Droughts, floods and food
I keep thinking about Paul Krugman’s piece about the contributions of climate change to the sharp rises in food prices that have helped to provoke unrest around the world:
Continue reading the post titled Droughts, floods and foodA reader asks about Renewable Fuels
A reader asks: are the federal Renewable Fuels Regulations in force?
Continue reading the post titled A reader asks about Renewable FuelsHanna, wind and Statements of Environmental Values
In Hanna v. MOE, what did the Decisional Court decide about the legal status of the Ministry of the Environment Statement of Environmental Values? Not much, in my opinion.
Continue reading the post titled Hanna, wind and Statements of Environmental ValuesBitter drinks change moral judgments?
Environmentalists often insist that “everything is connected”. But it’s still slightly depressing how much external and theoretically irrelevant factors influence decision-making. Presumably including government and judicial decision-making. For example, those who drink bit…
Continue reading the post titled Bitter drinks change moral judgments?Divisional Court rejects Hanna anti- wind application today
The Divisional Court has strongly rejected Ian Hanna’s attack on renewable energy approvals for wind turbines. Hanna objected to the 550 metre setback requirement, proposing that turbines should only be sited in remote locations. He claimed this was required by the MoE Statement of Env…
Continue reading the post titled Divisional Court rejects Hanna anti- wind application todayIs Flyrock really a pollution discharge?
The Ministry of the Environment has prosecuted and convicted an Ontario company for failing to report a “discharge” when fly rock flew out of a construction site and damaged a house. Castonguay Blasting was following all proper precautions when the blast occurred, and immediately…
Continue reading the post titled Is Flyrock really a pollution discharge?Dumping construction waste: $150,000 fine
Willy’s Roll-Off Ltd., 1092066 Ontario Inc., Willis and Susan McKeown and Percy Pyper Ltd. pled guilty in February to impairing water quality, establishing a waste disposal site without approval, and failing to transport waste only to an approved site. They were fined a total of $150,000 plu…
Continue reading the post titled Dumping construction waste: $150,000 fineDrinking water standards getting a little tighter
Health Canada has released its new Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, prepared by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW).[1] This replaces the existing 1996 edition. Bottom line: the numbers are a little stricter than 15 years ago.
Continue reading the post titled Drinking water standards getting a little tighterLong ago and far away? Oil company liability
Chevron is not the only US oil company facing blockbuster claims for damages from South American indigenous groups, due to past environmental damage apparently sanctioned by their governments. The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to allow 25 Peruvian plaintiffs to sue Occidental …
Continue reading the post titled Long ago and far away? Oil company liabilityThe Agent Orange story keeps growing
We are closely watching the growing story about Agent Orange use in Ontario, and the possible toll it may be taking on affected workers. Mutagenic pesticides like Agent Orange can take decades to make people sick. And when a 60 or 70 year old gets cancer, it can be fiendishly hard to know wh…
Continue reading the post titled The Agent Orange story keeps growing