Excess material or waste?
The Ministry of the Environment has tried and failed to introduce a rational excess materials policy. In its absence, the province has established two main benchmarks for excavation fill, but they do not match.
Continue reading the post titled Excess material or waste?Everyone wants to be a climate change lawyer
Before you can sell something you have to understand it, create it, and have it recognized, and that’s where the environmental lawyers fit in.
Continue reading the post titled Everyone wants to be a climate change lawyerChristie pits, pesticides, and the public interest
I find it astounding that striking garbage workers are going to such lengths to block municipal attempts to comply with the orders of the medical officer of health to control pests at temporary garbage dumps.
Continue reading the post titled Christie pits, pesticides, and the public interestBiomass and the Green Energy Act
Renewable energy approvals will be much more demanding for the MOE (and the Environmental Review Tribunal) than anything they do now.
Continue reading the post titled Biomass and the Green Energy ActUS climate rules, California and Ontario's cap and trade plan
Canada has done so little for so long that our climate policy has laid us wide open to serious protectionist provisions in the 1500 page ACES, HR 2454.
Continue reading the post titled US climate rules, California and Ontario's cap and trade planRenewable energy approvals proposal- changes needed
The proposed mandatory setbacks for wind turbines will block a high percentage of planned wind projects, and especially those close to load. This will increase the need for long-distance transmission lines, which have significant environmental footprints.
Continue reading the post titled Renewable energy approvals proposal- changes neededUS- Great leap forward on climate change
In the last few days, the US government has taken two of the critical steps towards serious action on climate change that the Bush administration fought off for eight years.
Continue reading the post titled US- Great leap forward on climate changeRelying on reliance letters
Reliance letters may give the holder no practical remedy if an engineer's report turns out to be negligent.
Continue reading the post titled Relying on reliance lettersScorecard of North American pollution
5.5 billion kilograms of toxic pollutant releases and transfers were reported in 2005. Canadian and US petroleum refineries and bulk storage terminals, alone, release about 7 million kilograms of carcinogens and developmental or reproductive toxicants every year.
Continue reading the post titled Scorecard of North American pollutionInfrastructure P3 builders liable for nuisance
Similar facts could easily arise on many other infrastructure projects across Canada; there is almost always a more expensive alternative that would reduce disruption for nearby residents and businesses. And governments rarely select that alternative.
Continue reading the post titled Infrastructure P3 builders liable for nuisance