans to submit its EA expansion application for the Warwick landfill without first allowing the public to review the final documents. The CWS plan violates the fundamental principles of community consultation, according to Rhonda Hustler, a member of the Warwick Watford Landfill Committee (WWLC), the citizens group opposing  the landfill expansion, and member of the local   Environmental Assessment Study Group (EASG) reviewing the EA documents. 

CWSs sudden move demonstrates how little respect they have for this community and the public process.  To shut us out of reviewing, even reading, the final two documents before they are submitted to the Minister  is outrageous.  We will  object to  this plan at Monday nights EASG meeting.

In a fax sent to the community and EASG members Friday, June 13, Kevin Bechard, of CWS announced plans to refocus the EA consultation process that would allow the EA to be submitted following review of DP  #7 [Impact Assessment].  The complete EA has   nine documents in total.  The EASG is currently reviewing Draft Paper #6, Site Design.

CWS wants to submit DP #8 (Design and Operation Plan) and DP #9   (Impact Management Plan and the Community Commitments Agreement) without consulting the community, the EASG, the peer reviewers, or Warwick Council.  The public would see the documents only after CWS had submitted them for Ministry approval.

These two documents include CWSs final plans for environmental protection, the health study,   leachate treatment, and   overall   management details  as well as the agreement between the company and the community.  According to former Warwick Mayor   and EASG member, Mac Parker,  All these documents should come together at the end, we should see exactly what were facing, and consult with CWS on issues before they go to the Ministry.  Instead, CWS tries an end run for quick approval and shuts the public out of the process.

According to Rhonda Hustler, CWSs proposal violates the original Terms of Reference (October 1999) and the consultation process agreed to in July 2001.  CWS claims EASG meeting, members and the public  expressed concern about the length of time the EA review process is taking.    Lynn Badder, WWLC representative on the EASG,  says the minutes of the meeting record no such statements; instead, members have repeatedly objected to CWSs rushed  timelines.

Mr. Bechard claims these changes will  allow public comment on leachate treatment alternatives.  We've    demanded  more consultation on leachate treatment  when  CWS moved those plans out of the EA process where they belonged and into the EPA, a process that does not include public consultation.    The next EASG meeting is this Monday June 16,  where  WWLC representatives on the EASG will oppose  the CWS plan.

Contacts    Rhonda Hustler (416) 944-0185 rhustler@hotmail.com

Mac Parker  (519) 828-3548

Lynn Badder  (519) 876-2745

FYI: CWS Kevin Bechard 905 669-7195