Durham Environment Watch

 
 
 

 

 

Last updated
04/13/2012

 


CITIZENS SPEAK 

Letters to Editor/Opinion Articles

 (also see News Articles)

NOTICE:  Metroland has revamped their "This Week" website and
have changed links to articles, editorials and letters.
Therefore, many links no longer work or they take you to the wrong page.
Use search engine on Metroland website to find older article links.

 So far, I have updated only 2011 Metroland links.

 2012

 2011

  2010

  2009

   2008

  2007

How you can get involved

Click HERE if you wish to have your name included on our DEW "Action/Alert" List
or click HERE if you have trouble signing up directly.
You will receive notification of any major events. 

What you can do – you may do any or all of the following:

1.    Write to Durham Region Council regarding your concerns about incineration/thermal treatment of waste – Durham and York Regions are the project proponents and leading the Environmental Assessment (EA) study. Send a copy to the Project Team Consultants.

2.    Write to Clarington Council to encourage them to remain an unwilling host to an incinerator facility.  Send a copy to the Project Team Consultants.

3.    Write to the Region’s Project Consultants (see below) and send them copies of correspondence you send to any of the parties shown above. Any questions you ask of them MUST be addressed and included in the Environmental Assessment documentation that will be sent to the Ministry for final approval. It is another way to get your questions and concerns on the record. The more the better. Send a copy to Durham Region Council and Clarington Council.

4.    You can cc or write directly to the Minister of the Environment, as well as the Project Officer for the EA, so your concerns are on the record with them, and so that they understand that there is much concern by residents/voters. Send a copy to Regional Council and the Project Team Consultants.

5.    You can speak as a delegation at Council or GPA (local) or at Regional Council or Committee meetings if you so choose.  Raising your concerns in person can be very effective.

6.    If you wish to have your name included on our "Action/Alert" List, send an email to info@durhamenvironmentwatch.org. You will receive notification of upcoming events.

Recently released “Consultants’ Reports” have not fully considered alternatives other than incineration and have identified Courtice as the preferred location to build an incinerator.

Wherever it may be located, incineration is bad and its consequences are well documented. One would hope that elected politicians, both on the Clarington Municipal Council and the Durham Regional Council, would rise to their responsibilities and consider ALL the implications before reaching a decision.

There are numerous questions that should be addressed, such as:

·         The presence of a thousand tons a day incinerator in Clarington;

·         The prospects for lowered air quality and higher contributions to Green House Gases;

·         The health related implications, such as cancers and respiratory problems;

·         The effect on taxes of a capital project estimated at $250 Millions;

·         The full “Curbside-To-Landfill” costs, including transportation costs;

·         The consequences on property values;

·         The impact on the food, dairy and water supplies;

·         The implications for local agriculture and its financial viability;

·         The anticipated effects on road traffic, congestion and pollution.

Politicians will have more incentive to examine these issues if Durham residents clearly indicate their concerns.  Consequently, it is important to contact both Councils and the Project Team BEFORE the matter proceeds further. It is quick and easy to do so, but it should be done in writing.

It is quick and easy to do so, but it should be done in writing.

There are 4 easy steps to follow.  Your letter or e-mail should be:

·         addressed to Clarington and/or Durham Regional Clerk, to the attention of Council;

·         concise, Just a few sentences is enough to get your concerns across.

·         identifiable, i.e. containing your full name, address, telephone number;

·         dated (and signed, if regular mail is used).

Note 1:
This should be addressed to the Clerk, so as to be properly put on record.  It should contain the following: "Please make available to all councillors and include in next Council meeting’s agenda".

Note 2:
You can increase your effectiveness if you also get your family and friends to also take action; spread the word.

Regional Council and Clarington Council must be swamped with letters and e-mails – yours.  It is crucial our Council see and understand our community concerns.

 We cannot afford to do nothing.

 Letters should be addressed as follows:

 

Using the Postal Service Using E-Mail
Hon. John Wilkinson
Minister of the Environment
77 Wellesley Street West
11th Floor, Ferguson Block
Toronto ON
M7A 2T5
 		 Hon. John Wilkinson  
minister.moe@ontario.ca
Constituency office: Hon. John Wilkinson wilkinson.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

contact from website:
www.ene.gov.on.ca/feedback/email_minister.php
Gord Miller
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
1075 Bay Street, Suite 605
Toronto, ON M5S 2B1
Canada
Tel: (416) 325-3377
Toll-Free: 1-800-701-6454
Fax: (416) 325-3370		 Attn: Gord Miller
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
commissioner@eco.on.ca

The Regional Municipality of Durham
605 Rossland Road East
Whitby, Ontario
L1N 6A3

Att’n: Durham Regional Council

Office of the Clerk,
Att’n: Durham Regional Council 

clerks@durham.ca

Municipality of Clarington Municipal Office
40 Temperance Street
Bowmanville, Ontario
L1C 3A6

Att’n: Clarington Municipal Council

Office of the Clerk,
Att’n: Clarington Municipal Council

 clerks@clarington.net


How you can get involved

Clarington Municipal contacts click here (Councillors)
Durham Region Contacts click here (Regional Councillors, all municipalities)

Also see the Links page for Clarington and Durham Region Contact Information.

To sign up for alerts, join the DEW group
(not a discussion list, simply an alert/updates list for members)Watch for updates

For more on incineration: 

[Health Impacts] [Publications] [Solutions] [Political Direction] [News Articles] [Citizens Speak]

 Page last edited
 13 Apr 2012

 


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