Summary:
Rationale for, and Description of, Undertaking
For the purpose of securing additional long-term waste disposal capacity, the Task Force, with the approval of Grey County Council and Owen Sound City Council, has proposed to split the Grey-Owen Sound study area into two zones, a northern zone and a southern zone. While these zones have roughly equivalent levels of population, their formation is also generally consistent with established patterns of shared use with respect to existing landfills. The two zones do, however, find themselves in different circumstances with regards to existing approved landfill capacity.
Based on information derived in earlier stages of the Grey-Owen Sound Waste Management Master Plan, an overall shortfall in approved disposal capacity is evident for the northern zone over the 25-year planning period. Considering the remaining capacities of the zone's landfill sites and the waste generation levels net of projected diversion targets (including a contingency allowance of 10% in case the target is not reached), a waste disposal capacity shortfall of approximately 494,000 tonnes over the planning period is estimated for the northern zone.
Based on the above, the Task Force concluded that the northern zone would have to continue to undertake a search for new landfill capacity. The search for new capacity is to be restricted to the northern municipalities. It Is also proposed that the search be conducted on an opportunity-specific basis.
Landfill Siting Methodology
The following six step landfill site selection process proposes that alternative sites be identified selectively on an "opportunity" basis.
Step 1
In Step 1, published data obtained from Grey County will be used to inventory key features and characteristics of the study area.
Step 2
In Step 2, the information collected in Step 1 will be used to apply environmental screening criteria to identify lands within the study area which are considered least desirable for landfill development, such as the occurrence of a wetland, an Environmentally Sensitive Area, a built-up residential area, etc. These lands will be removed from further consideration. The lands remaining at the end of Step 2 will be the areas from within which the preferred landfill site will be found.
To conduct the screening analysis, an overlay mapping technique will be used to identify areas with one or more constraints. Computer overlay mapping techniques will be used to produce a composite constraint map which will depict areas to be removed as they are characterized by one or more of the screening criteria. These areas will not be considered further in the siting process. However, the remaining lands in the study area depicted by the unshaded areas will be retained for further Investigation.
Step 3
In Step 3, a number of "opportunity" site areas are proposed. These areas were considered by nature of their characteristics to have advantages over other lands in that they are previously disturbed or proximate to disturbed lands, may be surplus and not Intensively used/protected for a specific purpose, or are in public ownership. In addition, the Task Force proposes to give consideration to lands which are "offered" by the owner as opportunity sites, provided they are not subject to any of the Step 2 screening criteria.
The types of opportunities proposed for consideration in the siting exercise include surplus federal, provincial and municipal lands, conservation authority lands which have been declared surplus, expansion areas around existing landfills. and licensed aggregate resource extraction lands.
Step 4
At the completion of Step 3, opportunity site areas will have been identified and the limit of the site areas initially defined by the property boundaries, with the exception of existing landfill expansion areas. However, for study purposes, the limits of the site areas may not be the optimum site boundaries and refining of site boundaries may be required.
The actual minimum size of the site required will depend, to a certain extent, on the specific characteristics of its proposed setting. In order to accommodate 568,000 tonnes of waste in a new greenfield site, for example, approximately 30 ha (75 acres) will be needed for the actual fill area (approximately 11 ha or 27 acres) and its surrounding buffer zone (100m buffer width assumed). Should siting opportunities be identified in relatively deep aggregate extraction pits, land requirements may decrease. Should expansion opportunities be pursued adjacent to existing landfill sites, fill heights and buffer zone requirements will be affected which may also decrease new land requirements.
The lands remaining at the conclusion of this step will be referred to as "candidate site." Published information collected in Steps 1 to 3 will be used in Step 4.
Step 5
It is possible at the end of Step 4 that there will be a large number of candidate sites to be assessed further in the process. As the level of study data collected in the subsequent selection of a preferred site will be significantly greater than that applied in previous steps, the reality of time and financial constraints may necessitate that an intermediate comparative analysis of the "long list" of candidate sites be conducted to narrow the list down to the 3 to 5 most preferred candidate sites - a "short list."
Step 6
The objective of Step 6 of the site selection process is to identify that site from among the "short list" of candidate sites with the greatest advantages relative to its disadvantages to the environment. This will be the preferred site for landfill development.
Consultation Plan
In keeping with the approach taken to-date with respect to public consultation, a combination of notification methods and public information tools/forums will continue to be utilized prior to future decision-making milestones. The following outlines the consultation approach to be taken at key milestones in the development of the environmental assessment.
Announcement of Short List of Sites
Upon identification and review by the Task Force of the short-list of potential sites, notification letters will be sent to landowners within 1,000 metres of the boundary of each site; a general open house will be conducted to present the public with the proposed short list of sites; and public meetings will be requested with on-site and local landowners/tenants for all short listed sites to obtain further information about the considered lands.
Announcement of Preferred Landfill Site(s)
In a similar manner to that described above, once the preferred site has been identified and reviewed with the Task Force, a second notification letter will be sent to landowners within 1,000 metres of the site's boundary ; a general open house will be conducted to present the public with information on the preferred site; and personal contact will be sought with on-site and local landowners/tenants to obtain further comment about the preferred site.
Preparation of Site Access & Conceptual Design
Activities undertaken during this stage of the site selection process include site tours with the Task Force to identify design and access issues that need to be addressed; a workshop/Site Liaison Committee meeting to explore issues identified during site tours; an open house to present the results of this stage.
Completion of Master Plan
At the completion of the Master Plan, further public feedback will be requested through a newsletter which will present the conceptual design, provide information on the implementation and scheduling of landfill development and, provide a general update on the implementation of 3Rs activities.
Key milestones associated with the landfill optimization studies in the southern zone and their associated public consultation activities will be case-specific and will be determined as the site assessments are completed in this area. At a minimum, however, it is anticipated that public consultation events (e.g., public workshops and/or open houses) will take place once the target landfills for expanded municipal sharing have been identified.
Other Approvals
The new or expanded landfill site identified to service the northern zone will require approvals under the Environmental Assessment Act and the Environmental Protection Act. Depending upon the location of the preferred site and its design, approvals may also be required under some or all of the Planning Act, the Ontario Water Resources Act, the Conservation Authorities Act, the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act and perhaps others.
Consultation
Considering the large and dispersed nature of the study area with its multitude of stakeholders representing differing and sometimes diverging opinions, the Task Force with assistance from the Public Liaison Committee has pursued different types of notification, information and input avenues in the public consultation program.
At four workshops held at different locations in the study area in September 1996, public input was sought on screening and boundary criteria and, in a preliminary sense, on opportunity-based site selection. Task Force and County and City Council input was also received.
In early January 1997, a special workshop of County and City Councils was held to review possible approaches to completion of the Master Plan. These workshops resulted in a consensus which is reflected in this TOR. Subsequently, County and City Councils formally approved this approach, subject to public consultation.
On January 22 and 23, 1997, four workshops were again held in separate locations within the study area to solicit public input on the key elements of the approach reflected in this TOR. The participants at these workshops were generally supportive of the proposed approach.
Further, final public meetings were held on March 11 and 12, 1997 in four locations in the study area to solicit input on these Terms of Reference. Again, workshop participants were generally supportive of the approach outlined in the TOR.
The Councils of the City of Owen Sound and the County of Grey support the proposed Terms of Reference.
|
