Introduction

Proponent

Town of Hanover and Municipality of Brockton

Location

Municipality of Brockton

Type

Waste

Reference number

06024

Contact

Current status

Environmental assessment: approved, March 23, 2011

Project summary

The undertaking consists of the expansion of the existing Hanover/Walkerton landfill to provide an additional 347,000 cubic metres of disposal capacity for municipal waste to service the Hanover and Walkerton communities for a period of 25 years.

Project history

Environmental assessment: approved
Date submitted: October 9, 2009
Expiry of public comment period: November 27, 2009
Expiry of public comment period for Ministry Review: March 26, 2010
Decision date: March 23, 2011

Terms of reference: approved
Date submitted: August 18, 2006
Expiry of public comment period: September 18, 2006
Decision date: November 27, 2006

Environmental assessment

The Town of Hanover (Hanover) and Municipality of Brockton (Brockton) have completed an environmental assessment (EA) which addresses the need for additional disposal capacity to service the communities of Hanover and the former Town of Walkerton (now within the Municipality of Brockton) once the existing landfill site reaches capacity, for a period of 25 years. The undertaking consists of the expansion of the existing Hanover/Walkerton landfill to provide an additional 347,000 cubic metres of disposal capacity for municipal waste to service the Hanover and Walkerton communities. The Hanover/Walkerton landfill site is located on Part Lots 68 to 73, Concessions 1 and 2 in the former Township of Brant (now the amalgamated Municipality of Brockton) and the most recent estimates project that the existing landfill will reach capacity by spring of 2013. The 4.1 hectare (ha) expansion of the waste footprint in a westerly direction will increase the licensed disposal area from 7.45 ha to 11.5 ha and increase the total site area from 49.5 ha to 106.4 ha. The expansion will follow a site specific design that incorporates groundwater protection in accordance with the 1998 Landfill Standards Guideline Generic Design Option 1.

The EA study process was summarized in a report, which was submitted to the Minister of the Environment (Minister) for formal review and approval on October 2, 2009, in accordance with Section 6.1(2)(b)(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act and the approved Terms of Reference for the project. The first comment period lasted for seven weeks and ended on November 27, 2009. Comments about the EA and the proposed undertaking were accepted during this period.

Following the end of the first comment period, Ministry of the Environment (MOE) staff prepared the ministry Review. A Notice of Completion of the ministry Review was published on February 19, 2010. The five-week public comment period on the ministry Review expired on March 26, 2010, during which time any comments about the proposed undertaking, the EA, and the ministry Review could be made. Also during that time, requests for the Minister to refer the application to a hearing were allowed. The ministry Review was available at MOE offices, municipal offices and public libraries for inspection as well as on the Town of Hanover web site.

The EA process involved consultation between several identified stakeholder groups including the municipal, provincial and federal governments, members of the general public, and Aboriginal communities.

The Minister with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council made a decision to allow the undertaking to proceed on March 23, 2011. The attached Notice of Approval outlines the reasons for the approval and the conditions that have been imposed. Hanover and Brockton can proceed to implement the undertaking, subject to the conditions placed on this approval and the receipt of any other required approvals or permits.

Terms of reference

Background

The Hanover/Walkerton Waste Disposal Site is a natural attenuation landfill site located in the recently amalgamated Municipality of Brockton in the County of Bruce (Part Lots 68 to 73, Concessions 1 and 2 NDR in the former Township of Brant). The site provides disposal services to the Town of Hanover and the former Town of Walkerton (now the Municipality of Brockton). The landfill has a 7.45 hectare waste footprint anticipated to reach capacity during 2010. Even with an aggressive waste diversion program, there is still a need for additional disposal capacity to manage the residual waste stream beyond 2010.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of the proposed undertaking is to expand the existing waste footprint to provide additional solid waste disposal capacity for the Town of Hanover and former Town of Walkerton for a minimum period of 20 years after the existing Hanover/Walkerton Landfill site reaches its approved capacity. The purpose of the proposed Terms of Reference is to describe the process that will be followed in completing the Environmental Assessment, which is required to gain approval for the method of disposal for the service area’s residual waste stream. The Terms of Reference outline how the alternative methods for waste disposal will be reviewed, as well as identify the criteria for the selection of the preferred method and the process to be used to assess the environmental effects and mitigation.