Brant-Brent County Economy& Associated Risks of Gravel Pits

By Louisette Lanteignebutterflybluelu@rogers.com

Aquifers are the key to the economic systems in Brant County

... but what is an aquifer?

Water + Aggregates = AquifersControls water flow rates & volumes, water temperature and water quality.

Along coastal areas, geological layout is relatively consistent and “predictable”. Water heads to the nearest lake.

We sit in an area of Complex Geology

The Waterloo and Paris Galt Moraines are located in the middle of multiple glacial lobes.

As glaciers melted, The water flowed to different lakes moving sand and aggregates all over making our geology less predictable.

Recent sediment studies reveals the Paris Galt Moraine is more complex and harder to classify.

Existing studies have shown that end moraines characterized by hummocky topography like the Paris moraine are difficult to classify geomorphologically. Processes such as meltwater, sediment gravity flows, deformation by ice and ponding are all important in the development of ice marginal moraines and these processes lead to a wide variety of materials and an equally wide variety of moraine types.*

* A Sedimentological and Geomorphological Investigation of the Paris Moraine in the Guelph Area in the Guelph Area, Ontario, Canada By Michael McGill. A Thesis presented to the University of Guelph In partial fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Land Resource Science Guelph, Ontario, Canada © Michael McGill, August, 2012

People believed all watersheds were defined by topography only.

Sediment studies reveal below ground water connectivity proving that topography alone is not enough to prevent risks.

(cross section of Waterloo Moraine)

Contamination goes to wells in spite of topography!Mike Stone re: Waterloo Moraine Chloride issues

Brant County Recharge Areas

Development is encroaching on recharge!

Gravel pits encroaching on recharge!

What is at risk?

Grand River's contribution to GDP

- The Grand River supports the same gross national revenue as the province of Nova Scotia. (State of the Grand River Watershed, GRCA)

- Natural Heritage River contains 51% of Canada's native fish including threatened and endangered species

- River and tributaries support commercial fishing, tourism, birding, boating, trails and recreational use

- Recharges Lake Erie and supports the Canadian and US economy with fisheries, beaches and Great Lakes shipping routes. If a boat have to lighten their load to not run aground it increases the costs for goods and. Manufacturing and hurts the GDP.

Brant's Groundwater revenues for municipal use

Groundwater withdrawn annually is

30,000m³ = 30,000,000 litres annuallyCounty of Brant Municipal Groundwater Study 2005

1% of the groundwater volumes1% of the groundwater volumes

= 300,000 litres per year = 821.92 L per day.= 300,000 litres per year = 821.92 L per day.

Brant's Groundwater Value: municipal useAnnual groundwater volumes pumped: 30,000,000 L/year1% of that volume = 300,000L/year or 821.92 L per day

If water treatment costs are valued at 1 cent to 3 cents, these are the municipal revenues Brant County risks losing based on losses of 1 to 10%

of the current water volumes.

Volumes lost per day % of groundwater

Total volume lost per day in litres

Cost of water lost per day at 1 cent

Cost of water lost per day at 2 cents

Cost of water lost at per day at 3 cents

1% 821.92L $821.92 $1643.84 $2465.76

2% 1643.84L $1643.84 $3287.68 $4931.52

5% 4109.60L $4109.60 $8219.20 $12,328.80

10% 8219.20L $8219.20 $16,582.40 $24,801.60

Water contributes to Agricultural Industries

Farm Cash Receipts for Main Commodities, Brant, 2009 (Total = $171.6 million)

Sources: 2006 Census of Agriculture and Strategic Policy Branch, OMAFRADec-2010

Brant has a wide diversity of agricultural products dependent on water supplies

Farming is just the first step

Although direct employment numbers on the farm may seem small, the impact across the entire food industry, from processing to end users is significant.

There are currently 20 businesses involved in There are currently 20 businesses involved in food products manufacturing in Brantford - food products manufacturing in Brantford - Brant contributing to approximately 2,300 jobs Brant contributing to approximately 2,300 jobs in the region.in the region.

http://www.brantfordbrant.com/KeyIndustries/FoodManufacturing/Pages/default.aspx:http://www.brantfordbrant.com/KeyIndustries/FoodManufacturing/Pages/default.aspx:

In the past decade the following companies have invested in the community

Food vs. Aggregates: JobsSource:Liberal MP Leeanna Pendergast press release titled

“Lets put pits in their place”, June 21, 2011.

Aggregates employ 35,000 people directly and indirectly including 3.2 billion GDP and 1.8 million in Labour income.

Canadian Agriculture and Agri-food sectors (2008) employ 2.2 million jobs. (one in 8 jobs in Canada.) and generates 99 Billion GDP. 8.1% of Canada's total GDP.

Food Packagers

Farming extends benefits to other sectors

Transportation Services

Tourism Restaurants

Brantford·Brant's AdvantagesTransportation options that include superior access to 400 series highways, two international airports, international border crossing at Niagara Falls and inter-modal facilities in western GTA

Proximity to Ontario and Northern US customer market and suppliers

Strong labour force growth trends

Productive, skilled labour force

Competitive wage levels

Access to suppliers and competitively priced high quality raw materials

Low land and construction costs when compared to other Southern Ontario locations

Low cost electricity and telecommunication costs

Cost competitive business conditions

Proximity to major consumer markets considered a major factor in attracting warehouse and distribution facilities

Another advantage: WATER

Agricultural lands WITH WATER are in high demand.

• Countries such as China, Korea and the United Arab Emirates are buying or leasing agricultural land to help meet their own food needs.

The International Food Policy Research Institute

• The World Bank estimates that demand for food will rise by 50 percent by 2030.

The National Intelligence Council’s Global Trends 2025

• Global Economist project that agricultural lands will surpass the value of development lands in the near future due to rising oil production costs, population increases, higher standard of living, water shortages climate change and drought.

First photo: China, Second Photo: The US Third: Waterloo Ontario

Mark Wales, President ofOntario Federation of Agriculture states:

“Canada is expected to be one of only six countries in the world to be

a net exporter of food.”

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2012/06/04/19836431.html

One solution to pollution is dilution...but it takes water to do it.

Contamination Issues Effluent: 29 waste water plants drain effluent into the Grand

River resulting in endocrine disruptors, nitrate. phosphate issues and ammonia issues.

Animal wastes: 290,000 cows in the Grand River Watershed produce waste = five million people. (Source: GRCA) This contributes to of fecal contamination issues such as ecoli and nitrate and phosphates and amonia.

Legacy spills : contamination risks associated with industrial wastes, old dumps, illegal dumping and accidental spills.

Roadsalt risks: Chloride issues in water supplies pose health risks to individuals and can close wells. Salt water is bad for crops.

Pesticides: Less groundwater to dilute can result in higher levels showing up in municipal well systems posing health risks.

.

Problem issues

Phosphates stimulate the growth of plants, contributes to nitrate issues and the growth of toxic algae.

Nitrate in excess can kill fish, result in dead zones in lakes and can cause blue baby syndrome. It also contributes to nitrite related cancers. It cannot be filtered out.

Ammonia causes corrosive damage to human body tissue where there is contact and it makes water more expensive to treat.

Regarding Atrazine

• Atrazine is a pesticide used to kill broad leafed weeds. It was banned by the European Union in 2003 for it’s endocrine disrupting properties.

• International studies link Atrazine to human breast and prostate cancers and is proven to deform frogs and change the sex of fish. It was banned by the European Union back in 2004.

• Atrazine is the most common pesticides in Canada used over top corn and soy crops.

How much Atrazine is used in Brant County and the adjacent farming areas?

Less water = higher contamination risks

• On September 11, 2007 a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council, confirms high levels of Atrazine in Midwest drinking water supplies.

• The U.S. EPA, data shows raised Atrazine levels in 94 of 136 water systems tested at the source.

http://www.environmental-expert.com/resultEachPressRelease.aspx?cid=4797&codi=19443&lr=1

What impact will the landfill have in augmenting existing water levels currently diluting concentration of pesticides in Brant County and

adjacent farming communities?

Syngenta paid $105 million to settle class-action lawsuit with Water Utilities after Atrazine contaminated US water supplies.

Wetlands support Endangered Species

The Endangered Species act 2009 revision specifically identifies Jefferson Salamander habitats in the City of Hamilton, the counties of Brant, Dufferin, Elgin, Grey, Haldimand, Norfolk and Wellington and the regional municipalities of Halton, Niagara, Peel, Waterloo and York,

Jefferson Salamander are listed as Endangered by COSWIC. They are a key indicator species for identifying areas of primary recharge due to the fact they require moist habitats to survive. Many of their remaining habitats in Canada are currently being destroyed for aggregate extraction, development and roads.

Brant has Endangered Jefferson SalamandersIn 2009, the Endangered Species Act revision states:

Brant has Endangered Blanding's Turtles

“Next to habitat loss, road mortality is one of the biggest threats to their remaining populations,” the GRCA released in a statement.

The area of concern is Highway 24, south of Cambridge, passing through Brant and Norfolk Counties on the way to Lake Erie, where Blanding’s turtles are the prevalent species at risk.

Brant's threatened and endangered species. Source: GRCA

All projects must comply to most current version of the Ontario Endangered Species Act 2007.

The Endangered Species Act  2007 applies to any activity that poses an immediate threat to threatened or endangered species and their habitats. Projects cannot be “grandfathered” to avoid it and the most current version of the law stands.

Source: Senior MNR policy adviser Gail Jackson on October 6, 2011 via telephone conversation with Louisette Lanteigne.

If a “kill” permit is sought

The Endangered Species Act demands that there must be a net benefit for the species. If one is killed, they must be replaced by two or more live specimens per kill and they must expand on the delineated protected habitat area to assure the improved survival rates of the remaining specimens in the area.

A single application can take up to 7 years before a permit is issued. It  must be signed three times by various review agencies including  MNR staff, the deputy minister, the MNR ministers and others. Prior to the issuance of permit the request be posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry for public comment.  ALL alternative designs submitted by city planners, developers and the public can be reviewed at this phase and the decision that best balances needs of the threatened/endangered species and planning needs can be implemented. If there is no reasonable way to secure a net benefit of the species, the request will be denied. 

Court Case favours conservation

Recent court cases regarding the need to protect killer whales in BC secured a ruling that confirmed the fate of rare species should “not be left to the discretion of politicians” that threatened and endangered animals must be protected by law. They need spaces to feed, breed and raise their young if their populations are going to survive and recovery.

The Key to protection is the public!

Democracy Works for Endangered Species Act, Study Finds; Citizen Involvement Key in Protecting and Saving Threatened Species

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120816141533.htm

Natural Wetlands can filter out nitrate and phosphate issues 80-90%

www.creditvalleyca.ca/wp.../01/ValuingWetlandsPhase1-final.pdf

Lake Erie Pipeline or Pipedream?

Lake Erie Water Pipeline

- Cost: $1.2 billion (2008)

- no water treatment or transportation costs estimates

- Does not include cost to upgrade intake facilities.

- Water delivered over 100 km uphill. Where will we get the energy?

- The Grand River would be “infrastructure” and lose heritage status.

Further Issues re: Pipeline

Minimum wage has increased Cost of steel has gone up 66% There is a global shortage of tires, asphalt,

cement and steel* 80% of Canada's infrastructure currently needs

replacing* 88% of existing infrastructure is over 40 years old*

*Based on 2007 FCM-McGill. Municipal Infrastructure Survey

Pipeline Questions

To purchase the base materials we must compete with the growing resource demands of municipalities and oil sand companies & Canadian manufacturers.

What economic impacts would this project have on our local, provincial and federal economy?

The lessons of Pipe 6 in London

More than 500,000 people in the London area are being urged to conserve water following the second Lake Huron pipeline water main break in two years forcing municipalities to rely on reservoirs.

The Big Leak by Norman De Bono, The London Free Press May 24, 2012

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2012/05/23/19788776.html

Pipe 6 broke 4 times in 66 years

2012: Mount Carmel (pipe 66 years)

2010: 1km north of the 2012 break (pipe 54 years)

1988 break in the Shipka area. (pipe: 22 years old)

1983: break in the Shipka area (pipe was 17 years old)

London Water Supply Facts

London uses 140 million litres of water a day

Pipe 6 is 47 kilometres long from Lake Huron to Arva . It is a 1.2 metres in diameter concrete pressure pipe with 200 psi water pressure that moves 2,000 litres of water per second at a rate of 170 million litres of water a day

Total Reservoir capacity for City of London is 441 million litres of water. (Springbrook, Arva & St. Thomas reservoirs combined). London only has 3.15 normal use water days stored in their reservoir at maximum capacity.

REGARDING ENGINEERING FIRMSThere is no money in discovering bad geology...or is there?

Problems With Engineering Firms

Engineering firms often conduct environmental assessment for approval processes. Once they signed off, the liability risks transfers to the firm who purchased their data.

If issues arise due to poor environmental studies, they are not held liable for any of the the work they did but they do stand to profit from remediation jobs if things go wrong.

Rubber Stamps from engineers are not enough.

Approvals based on completion rather than quality of data is risky!

Hold a check worth the value of the Engineering Service and if things fail due to their poor initial EA data: Cash it.

It's a good incentive to assure quality work.

Municipal Liability for Sewer and Water Pipe Failures ... Despite Statutory Authority and Immunity

In some provinces such as Ontario, municipalities benefit from both statutory authority and statutory immunity. Yet despite these twin defences, municipalities still risk being held liable, criminally or civilly, for malfunctions of their sewer and water pipes.

The courts are much more willing to impose liability on municipalities than they have been to impose similar liability on more senior governments.

OSWCA Paper to CWWA - 27 Feb 2007

http://ebookbrowse.com/oswca-paper-to-cwwa-27-feb-2007-final-pdf-d25588171

by Jackie Campbell, B.Sc. (Pharm.), LLB, Dianne Saxe, Ph.D. in Law, Certified Specialist in Environmental Law & Frank Zechner, B.A.Sc., P.Eng., LLB (Executive Director, Ontario

Sewer and Watermain Construction Association)

Lake Erie:Under Stress

Toxic Algae Issues

Growing “Dead Zone”

Declining water volumes

Greater contamination risk

Climate Change

Invasive species

Water taking (CAN & US)

Bulk Water Shipments

Zebra Mussels in intake pipes

ar

Lake Erie March 12, 2012Will it even be drinkable?

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=77506

International Joint Commissionbiennial report on the state of the Great Lakes

Calling Lake Erie the "poster child" for eutrophication, the commission's U.S. co-chair, Lana Pollack, said much of the lake is back to being coated with slimy green algal blooms in the summer, as it was in the 1960s and early '70s.

Great Lakes Phospherous Levels Rising Report Warns By Sharon Oosthoek

CBC News, Mar 9, 2011

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2011/03/09/tech-ijc-great-lakes.html

August 31st to September 7 2012

The rotting fish carcasses as well as some dead birds lined the shore of Lake Erie for 40 kilometres.

Lack of Oxygen Killed Lake Erie Fish Test Show Richard J. Brennan, National Affairs Writer, Toronto Star

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1250979--tens-of-thousands-of-dead-fish-rotting-on-lake-erie-shore

The Moraines have been providing water for free for over 15,000 years!

Conserve & Recycle and Aggregates(Bricks made from human sludge!)

Protect our A1 Farmlands and source water areas for generations to come

Protect the function of Aggregates becauseAggregates = Water Supply