A battle may be brewing over the Walkerton-Hanover landfill site which may cause a delay in the proposed $6 million expansion.
Last week Brockton council decided to go ahead with the rezoning process before the Environmental Assessment has been completed. The move reverses an earlier decision to wait for the EA to finish before rezoning 4.1 hectares for the expansion on the landfill which has about 18 months life expectancy left on it.
Council’s decision also comes while a new group has formed with the sole intention of stopping the landfill expansion.
About 20 members of the Concerned Citizens of the Saugeen Community, a group of property owners from the Marl Lakes area, were at a recent council meeting but did not address council. An information sheet on the group said their aim is “to preserve the environmental integrity of the Saugeen Watershed by preventing expansion of the current Hanover/Brockton (sic) Dump Site”.
The sheet also set out three requests to council that they receive written recognition of the group with “full access to all current studies, minutes of meetings” and other documentation dealing with the landfill site; notice of all meetings where the issue will be discussed; and provided the opportunity to appeal any decision made relating to the continuation or expansion of the site.
Gary Nafziger, a member of the group said they’re against using the current site due to its proximity to the Saugeen River.
“The problem as I see it is the existing landfill. That’s the problem, the leachate entering the river,” he said.
Referring to a public meeting in the summer when there was confusion due to incorrect information being presented by county staff, Nafziger said it’s “too vital an issue to have people bumbling and making mistakes”.
He said testing has been inadequate and standards followed were outdated.
“Our concern is the site is surrounded by water – The Saugeen River. Polluting the river is the bottom line,” Nafziger said.
But Coun. Charlie Reidl, who sits on the landfill committee, said the Ministry of the Environment has been “very strict” in its testing. “We are within MOE standards,” he said.
Reidl added that there is very minimal impact on the river noting that the limited amounts of leachate entering the river dilute very quickly with no affect on wildlife.
“We’ve spent $750,000 on testing. They’re unbelievable tests. The ministry has strict, strict, strict controls,” he said.
Reidl noted that the current landfill site is coming to an end and the expansion is projected to add 20 to 25 years. But he thinks with new waste diversion projects that the municipality has started and has planned, the life expectancy should double to 40 or 50 years.
He also said the new site will be drastically better than the current site, noting all leachate will be taken from the site and processed at the Walkerton waste water treatment plant.
Reidl admitted being concerned about possible objections that could hold up approval of the expansion.
“It would cost between $75,000 and $100,000 for an OMB (Ontario Municipal Board). That is a financial burden and we would be forced to go with user fees to increase the revenue to offset that cost,” he said.
Mayor Charlie Bagnato hopes it doesn’t come to an OMB hearing, but said the citizens group has the right to appeal if they want. “That’s their perogative. It would be detrimental and very expensive for both groups.”
But the mayor doesn’t think there are grounds for an appeal. “We’ve done everything the MOE has asked us to do. We’ve followed all of their recommendations,” he said.
Bagnato also doesn’t understand why there are suddenly objections so late in the process. “They seem to think we’re some evil group. We’re trying to handle the waste. It’s not like we hid this, it’s been in the open for the past four or five years,” Bagnato said.
He said there are only a couple of residents behind the objections. “People have been rounded up into a frenzy over this. I don’t understand it.”
But Nafziger said it’s a vital issue when dealing with the Saugeen River. “This isn’t about me personally, it’s about my kids and my grandkids,” he said of pollution entering the river. Protecting it “should be everyone’s aim”.
The next public meeting will be held on Monday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. at either the Hanover Knights of Columbus Hall or at the Saugeen Municipal Airport.