Environmental Insights, October 2004 - Altech

<body topmargin="0" leftmargin="0"> <table border="0" width="640" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="Images/EASInsights.jpg" height="416"> <tr> <td width="100%" valign="bottom">  <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <table border="0" width="80%" cellpadding="2"> <tr> <td width="100%"> <p><font size="2"><em><span style="COLOR: black">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.</span></em></font></p> <p> </p> <h1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><b><font size="4">New Water Taking and Transfer Permit Regulation 387 for Ontario</font></b></h1> <p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" width="640" cellpadding="2" height="1683"> <tr> <td width="622" height="1248"> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">A new Water Taking and Transfer Regulation (Ontario Regulation 387/04) came into force on January 1, 2005 under the Ontario Water Resources Act. Reg. 387 was designed to go much further than past regulations in providing for the conservation, protection and management of Ontario’s watersheds through strict permit control. </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">The new regulation requires applicants to provide comprehensive assessments of groundwater and surface water quantity and quality, mandatory annual reporting and best management practices documentation, for permits over 50,000 L/day. Exceptions, restrictions and prohibitions are listed for specific industries and seasonal flow conditions. Two maps showing the water use classification of all Ontario watersheds have been referenced in the regulation.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">To view the Ontario MOE’s EBR Decision and related links, go to <a href="http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envregistry/023109er.htm"> http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envregistry/023109er.htm</a>. For more information on how Reg 387/04 affects your water use, please contact John Hibberd, P.Eng., at <a href="mailto:jhibberd@altech-group.com"> jhibberd@altech-group.com</a> or 1-800-323-4937 ext. 227.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b> <font size="4">BC Contaminated Sites – Financial Security Defined</font></b><br> <br> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">In a precedent that may spill over to other provinces, British Columbia’s Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection published draft guidance for property owners regarding when a financial security or bond is required under Reg 375/96, prior to remediation of high-risk contaminated sites.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">The amount of the security required must at least equal the estimated capital and operating costs to build, install and operate containment and control systems for the site. Should the owner satisfy a business test for financial stability, the bond may be waived. In those cases, an annual fee of 1% of the estimated costs must be paid to the Ministry, which for some property owners may exceed the cost of the security. </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">For more information, see the BC WLAP draft policy at <a href="http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/contam_sites/draft_documents/draft_financial_security_procedure.pdf"> wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/ contam_sites/draft_documents/draft_financial_security_procedure.pdf</a>  or contact Brian Bobbie of Altech at 1-800-323-4937 ext. 245.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b> <font size="4">Multiple Funding Sources for Industrial Energy Efficiency</font></b><br> <br> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Industrial facilities now have several funding sources as incentives to conduct site-wide energy efficiency audits and implement the changes. The grant programmes cover up to 67% funding for various third-party projects, such as engineering audits of plant energy use (i.e. natural gas and electricity), HVAC efficiency assessments, air pollution prevention audits, and water use and recycling reviews. Procedural training for plant staff is also fundable. Funds are payable directly to the industrial firm by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Environment Canada and the major natural gas suppliers.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">NRCan has also recently announced a further $75,000 available to industry, to offset the cost of a detailed Process Integration engineering analysis (“pinch” analysis), to identify energy use reduction opportunities in plants with fluid processing of any kind.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">For more information, visit <a href="http://www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca"> www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca</a>, <a href="http://www.cgc.enbridge.com"> www.cgc.enbridge.com</a>, or contact Brian Bobbie of ALTECH at 1-800-323-4937 ext. 245 or <a href="mailto:bbobbie@altech-group.com"> bbobbie@altech-group.com</a> for a discussion of funding sources available to your specific facility, or for a copy of ALTECH’s E2 Action© efficiency-tracking software tool.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b> <font size="4">Trichloroethylene - Draft Change to the Canadian Drinking Water Guideline</font></b><br> <br> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Health Canada and the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water have proposed to lower the maximum acceptable concentration for trichloroethylene in drinking water from the current guideline of 0.05 mg/L (50 mg/L) to 0.005 mg/L (5 mg/L). The Guideline changes, which in general are normally accepted by the provincial ministries once finalized nationally, would make subsurface remediation of properties more challenging for owners. </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"></p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">TCE is a volatile solvent that is used extensively in the automotive and metals industries for degreasing and cleaning of metal parts. TCE can be introduced into groundwater as a result of industrial discharges or spills, or leaks from former dump sites.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">The draft guideline is available at <a href="http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/water/pdf/TCE-Consultation.pdf"> http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/water/pdf/TCE-Consultation.pdf</a>. More information is also available by contacting Brian Bobbie, C.Chem., at 1-800-323-4937 ext 245.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <h1 align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><font size="4">National Environmental Emergency Regulation</font></h1> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">The Canadian Environmental Emergency Regulation took effect in 2003, affecting an estimated 2500 commercial and industrial facilities that store or use any of 174 listed chemical substances, including flammable or other hazardous substances, above specified quantities. Environment Canada required affected facilities to file reports of substance quantities and location, and their site’s environmental emergency plan, by March 2004.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">As part of an ongoing monitoring process, Environment Canada has been requesting copies of environmental emergency plans be submitted to the Department for review, in both a random and targeted manner.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">The complete substance list and plan guidelines can be viewed at <a href="http://www.ec.gc.ca/CEPARegistry/guidelines/impl_guid/toc.cfm"> http://www.ec.gc.ca/CEPARegistry/guidelines/impl_guid/toc.cfm</a>. For more information on the E2 Regulations and assistance on E2 planning, contact ALTECH’s David Putnam, P.Eng., at <a href="mailto:dputnam@altech-group.com">dputnam@altech-group.com</a> or call 1-800-323-4937 ext. 228.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <h1 align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b> <font size="4">Noise Approval Changes in Ontario</font></b></h1> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <h1 align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> <span style="font-weight: 400"><font size="3">The Ministry of Environment has included noise and vibration as environmental contaminants in Ontario since the early 1970’s. Recently, the MOE has strengthened and expanded its noise approval requirements, to the point where noise assessments at some level of detail are now required for most new CofA air applications. MOE has held stakeholder information sessions in Ontario in 2004 and 2005 to outline the changes.</font></span></h1> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">A Noise Screening document is now available from MOE, to be completed by proponents for all Section 9 EPA air approval applications. Where predicted noise impacts may exceed specified levels for either urban or rural areas, or a minimum separation distance cannot be maintained between the noise source and the point of reception, a detailed Acoustic Assessment Report (AAR) must now be completed and certified by a Qualified Professional, and accompany the Certificate of Approval (Air) application. </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">For a copy of MOE’s informational presentations to stakeholders, copies of the required forms and AAR format, or how the changes impact your facility and equipment, contact Rob Cowling of ALTECH at <a href="mailto:rcowling@altech-group.com">rcowling@altech-group.com</a> or 1-800-323-4937 ext. 224.</p> <p align="left" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p> <p><font size="2"><i>If you wish to subscribe, please send an email containing your contact information to <a href="mailto:subscribe@altech-group.com"> subscribe@altech-group.com</a>.</i></font></p> <p> </p> <p> </td> </tr> </table> </body>