Walker Environmental Expected to Release Environmental Assessment in February

Tuesday, 21 January 2020 10:28

Walker Environmental Group is getting set to provide an update on the Walker Environmental Southwestern Landfill Environmental Assessment.

INGERSOLL - Walker Environmental Group is getting set to provide the public with an update on the Walker Environmental Southwestern Landfill Environmental Assessment.

The EA is a proposed landfill with 17 million tonnes of capacity in the Township of Zorra. If approved, it would accept solid non-hazardous waste that is created in Ontario.

Recently Walker, sent out an email to local politicians asking how many members would like a copy of the Draft EA report. They wanted to know how many copies of each they would need and in an effort to reduce paper, they are encouraging all reviewers to opt to receive the documentation via USB key or electronic links for download.

The letter asks to confirm a preference by no later than January 31st, 2020.

The proposed landfill has been a hotly contested issue in Oxford County for several years. Premier Ford was asked about it when he visited the region last year and he insisted that he thinks municipalities should absolutely have a say in where landfills are located.

"Who are a bunch of politicians in Queens Park to tell municipalities how to run their municipality, it is up to them, they have an option, to opt in, or opt out, that is up to them, it is not necessarily up to us to overrule a municipality that is the last thing I would want to do. I don't care if someone says they have 300 or 400 jobs, we are not going to stick something in an area that people don't want."

Ingersoll Mayor Ted Comiskey has been fighting the proposed landfill for several years now. He has gotten nearly 140 municipalities across Ontario to pass a motion stating that municipalities should have a say on whether or not they host landfills. The motion states that municipalities deserve the right to say yes or no to landfills.

The Oxford People Against Landfills or OPAL alliance was formed in an effort to prevent the landfill from coming to the County. The so called dump fighters have been adamant in gathering support from area residents in an attempt to block Walker from moving into Oxford County.

The draft EA assessment is expected to reach the public in February and we will have more updates once that happens.