18 April, 2019 Application…

18 April, 2019 Application Assessment Officer Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Operations Division Environmental Approvals Access and Service Integration Branch Application Assessment Unit 135 St. Clair Avenue West,, Floor1 Toronto, ON M4P 1 P5 Dear Sir/Madam: RE: Application for Site Plan Approval (D07-12-18-0141) and Zoning By-law Amendment (D02-02-18-0088) 2596 Carp Road, City of Ottawa Ministry Reference Number: 8439-B4WKG4 The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) is currently reviewing the environmental impact of Cavanagh Development’s Application to build a heavy industrial concrete batching plant at 2596 Carp Road. The site of the proposed plant has Huntley Creek running through it. In addition to being a pristine natural environment in its own right, it is the Carp River’s largest tributary which is in turn a tributary to the Ottawa River. All of the surrounding communities’ well water relies on ground water that is replenished by rain and snowfall from this “high recharge” area. The application has been completely blind to an important natural feature of the property at 2596 Carp Road. There is a natural spring located approximately 25-30 meters from the northeastern boundary of the operating area of the proposed plant. This is much closer than the 100 year flood boundary of Huntley Creek. Neither the “Tree Conservation and Environmental Impact Statement (Muncaster Environmental Planning, Nov 23, 2018), nor the Hydrology Investigation, Terrain & Impact Analysis (Golder, April 2019) nor the Servicing & Stormwater Management Report (Robinson, Dec 2018) acknowledge the presence of this spring. A natural spring is a direct channel to the aquifer. Should this plant be built here it will not be possible to stop all of the fine toxic dust from contaminating the spring, and in sequence, the aquifer. Placing a large concrete batching plant this close to a natural spring and a sensitive creek, on a parcel of land already designated as a “high recharge” area invites irrevocable contamination of the local aquifer. All residences in the surrounding area are dependent upon well water. This proposed concrete plant poses a very real risk to viability of our water supply. We would also ask that you carefully review the prosecution record of the Applicant and related companies. Multiple convictions of an environmental nature indicate a lax approach to environmental stewardship. Coupled with the sensitivity of the proposed site, this less-than-stellar record should be grounds for any impartial review to conclude that the application should be rejected. Sincerely, c.c. minister.mecp@ontario.ca merrillee.fullerton@pc.ola.org