[All] Happy Dance for Mount Nemo and land mark case!

[Louisette Lanteigne]

Hi folks!
 
Absolutely wonderful news came out today in the newsletter sent by Greenbelt Watch Ontario. 
 
What is happening in Mount Nemo is a groundbreaking case for all those fighting to stop damaging quarries. The details is in the article below. 
 
Lulu :0)
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October 6, 2009 Conservation Halton Votes Against Mount Nemo
Unanimous resolution released recommending denial of Nelson Aggregate licence  
 
 
 
Conservation Halton released late yesterday its Resolution recommending denial of the Nelson Aggregate Quarry licence application.  The Resolution has been forwarded to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Region of Halton, City of Burlington and the Niagra Escarpment Commission. 
 
A brief and forbidden round of applause greeted the unanimous vote by the Board of Directors of the Halton Conservation Authority last Thursday to recommend a denial of the Nelson Aggregate Quarry licence application. Burlington Councillor John Taylor (Ward 3) moved adoption of the Conservation Authority staff recommendation, making special mention of his belief the quarry did not meet the highest standards of environmental protection and would likely impact the community.   
 
Citing the need to respect the Provincial Policy Statement, and to protect wetlands and significant woodlots on the development site, every delegation, with the exception of the lawyer representing Nelson Aggregate, asked the Board to vote against the licence application.  
 
The Board took less than five minutes to debate the comprehensive staff report reviewing the application. 
 
“The science is in, the Conservation Authority has voted, Mount Nemo is the wrong place for a new quarry,” said a beaming Roger Goulet, Executive Director of Protecting Escarpment Rural Land (“PERL”).  “When Nelson Aggregate decided to prematurely trigger the Aggregate Resources Act process in 2006, they by-passed public agencies, thus triggering such a strong objection.  Mount Nemo has been quarried for 120 years.  Now, we can see on the horizon an end to its blasting." 
 
 “The decision to oppose Nelson validates the years of research and careful review by the Joint Agency Review Team and PERL, who supplied JART with crucial new science on the site,” said Dr. Rick Smith, Executive Director, Environmental Defence.  “Ontario has an embarrassing low aggregate recycling rate and embarrassingly high aggregate licence approval rate – this decision should help reverse both.” 
 
“Those who live on or at the base of Mount Nemo depend on it to supply their families with a pure and constant supply of drinking water,” wrote Kurt Koster, President of the Burlington Green Environmental Association in a written statement to the Board.  “However, if the quarry extension application is approved, their wells could fail.” he added. 
 
Conservation Halton staff expressed serious concerns relating to the loss of provincially significant wetlands and significant woodlands; species at risk (the Jefferson Salamander and the Butternut); changes in flow contribution to downstream watercourses and associated impacts on fisheries; uncertainty relating to assurance of long term flow contribution to the downstream watercourses; protection of private wells; the adequacy of the Adaptive Management Plans; and issues related to climate change and the rehabilitation plan. 
 
In addition to their other recommendations, Conservation Halton staff recommended that it be directed to present its position before the Consolidated Hearing Board dealing with the Nelson Aggregate Co. matter. 
 
“Halton Region and the City of Burlington are poised to make history by being the first municipalities to successfully oppose an aggregate quarry in the Niagara Escarpment, one of Canada’s precious UNESCO Biosphere Reserves,” said David Donnelly, counsel to PERL and Environmental Defence. “This decision is the first domino to fall, cascading all the way up to the McGuinty government expanding the Greenbelt’s Natural Heritage System across Mount Nemo. Jefferson Airplane had a #1 hit the last time the land use designations were reviewed  on this part of the Escarpment – it’s time for an update.”   
 
“We need the community to imagine a new future for Mount Nemo, one that will be a source of pride for generations to come,” said Sarah Harmer.  “Mount Nemo is truly a precious pearl that deserves to be cherished and enjoyed by all.”   
 
The Mount Nemo Declaration, released September 15th and signed by 25 organizations, calls for the creation of a 7-generation vision for this area, but the process must start with the denial of the Nelson Aggregate licence application, and updating of the Niagara Escarpment Plan for this area.
  
For more information contact, or to arrange interviews, please contact:   Jennifer Foulds, Environmental Defence, (416) 323.9521 ext. 232; (647) 280-9521 (cell)  
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