Notice of approval – terms of reference

Proponent: County of Brant
Environmental assessment (EA) file number: EA-03-08-02

As provided for by subsection 6(4) of the Environmental Assessment Act, terms of reference, as submitted for approval to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) on May 22, 2014 to govern the preparation of an environmental assessment (EA) for the above-noted undertaking, is hereby approved with the following amendments:

  1. Under Section 6.2, the following text will be added: "Should the EA for this project be approved, the capacity of the Paris landfill site will no longer be required. As outlined in a March 26, 2015 letter to Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change staff, when the County applies to the MOECC for an Environmental Compliance Approval for this Project, the County will simultaneously apply to the MOECC for a revision to the Environmental Compliance Approval for the Paris Landfill Site to revoke the existing approval for additional landfill capacity at that site."
  2. Under Section 6.3, the following text will be added: "As per Ontario Regulation 232/98, proponents are required to collect and burn or use the landfill gas generated at the site during site operation and following site closure if the total waste disposal volume is being increased to more than 1.5 million m3. Therefore, in addition to assessing alternative expansions and footprints to accommodate the increase of landfill capacity, the County will also assess landfill gas collection options for each alternative method. This will ensure that potential natural environmental impacts as a result of landfill gas emissions are minimized and mitigated, and to ensure that considerations for climate change are adequately assessed."

Pursuant to subsection 6.1(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, any environmental assessment for the above-noted undertaking, submitted to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change pursuant to subsection 6.2(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, must be prepared in accordance with the terms of reference as hereby approved.

Reasons

I am satisfied that an environmental assessment prepared in accordance with the amended terms of reference will be consistent with the purpose of the Environmental Assessment Act and the public interest for the following reasons:

  1. The amended terms of reference ensures that the environmental assessment will be completed using a comprehensive public, Aboriginal and government agency consultation process that is open and transparent
  2. The amended terms of reference provides sufficient level of detail to confirm that the completed environmental assessment will contain a sufficient level of detail to accurately assess the environmental effects of all alternatives and the proposed undertaking
  3. The amended terms of reference sets out a planning process that will ensure the completed environmental assessment will be consistent with the purpose of the Environmental Assessment Act and the public interest
  4. There are no outstanding issues that have not been incorporated into the amended terms of reference or that cannot be addressed during the preparation of the environmental assessment

Dated the 15th day of May 2015 at Toronto

Original signed by
Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
77 Wellesley Street West, 11th floor, Ferguson Block
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2T5