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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, March 12, 2010 · 8 Town says TransCanada's report full of hot air By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Town staff and council are not buying claims made in TransCanada's Draft Environmental Review Report (ERR) and are concerned the Oakville Generating Station will result in `unacceptable risks to human health and safety.' The TransCanada report, which was completed by SENES Consultants Limited for TransCanada, states the 900-megawatt gasfired power plant proposed for the Fordowned lands at 1500 Royal Windsor Dr., will have little to no effect on the environment or the surrounding community during construction and operation. The report also states that residents near the plant will face no respiratory effects, no increased risk of cancer or other expected detriment to their health. Oakville Mayor Rob Burton disagrees. "Based on the information included in the draft report, the Town and council believes that plant will add significant emissions of toxic air pollutants into Oakville's already stressed airshed, in addition producing a vapour or ice plume from its stack that could make nearby highways, roads and train tracks dangerous in certain weather conditions," said Burton. "We continue to call for an individual environmental assessment of the proposed power "We continue to call for an individual assessment of the proposed power plant and for provincial regulation for fine particulate matter and other health-risk air pollutants, which TransCanada's report indicates will be released into the Oakville-Clarkson airshed." Oakville Mayor Rob Burton plant and for provincial regulation for fine particulate matter and other health-risk air pollutants, which TransCanada's report indicates will be released into the OakvilleClarkson airshed." TransCanada said it is taking the Town's comments into account, but asserts the plant will help to make Ontario's air cleaner. "Ontario's Ministry of the Environment is responsible for the environmental approval of these clean natural gas power plants being built to replace Ontario's coal fired plants. We need to meet all of the Ministry's standards in order to proceed," said Chris Breen, TransCanada spokesperson. "The studies conducted as a part of our Environmental Review Report are of the same level of detail as would be required under an individual environmental assessment. "We have been safely meeting Ministry Dr. Kerr welcomes Dr. Qasim Sayed & Dr. Suzy Guirguis NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS. CALL FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY. 1131 Nottinghill Gate, Suite 201. Oakville, Ont. L6M 1K5 standards for over 20 years, most recently at our clean power plants in Toronto and Halton Hills and we look forward to doing so in Oakville. The Ministry's approval will bring us closer to clean, safe and reliable energy for the rapidly growing Oakville area and it will improve air quality for all Ontarians." In a response issued Wednesday, lawyer Rodney Northey, who has been retained by the Town, said TransCanada's report was lacking in a number of areas, including estimated air emissions from the facility and cooling tower, anticipated vapour/ice plume generated by the proposed `wet' cooling towers and the potential for accidents such as explosions. On the issue of air emissions, Northey took issue with TransCanada's claim that the amount of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 the power plant is expected to produce meets current regulatory standards, as there are no regulatory standards for PM 2.5 other than that provided in the Town's Health Protection Air Quality Bylaw. Northey also pointed out the report does not provide information on all of the pollutant emissions regulated under the new bylaw. The report does anticipate the amount of particulate matter the power plant will emit, which far exceeds the Town's 800 kilogram per year threshold. "Based on the information from TransCanada's draft ERR, though incomplete, the Town concludes that the proposed power plant would exceed the Town's annual emission threshold for a major emission of fine particulate matter in just over one day," said Northey in the Town's response. "Put another way, considering direct PM 2.5 emissions only (115,400 kilograms per year), the proposed facility will emit PM 2.5 at a rate that is almost 200 times greater than the Town's threshold for a major emission." The Town's Director of Environmental Policy Cindy Toth has said that based on an annual concentration of 10 microgram/m3, there will be 80 premature deaths in Oakville attributable to PM 2.5 pollution every year. The Town also takes issue with the power plant's current design choice noting that in the course of each calendar year of its operation the power plant will generate a vapour/ice plume that may extend kilometres off-site. In the Town's response, Northey voiced concerns about this vapour creating slippery conditions on nearby roads, highways and railways given the right weather. The TransCanada report states the plume will not impact on the ground or roads, however, Northey said the Town has retained experts, who do not accept that the current work meets applicable standards. In the area of industrial accidents, Northey points out there is only a brief section in the TransCanada report that specifically addresses `Emergency Response.' "The Town seeks a more systematic examination of the topic and one which rigorously assesses the risks of such accidents occurring at this location and the potential impacts associated with such accidents at this site," said Northey. "The Town also expects a much more detailed plan on public notification and engagement on hazards and responses including an awareness campaign for nearby neighbourhoods alerting residents, schools and other sensitive land uses." In his conclusion, Northey said an individual environmental assessment is required because of the likelihood of adverse environmental effects, the report's lack of recognition of existing laws (Town's air quality bylaw, Espoo Convention), the lack of government review and the lack of opportunity for a hearing to challenge the proponent's environmental assessment or its proposed mitigation. The Town's full response to the TransCanada report can be seen at www.oakville.ca/healthprotectionairquality.htm. Tel: (905) 815-9090 Fax: (905) 815-1834 Email: admin@abbeymedical.org Sale! Sale! Sale! 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