Congratulations to the new MPs
Well earned congratulations go to all three winners of yesterday’s federal election: the Harper Conservatives, who got their majority and may now succeed the Liberals as Canada’s “natural governing party”; the Layton NDP, who became the Official Opposition with a chan…
Continue reading the post titled Congratulations to the new MPsFracking, drinking water and regulation
Jessica Ernst has launched a multi million dollar lawsuit against Encana Corporation, the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board, and the Alberta government for contamination of her property and drinking water due to Encana’s fracking program. Encana fractures rock to extract coal…
Continue reading the post titled Fracking, drinking water and regulationMumbling about climate change
As you’ve probably noticed, no one is talking about climate change in the federal election. The Ontario government is keeping the issue pretty low key too. They quietly released both their annual GHG mitigation report as well as its climate change adaptation plan and strategy with no f…
Continue reading the post titled Mumbling about climate changeFixing our turbine
A thirty-storey crane is working this week, in ferocious weather, to put a new and better bearing on the ExPlace wind turbine, owned by the Windshare community power cooperative and Toronto Hydro. Each of those three blades is the size of the wing of a jumbo jet. Climbing the turbine is an a…
Continue reading the post titled Fixing our turbineApprovals reform: the new application
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has published its draft requirements for complete applications for the new Environmental Compliance Approvals. These requirements are proposed to be the basis of a future regulation, which will set out generic requirements for all project types. A futu…
Continue reading the post titled Approvals reform: the new applicationProgress on approvals reform
The Ministry of the Environment is making steady progress on its 2 plus year program to modernize environmental approvals. This month, they have posted four draft regulatory amendments for public comment.
Continue reading the post titled Progress on approvals reformEPA cuts: return of the 90s?
The US Congress has cut the budget of the American Environmental Protection Agency by 16%, with especial cuts to programs to fight climate change and pollution of air and water. Other agencies with environmental mandates, such as the National Ocean Administration, also saw large cuts, such a…
Continue reading the post titled EPA cuts: return of the 90s?BP spill anniversary, lawsuits growing
On the first anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, lawsuits against BP continue to spread. Individuals and public and private entities at all levels are adding their claims, before today’s deadline. All 15 members of the Plaintiffs Steering Committee are actively inviting cli…
Continue reading the post titled BP spill anniversary, lawsuits growingRequiring safe nuclear
As the Fukushima crisis continues to spread, Tokyo Electric has unveiled a plan that, it hopes, will stop ongoing radiation leaks within 6 to 9 months. It claims that evacuees will be able to return home in 6 months, although many critics doubt that this will actually happen, especially for …
Continue reading the post titled Requiring safe nuclearKeeping septic systems working
Septic systems don’t run by themselves. They need regular inspections, cleaning and maintenance, or they break down and leak raw sewage. It is therefore somewhat amazing that only last summer was the Building Code (O. Reg 350/06) amended (by O. Reg. 315/10) to require such regular inspection…
Continue reading the post titled Keeping septic systems working