Bio-En Granted Variation on FIT Contract Regarding Location

Posted on 22 April 2011 by DrDan

At the Woolwich Township Council meeting on 19 April 2011 Mayor Cowan announced that he has received a letter from OPA stating that Bio-En has been granted a variation on their FIT contract regarding the location. Since Mr. Martin has repeatedly stated in public and private meetings that if that were to occur he would move the location of the proposed bio-fuel facility it would seem that the ball is in Mr. Martin’s court. This should in no way be interrupted as victory because there are a couple other conditions that need to be met and we still need to be on the alert to our opportunity to make our objections known to MoE…but it is a fantastic step in the right direction.

If anyone has an idea on where Mr. Martin can place his facility please send those suggestions to me and I’ll pass them on. Mayor Cowan has asked the Township staff to start looking into alternative locations and I think that we could do that as well. The location has to have access to the substation to tie in to the grid and a source of natural gas. It would also be a great benefit if there were a potential customer for the heat that will be produced.

I believe that Mayor Cowan should be commended on his perseverance regarding this and his campaign pledge to work toward a mutually beneficial solution to this challenge. TCowan@regionofwaterloo.ca

The fight is NOT over by any means, but we have certainly gotten over a large hurdle. Get your objections ready so when the announcement comes that we can officially object with MoE we’ll be ready.

Thanks for hanging in there and please pass the word…Bio-En in Elmira is certainly NOT a done deal!!!!!

Dan

Dan Holt, Ph.D.

519 210 2121
lgr@epix.net

Posted in Chuck Martin, Location, Ministry of the Environment, Todd Cowan, Woolwich Township Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MOE Web site for Bio-En is updated

Posted on 22 April 2011 by Bob Jonkman

It looks like the Ministry of the Environment site for Bio-En was updated on 19 April. I’m not sure what was changed, or if this is a new page.

http://moe-bioen.notlong.com [This is a URL redirect to the MOE web page]

Looks like the proposal is only in the “Received and Screening” stage at the moment.

I’m tracking this page with ChangeDetection, which sends me an e-mail whenever the MOE page is updated. If you want to keep on top of things you can subscribe to the ChangeDetection change log for the Ministry site.

Update 6 May 2011: The URLs for both the MOE Woolwich Bio-En Inc. page and the change log for the Ministry site have changed! Please update your bookmarks!

Update 21 May 2011: URLs have changed again!

Update 4 June 2011: And again…

Update 19 June 2011: Again…

[Update 1 July 2011: MOE status changed to "Under Technical Review"; URL changed again too. Links above have been updated]

[Update 4 July 2011: Enough already. The URL on the MOE site has changed again, so I’m creating a URL redirect: http://moe-bioen.notlong.com and the Change Detection Log is https://www.changedetection.com/log/notlong/moe-bioen/index_log.html — these URLs should be consistent even if the MOE changes its URLs again.]

Posted in Ministry of the Environment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Victoria Glen Park Cleanup, 30 April 2011

Posted on 26 March 2011 by Bob Jonkman

Since the local ecology is a prominent concern of the Elmira Bio-Fuel Citizens’ Committee, here’s an announcement of the Earth Day cleanup of Victoria Glen Park:

From: K Orr
To: Preserve Victoria Glen Park
Subject: [pvgp] Victoria Glen clean up
Date:Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:37:13 -0400

Hi everyone!
I just got an email from Ann Roberts of the township wondering if we would like to participate again this year in the clean up of Victoria Glen. She can get us more mulch which is more likely what we’ll be doing plus a quick run through of the park with a garbage bag. The date is Saturday April 30 and I am proposing 9am. Should only take an hour. If you have your own wheelbarrow and shovels that will help. I think Tim Horton’s is sponsoring it again. It was a great time last year! Great to have the neighbours meet each other and work together on our special park!

I also have a call into the township regarding the official review process. The park is supposed to be redesignated this year from residential to park/green space. We have to keep on them! Will let you know any details when available.

Ann Roberts also would like us to start thinking about a proper sign. So if any of you have graphic design contacts or ideas for the sign, let me know.

Please let me know by if you would like to help out April 30th at 9am!
Thanks! Karen Orr

Check out the Preserve Victoria Glen Park blog and the Preserve Victoria Glen Park information page.

–Bob.

Posted in Discussion | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My presentation

Posted on 26 February 2011 by DrDan

Hi to all,

Hope you are enjoying the last days of snow and cold. Remember these days in August.

I am writing because I want you to have the presentation I made to the Woolwich Township Council last Tuesday evening. The article in the Observer states that Councilman Bauman accused me of “fear mongering”, which is true…he did. Download (MS-Word .docx, 37.6 kBytes) I have attached the entire presentation so that you can make up your own mind. I don’t think that “fear mongering” is necessary because the truth is scary enough. The charge came because I used the Bio-En figure of 80 trucks per day which is what they have in their application. Yes, they have stated that it wouldn’t be that many if approved, but as I state in the presentation we only have what they have put in writing to go on and if approved there would be no way to limit that number since it would be approved. They state, not in writing, that they intend to only use about 7-15 trucks per day and the 80 is only for a short period during the spring when they need to haul the fertilizer by-product to farms and/or to clean the facility to do maintenance. I, as you will read, state in my presentation that they say they will use less than 80 trucks, but the accusation was still made. You be the judge.

If you have any questions please contact me. Remember the new signs are available at 2 Duke Street across from the Home Hardware store…go up the drive to the small white shed with the sign on it and they are inside ($5 donation/each please). Maybe if you are getting one you could get some for your neighbors and save them the trip. Since we are still blessed with piles of snow feel free to put the sign in your window until the snow melts.

We are making progress and I hope to have some more news in the near future.

Thanks for all your efforts and support. Keep the faith.

Dan

Dan Holt, Ph.D.

519 210 2121
lgr@epix.net

Posted in Lawn Signs, Mark Bauman, News, Politicians, Woolwich Township Council | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Observer article on Biogas Conference in Cambridge

Posted on 21 January 2011 by Bob Jonkman

This week’s Woolwich Observer has an article on an upcoming Biogas conference put on by the Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph:

From Feb. 8 to 10, biogas production will be the topic of a three-day conference in Cambridge organized by Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph. The talks will focus on the safe and effective operation of a biogas facility, with an emphasis on farm-level digesters that are much smaller than the 2.8-megawatt facility proposed for Elmira.

You can register for this three-day course at the Ridgetown Campus web site; course fee is $400 plus $52 HST.

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Planning Meeting

Posted on 15 January 2011 by Bob Jonkman

Happy Friday!

Thanks again to everyone who provided information as to their availability for this meeting. Sadly we are unable to accommodate everyone, but with your input we have selected a date which is favorable for the majority of you. For those who are unable to attend, you will be given a summary.

Date: Monday, January 17th, 7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m.

Location: Upstairs Boardroom, Woolwich Memorial Centre

Dan Holt and Michael Purves-Smith have provided the following Proposed Agenda for the meeting:

Proposed Agenda

1. Brief review (Dan)

2. Priorities (Dan)

3. Submissions to the Ministry (Michael and Jerry)

4. New Lawn Sign (Derek)

5. Projects

6. Presentation to the Council (Dan)

7. EDSS presentation or round table discussion (Doug)

8. BIA lobby (Michael)

9. Letters to the paper (Dan)

10. Leanna Pendergast (Dan)

Please bring your charged up lap top if you have one. We will supply each of you with a CD of the Submissions to the Ministry for consideration during the meeting.

Thank-you for your continued participation!

Warm Regards,

-Derek Potma

Posted in Events, Lawn Signs | Leave a comment

Letter from Leeanna Pendergast

Posted on 13 January 2011 by DrDan
Hi to all,
A brief update. I have just received an email from MPP Leeanna Pendergast (well, her aid Joe Brothers) in which he states: 
 
As you are aware, the provincial government has major interests in promoting renewable energy initiatives.  However, in the case of BioEn, our office continues to have concerns about odour and the close proximity to residential properties.  Leeanna has discussed these concerns directly with the Minister of the Environment on several occasions, and he is very much aware of Leeanna’s concerns and the concerns of Stop the Stink.  Leeanna invited him to visit the site in December; but, unfortunately, his schedule would not allow it.  Our office continues to work closely with the Minister’s office on this issue.  …We continue to work closely with MOE to ensure that your concerns are heard and understood.
 
And we continue to work to make sure that our concerns are heard.
 
I have also heard from some of you that you want a new sign…that is great and we are working to get those signs. I’ll let you know as soon as they are available. If you or someone you know wants a new sign please let me know.
 
Thanks,
Dan
 
 
Posted in Discussion, Lawn Signs, Leeanna Pendergast, Ministry of the Environment, Politicians | 2 Comments