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reconciling our priorities reconciling reconciling annual report 2006–2007 our environmental commissioner of ontario environmental commissioner of ontario environmental annual report 2006–2007 priorities Environmental Commissioner of Ontario Supplement 1075 Bay Street, Suite 605 Supplement Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2B1 Telephone: 416-325-3377 Fax: 416-325-3370 Toll Free: 1-800-701-6454 www.eco.on.ca Environmental Commissioner of Ontario 2006/2007 ANNUAL REPORT SUPPLEMENT ABBREVIATIONS.......................................................................................................... iv PREFACE: INTRODUCTION TO THE SUPPLEMENT ............................................... vii SECTION 1: ECO REVIEWS OF UNPOSTED DECISIONS ......................................... 1 Ministry of the Environment – Regulation .................................................................................1 EAA Exemption for the Integrated Power System Plan .......................................................................1 EAA Exemption for the Seaton Land Exchange ..................................................................................2 Ministry of the Environment – Policy.........................................................................................3 Approval Process for Septage Waste Management Systems .............................................................3 Ministry of Natural Resources – Policy .....................................................................................4 Ontario’s Landbird Conservation Plan..................................................................................................4 Caribou Recovery Strategy ..................................................................................................................4 Natural Heritage Systems ....................................................................................................................5 Ministry of Northern Development and Mines – Regulation......................................................6 Mining Act Regulation ..........................................................................................................................6 Ministry of Transportation – Policy............................................................................................7 Highway Guides under the Environmental Standards Project .............................................................7 SECTION 2: ECO REVIEWS OF INFORMATION NOTICES........................................ 9 Use of Information Notices ...................................................................................................................9 Summary of all Information Notices Posted During the 2006/2007 Reporting Year..........................11 SECTION 3: USE OF EXCEPTION NOTICES ............................................................ 19 Use of Exception Notices ...................................................................................................................19 All Exception Notices Posted During 2006/2007 Reporting Year ......................................................20 SECTION 4: ECO REVIEWS OF SELECT DECISIONS ON ACTS, ........................... 23 REGULATIONS, POLICIES, AND INSTRUMENTS..................................................... 23 Bill 51 – Planning And Conservation Land Statute Law Amendment Act, 2006................................23 ENG’s Integrated Power System Plan – Supply Mix..........................................................................35 The Clean Water Act ..........................................................................................................................40 Proposal to Revise the Canadian Drinking Water Guideline/Ontario Drinking Water Standard for Trichloroethylene................................................................................................................................50 Dongara Pellet Factory: Approvals for Vaughan Waste Processing Facility ....................................53 Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) Designation and Exemption of Integrated Power System Plan (IPSP) .................................................................................................................................................57 Ontario’s Protected Areas Legislation................................................................................................60 Northern Boreal Initiative: Community-based Land Use Strategy for the Whitefeather Forest and Adjacent Areas ...................................................................................................................................68 MNR’s Manual of Policies and Procedures for the Aggregate Resources Program..........................76 Re-Designation of 18 Forest Reserves in Portion or Entirety, and Portions of Two Conservation Reserves and One Provincial Park ....................................................................................................85 Dissolved Oxygen Criteria for Protection of Lake Trout Habitat ........................................................89 Draft Recovery Strategy for Forest-dwelling Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Ontario................................................................................................................................................95 SECTION 5: ECO REVIEWS OF APPLICATIONS FOR REVIEW............................ 107 Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs......................................................................107 Review of the Regulatory Framework for Sewage Biosolids ...........................................................107 Ministry of Energy .................................................................................................................112 Measures to Conserve Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) and its Habitat.................112 i Environmental Commissioner of Ontario 2006/2007 ANNUAL REPORT SUPPLEMENT Need for a Review of Ontario’s Policies on Transboundary Smog, Mercury Emissions and Climate Change .............................................................................................................................................112 Ministry of the Environment...................................................................................................114 Classification of Chromium-containing Materials as Hazardous Waste...........................................114 Review of MOE’s Guideline C-4 – Biomedical Waste......................................................................115 Review of the Need for a New Policy - Comprehensive Land Use Planning in the Northern Boreal ..........................................................................................................................................................115 Review of Certificate of Approval A032006 for Blackwell Road Landfill ..........................................120 Review of O. Reg. 101/94 regarding Large Leaf and Yard Composting Operations in Sensitive Ecosystems ......................................................................................................................................126 Regulation 339, R.R.O. 1990 (Road Salts Exemption)....................................................................129 Review of the Regulatory Framework for Sewage Biosolids ...........................................................135 Application for Review of Regulation 347, R.R.O. 1990 ..................................................................135 Need to Re-consider the EAA Exemption (O. Reg. 276/06) for the IPSP........................................147 Application for Review to Protect Groundwater of the Waterloo Moraine........................................150 Review of Section 24 of the Provisional Certificate of Approval for Site 41.....................................152 Application for Review to Protect Groundwater of the Waterloo Moraine........................................157 Review of a Certificate of Approval (Air), Section 9, EPA................................................................160 Measures to Conserve Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) and its Habitat.................165 Need for a Review of Ontario’s Policies on Transboundary Smog, Mercury Emissions and Climate Change .............................................................................................................................................165 Review of Section 11.4 of the Environmental Assessment Act .......................................................165 Review of the Need to Regulate Noise Criteria................................................................................166 Review of the Need for Regulatory Reform Related to Mining Projects ..........................................168 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing .............................................................................170 Review of PPS and the Need for New Legislation to Protect Rail Corridors ...................................170 Application for Review to Protect Groundwater of the Waterloo Moraine........................................173 Review of Wetland Policies ..............................................................................................................174 Processing Applications for Pits and Quarries under the Planning Act ...........................................176 Ministry of Natural Resources...............................................................................................177