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4 - Orono Weekly Times Wednesday, May 20, 2009 HOST Continued from front page from elsewhere." The proposed incinerator will be designed to burn 140,000 tons of York/Durham garbage per year. York Region has reduced its 50/50 partnership with Durham Region on this project to 21 percent. The two Regions currently do not produce enough residual household solid waste to operate the proposed facility at optimum capacity. Residents who spoke at Friday's council meeting urged councillors to protect the health of the citizens who elected them and their environment by not accepting the HCA, and not giving up on their unwilling host status. A letter from Oshawa Regional Councillor Brian Nicholson addressed to Clarington's four local councillors was read by one of the residents who spoke to council on Friday. Nicholson wrote that statements made at Monday's Clarington Council meeting and confusion generated around the HCA and Clarington's status as an 'Unwilling Host Community," caused him to raise the issue at Wednesday's Regional Council meeting. In his letter to Clarington Councillors he states: "I asked why the Region would be offering 'enticements' to Clarington to secure a repeal of the unwilling host resolution. Roger Anderson told me and the entire Regional Council that their terms of the HCA are not to be considered enticements and that Clarington is free to continue its position as an unwilling host if that is the wish of Clarington Council." The HCA proposed by Wu helps Clarington achieve their number-one goal, and according to Mayor Abernethy, that is to increase their lands that can generate employment. "The primary goal of this council is to increase our commercial/industrial land," stated Abernethy, "This agreement helps us do that." Wu gave councillors the dollar value of a number of items agreed to in the host community agreement. The construction of Energy Drive, from Courtice Rd. to Osbourne Rd. to service the proposed EFW, will cost the Region $6 million. The Region doesn't have to build this road, according to Wu they can access the proposed facility from a truck road. Construction of a Stormwater Management Facility to serve the Energy Park will cost the Region $1.5 million. Clarington has plans to create an energy park in this portion of South Courtice, which also includes the Darlington Nuclear Power Plant. The transfer to Clarington of a 22-acre parcel of land, which was surplus to the Courtice Waste Pollution Control Plant abutting the proposed incinerator facility, is worth $250,000, according to Wu. "We said to the Region, `You are so kind to give us property, why don't you build a trail for us?'" Wu stated. Thus, the Region has agreed to construct a waterfront trail from Courtice Rd. to the eastern limit of their property. The cost to construct the trail is approximately $100,000, according to Wu. Clarington has been guar- Orono Girl Guides Brianna Boyd, Brittany McDougall, Mikaela Johns and Melane Knap (pictured from left to right) were recognized for completing all the requirements of the Baden Powell Award on May 11. anteed a minimum payment of $650,000 per year from the Region in lieu of property taxes. The Region has also agreed to begin the environmental assessment process for servicing the lands Clarington has designated for a Science Park in the Bennett Road-401 area. The environmental assessment will cost the Region $100,000 according to Wu. The Region's negotiator could not promise that municipal water and sewers - at the cost of $5 million - would be brought to the property, as that decision would have to be made at the Regional Council, Wu told councillors. "There are many benefits in this agreement," Mayor Abernethy stated. "We should be focused on the benefits if the facility is built. I hope everyone supports the efforts of our CAO in achieving this for us, this is everything we asked for and a little bit more." Councillor Hooper maintained his anit-incineration position. "We should be moving towards a Zero Waste strategy," he said. "We have totally focused on one type of waste diversion since the late 1990s, that is incineration," Hooper continued. "Is this the legacy we want to leave our grandchildren?" The Region of Durham will make its final decision on whether or not to move forward with the incinerator proposal at its last meeting before summer recess, on June 24. If the region chooses to proceed, the environmental assessment report will be sent to the Ministry of Environment for its consideration.