This message was approved by the Ontbirds coordinator. _________________________________
Although this is not the usual type of message posted to this listserv, I thought it was important for Ontbirders familiar with Oshawa Second Marsh to be aware of the development planned for the hillside immediately west of, and overlooking, the marsh. (I am sure that many of you are already all too aware of this proposed project!). The proposed location is the green patch of land along the lakeshore just above and to the left of Second Marsh in this photo: http://www.durhamregion.com/fplayer/103866 Back in 2007 FarmTech Energy Corporation first proposed building an ethanol refinery on land owned by the federal government through their agency the Oshawa Harbour Commission (soon to be the Oshawa Port Authority). There was a great deal of public outcry in the local community about the construction of this industrial facility adjacent to such a significant natural area as Oshawa Second Marsh. The proposal to build this plant is back on the table, much to many people's surprise since it had disappeared from the public eye for over a year after applications for Ontario Ministry of Environment Certificates of Approval for emissions into air and water were withdrawn by the company. The authority to approve this plant is now solely the federal government's - Oshawa City Council has no say in the matter even though they are very much against this proposal. A federal Environmental Assessment (EA) was triggered because FarmTech requested millions of dollars in funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's ecoAgriculture Biofuels Capital Initiative. The EA Screening Report was recently released outlining the project and includes a discussion of potential environmental impacts. Please see the links listed below to access this report and other sources of information. Sorry about the short notice, but comments on the Environmental Assessment Screening Report are due by next Thursday, July 28, 2011 to: FarmTech Energy Corporation Environmental Assessment c/o ecoAgriculture Biofuels Capital Initiative Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 1341 Baseline Road, Tower 7, 7th Floor Ottawa, ON K1A 0C5 [email protected] If you are familiar with Oshawa Second Marsh, you know that this marsh is one of the most important in the Greater Toronto Area for migratory and nesting marsh birds. A number of species at risk have been identified as using the marsh. However, the EA Screening Report Executive Summary states: "The process technology associated with the ethanol plant and the proposed mitigation measures are expected to minimize the effects of the Project such that the residual effects will be negligible or low. Based on the detailed overview of Project activities and the evaluation of their potential environmental effects, and in light of the proposed mitigation and follow-up measures no significant residual environmental effects are anticipated from the development of the Project." Again, my apologies for the short notice, but I would encourage anyone who has an interest in Oshawa Second Marsh to take a look at the EA Screening document and submit comments if possible. If you do not have the opportunity to comment on this EA report, but do have concerns about this project, you could fill out the electronic opposition letter on the City of Oshawa's website by July 27th (http://www.oshawa.ca/cit_hall/harbour-petition.asp) or contact the appropriate federal ministers (e.g. Environment, Transport, Finance, Agriculture) and the Prime Minister as soon as possible. The EA Screening Report states that construction of this project is scheduled to begin in October of this year! Please contact me directly if you would like more information. Thanks, Satu Pernanen The following websites have information about the proposal; links to the Environmental Assessment Screening Report (huge - 98 Mb) and FarmTech's reports; details about the City of Oshawa's opposition to this project; an electronic opposition letter that the City is encouraging people to complete; and information about Second Marsh and Friends of Second Marsh: Lake Ontario Waterkeeper: http://www.waterkeeper.ca/2011/06/24/farmtech-ethanol-oshawa-now-undergoing- screening/ Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency: http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/details-eng.cfm?evaluation=42395 FarmTech Energy Corporation: http://farmtechenergy.com/downloads.php City of Oshawa: http://www.oshawa.ca/cit_hall/harbour.asp Friends of Second Marsh: http://secondmarsh.science.uoit.ca _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
