Notice of approval

Proponent: Notre Development Corporation
Environmental assessment (EA) file number: PR-NT-02

Take notice that the period for requiring a hearing, provided for in the Notice of Completion of the Review for the above noted undertaking, expired on August 8, 1997. 82 submissions were received before the expiration date. 53 submissions have required a hearing by the Environmental Assessment Board. At the time of submission of the Adams Mine Landfill Environmental Assessment to the Minister, the public, including the submitters, was advised that the Ministry was considering applying certain provisions of the amended Act with respect to the Environmental Assessment.

Having reviewed the submissions requiring a hearing by the Environmental Assessment Board, I determined that a hearing under Section 9.2(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act was warranted. On December 19, 1997 I gave notice of the referral of certain matters relating to the application to the Board, the Proponent and the submitters. The hearing was held and the Board rendered their decision on June 19, 1998. The Board has granted an approval of part of the conditions.

This environmental assessment was submitted prior to the coming into force of the new Environmental Assessment Act. However, the Proponent’s Notice of Submission invited the public to make submissions on the Ministry’s proposal to apply certain transition provisions to the Adams Mine Landfill Environmental Assessment. None did. Therefore, the Director ordered the transition provisions apply to this environmental assessment.

Having considered the purpose of the Act, the Environmental Assessment, the Review, submissions received, and the decision by the Environmental Assessment Board, I hereby give approval to proceed with the undertaking, subject to conditions set out in Attachment A.

Reasons

My reasons for giving approval are:

  1. At my request, the Environmental Assessment Board held a public hearing on the effectiveness of the proposed leachate collection and containment system, heard all sides of this technical issue and approved the system proposed for the Adams Mine Landfill, subject to certain conditions.
  2. The Ministry of the Environment’s Technical Review Team has concluded that the proposed Adams Mine Landfill Site can be approved, and that the environment can be adequately protected through the conditions identified by the Environmental Assessment Board, and the additional conditions proposed to address the portion of the application not referred to the Board.
  3. On the basis of the Proponent’s Environmental Assessment, the Review, and the decision by the Environmental Assessment Board, the Proponent’s conclusion that the Site can be operated in an environmentally sound manner, and, on balance, the advantages of this undertaking outweigh its disadvantages appears to be valid.
  4. The concerns noted by the members of the public during both the government review process and the Environmental Assessment Board hearing will be addressed through conditions of approval under the Environmental Assessment Act and the Environmental Protection Act.
  5. The councils of the three municipalities in the vicinity of the site are in support of the proposal.
  6. On the basis of the Proponent’s Environmental Assessment, the Review, the decision by the Environmental Assessment Board, and the conditions of approval, the construction, operation and maintenance of the undertaking will be consistent with the purpose of the Act (section 2).
  7. The conditions proposed provide additional opportunities for public review and input now and over the life of the landfill site, through the proposed Community Liaison Committee. In addition, opportunities will be provided for Community Liaison Committee to review the monitoring and contingency plans to be finalized through the Environmental Protection Act approval process, and well as the final plan for operation of the Adams Mine Landfill Site.

Dated the 20th day of August, 1998 at Toronto.

Original signed by
Minister of the Environment
135 St. Clair Avenue West, 15th floor
Toronto, Ontario
M4V 1P5

Approved by O.C. number 1887/98