Environmental Insights is published regularly by ALTECH Environmental Consulting Ltd. - providing timely, industry-focused information on regulatory changes and environmental and energy news that affects our clients’ businesses.

New Federal Environmental Emergency Regulations

Environment Canada’s new Environmental Emergency Regulations (E2 Regulations) come into force on December 9, 2003. The Regulations apply to an estimated 2500 commercial and industrial facilities that store or use any of 174 listed chemical substances, including flammable and other hazardous materials and mixtures, above specified quantities, concentrations and container sizes.

Affected facilities must provide the quantities and locations of the substances to Environment Canada within 90 days. The Regulations also require the preparation and implementation of environmental emergency plans (E2 Plans) detailing specifics of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery measures in case of an environmental emergency. Notices must be submitted to Environment Canada within 180 days of the Regulations (i.e. by March 9, 2004) that an E2 Plan has been developed, and by December 9, 2004 that the Plan has been implemented and tested. The E2 Plan must be site-specific and consider both the facility’s operations and surrounding, and must be updated and tested at least once a year.

The Regulations and list of substances may be viewed at http://cepae2.ec.gc.ca. For more information on how the E2 Regulations affect your facility, contact David Putnam, P.Eng. at dputnam@altech-group.com or 1-800-323-4937 Ext. 228.

Ontario Brownfields Regulations Update

Bill 56, the Ontario Brownfields Statute Law Amendment Act 2001, provides incentives to develop rather than abandon Brownfields, encouraging interim ownership of contaminated lands for clean-up and re-sale.

Under newer related Regulations, lenders are protected when taking possession, investigating or protecting security of a designated property. In addition, a 90-day grace period is granted allowing parties time to become aware of compliance issues.

Ontario Regulation 246/01 allows the use of a streamlined Brownfield Development Permit System in five pilot municipalities including Hamilton, Lake of Bays, Oakville, Toronto and the Region of Waterloo. The cities of London and Thunder Bay have set up programs that provide Brownfield tax grants. Other municipalities are reportedly in the process of adopting similar plans. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing (MAH) has published several guides for municipalities and lenders to explain and encourage easier financing of Brownfield sites.

Other enabling legislation, to provide procedural guidelines for developing a Record of Site Condition and performing the actual clean-up of Brownfields, still remains to be enacted by the province.

For more information on the MAH programs, go to http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_3305_1.html. To discuss how the current and pending regulations relate to your site, contact Rod Shaver, P.Geo., rshaver@altech-group.com or 1-800-323-4937 ext. 226.

Toronto Subsidies for Pollution Prevention Planning

The Toronto Region Sustainability Program is designed to improve sustainable practices and economic and environmental performance of small-to-medium-sized enterprises in the City of Toronto through pollution prevention (P2) planning and eco-efficiency.

The Program assists manufacturing facilities and some health care facilities in meeting the P2 planning requirements of the Toronto Sewer Use By-Law and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). The program is managed by the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement and funded by Environment Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Environment and the City of Toronto Economic Development Office.

The Program includes funding for a P2 Assessment from qualified P2 consultants, up to a budget of $8,000 with 50% financial support, plus follow-up P2 training.

The P2 Assessment process includes: inventory and prioritization of waste outputs; determination of root causes of selected wastes; identification, ranking and recommendation of pollution prevention opportunities (i.e. technology, process changes & operating practice improvements).

For general information, go to OCETA’s website: http://www.oceta.on.ca/programs/torsus.htm, or for site-specific questions contact David Putnam, P.Eng., at dputnam@altech-group.com or 1-800-323-4937 ext. 228.

Funding Available for Industrial Energy and Wastewater Audits

Up to $10,000 of funding is available to interested industrial facilities, to defray the cost of hiring a professional energy auditor to conduct an on-site audit of energy and water use.

Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency is offering grants of 50% of the cost of the audit, up to $5,000.00 regardless of facility size. By using energy more efficiently, NRCan is aware Canadian industry can become more competitive and help reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to climate change.

In addition, Enbridge Consumers Gas offers grants of up to $5,000.00 to its customers for the same audit if it includes a review of the facility’s natural gas consumption.

To qualify, energy audits must be conducted by an approved third-party auditor using prescribed methods. Well over 400 audits have been completed under the program, with several millions of dollars of cost-savings identified for industry. Industrial facilities are not required to implement the audit’s recommended process changes or equipment upgrades immediately to qualify for the funding.

For more information on NRCan’s program, go to http://www.oceta.on.ca/pdfs/Program_Guide.pdf. For the Enbridge program, go to http://www.enbridge.com/business. For more information on how both programs apply to your facility and how to apply, call ALTECH’s Alex Keen at 1-800-323-4937 ext. 223.

Ontario Drinking Water Systems Now Regulated

The new Ontario Drinking Water Systems Regulation 170/03 and several related Regulations came into force under the Safe Drinking Water Act on June 1st, 2003, as a consequence of the Walkerton tragedy of 2000. These Regulations prescribe strict and mandatory treatment requirements that are now the toughest in Canada. They affect municipal and private water systems alike and require evaluation and certification by a Professional Engineer.

O. Reg. 170/03 addresses eight categories of drinking water systems, including systems that supply water at less than 250,000 L/day. Minimum treatment requirements include approved filtration and/or chlorination units, depending on the water source. System evaluation and certification by a Professional Engineer is required, with some exceptions. Deadlines for meeting the requirements are listed in the Regulation.

Additional information about the regulations may be obtained at www.ene.gov.on.ca. For interpretation and advice, contact John Hibberd, P.Eng., at jhibberd@altech-group.com or 1-800-323-4937 ext. 227.

Early Notice for 2003 NPRI Reporting

Environment Canada has published the new list of substances required to be reported by affected industrial and commercial facilities under the National Pollutant Release Inventory, covering 2003 emissions and transfers. Changes include additional substances and reduced reporting thresholds. Facility managers may wish to review the list to ensure adequate records are being kept to allow accurate reporting in Spring 2004. According to Environment Canada, all facilities that reported 2002 data will be mailed the new guide and software by April 14, 2004.

To view the notice and substance list, go to http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/npri/documents/CG_Notice_2003_NPRI.pdf. For advice on the regulatory differences that affect your facility, contact Rob Cowling at rcowling@altech-group.com or 1-800-323-5937 ext. 224.

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