Jones seeks action on promised EA for quarry

2012-10-04 / Local News

Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones voiced her concerns in the Legislature Tuesday at the Ministry of the Environments lack of direction on the Environmental Assessment (EA) of the proposed Highland Companies Melancthon quarry application. Rising during time set aside for members statements, she noted that it was 13 months since the Minister of the Environment announced that the proposed Highland Companies quarry application would be subject to a full Environmental Assessment. On November 29th last year, I questioned Premier McGuinty about the EA for the proposed quarry. I asked for assurances from Minister Jim Bradley that the public would be consulted on the terms of reference for the EA. The public and I are both still waiting for that consultation. While noting that the Environmental Assessment Act requires proponents to develop the terms of reference for an EA, she said the public, too, must also be able to actively participate in crafting these terms of reference. Dufferin-Caledon residents want to know why, after over a year, has there been no further action from the Ministry of the Environment? She suggested that while the proposed 2,400-acre project has garnered provincewide attention, the governments attention had been limited to the 2011 election campaign.

Again, I am asking for the Minister of the Environment to follow through, something we have seen too little from this Government. Thats why we want the EA to begin, so residents can have some assurance this application will be reviewed through an EA.