Honourable Minister
Hedderson.
Department of
Environment and Conservation
Confederation Building.
P.O. Box 8700
St. John’s, NL
A1B 4J6
November 9th,
2012
To the Honourable
Minister Hedderson,
Hope this finds you
well and that your transition to the Environment & Conservation
portfolio is going smooth.
As
a St. John’s City Councillor and as Chair of the newly re-instated
Environmental Advisory Committee for the City of St. John’s, I am
writing to voice my clear concern and opposition to the proposal for
a wastewater treatment facility that would process petroleum
hydrocarbons, total suspended solids, solids, metals typically
associated with hydrocarbons, and free oil on Pier 17 right under
Battery Road on the City of St. John’s harbourfront.
I
have great reservations about a potential wastewater treatment
facility releasing this oil by-product "to the City’s storm or
sanitary sewer". I have been having discussions with
environmental engineers regarding the potential risks/ill-effects
resulting from such a close proximity to residents of the Battery as
well as to the hundreds of impending residents in the downtown
condominium developments and anxiety on this application is growing.
I have also been receiving letters of great concern from downtown
business owners.
As
you are aware, the City of St. John’s has received no application
to date and via our Development Committee, has advised against this
proposal due to a lack of substantial information on impacts.
How much
noise with this facility make? My understanding is that this
residue/sludge requires vacuum removal and existing facilities are
known to cause a great deal of noise. The facility would also be at
the mercy of ship scheduling as opposed to a pre-scheduled daytime
function. Oil smells are another concern. There are many regulatory
issues to address, but the appropriate location is the utmost concern
I have on behalf of residents.
The City’s planning
department has been actively engaging the residents of St. John’s
through our City's municipal plan review process and residents have
voiced a strong desire for a more revitalized, livable harbourfront.
Though I am completely cognizant of the need for such an oil waste
production facility and certainly support good environmental
stewardship regarding the safe disposal of oil waste, it does not
need be based in the heart of our Battery/ downtown area. This area
is one of our City’s biggest assets in regards to provincial and
city tourism and would be in direct conflict with the Provincial
tourism’s heavily invested, promotional efforts.
Your
government
challenges us all to take an active role in promoting our
environment. Clean air, water and land are priceless natural
endowments and protection of these resources and our historic areas
such as the Battery bring a wealth of tourism and that as
individuals, groups and businesses, and government, it is our
responsibility to protect and sustain this environment.
Other
options for such a facility must be found and I look forward to your
response. Thank you for your time and attention to this serious
environment issue.
Respectfully,
Sheilagh
Councillor
O’Leary
