Broad says York1 needs to provide more information

Dawn-Euphemia Mayor Al Broad says a planned expansion of a dormant dump near Dresden could have a big impact on all of Lambton County.

And he’s urging all municipalities and residents in Lambton to voice their opposition to the project.

York1 Environmental Waste Solutions wants to revive the Dresden dump, bringing in up to 700 trucks a day to recycle construction materials and soils. That’s sparked a large outcry in Chatham-Kent and for Dawn-Euphemia residents who are just a kilometer or two north of the site.

But Broad to Lambton county politicians during the March 6 meeting everyone in Lambto has a stake in this project.

“We have a huge concern in Dawn-Euphemia…an influx of trucks like that is unfathomable,” he said.

“Seven hundred trucks a day…they could possibly go right out down 21 Highway down to Dresden,” Broad said point to the road just outside the Lambton County council chambers in Wyoming. “That’s going to affect Plympton-Wyoming, it’s going to affect Petrolia, it’s going to affect Oil Springs, it’s going to affect Enniskillen, it’s going to affect Dawn-Euphemia…If they decide to go down 79 it’s going to affect Watford-Warwick and Brooke-Alvinston; we’re all in this together.”

That’s not a scenario Warwick Mayor Todd Case wants to see happen. “I don’t need anymore truck traffic through my community when it comes to landfill traffic.” Waste Management Canada owns Twin Creeks Landfill outside of Watford – the largest landfill in the province.

County officials have been dealing with the Dresden proposal already, but Jason Cole, general manager of infrastructure and development, says information is hard to find.

“The county is working with a consultant to provide an informed response through the Environmental Registry Ontario process,” Cole says, adding they are hoping to have a more extended approval process with more information being provided.

“It is unlikely we would get the province to agree to a full Environmental Assessment process…but we could as for a more extend process with more detail.”

Broad says Lambton officials need more information to make an informed response and he urge “every resident in Lambton county go to the (Environmental Registry Ontario) website and at least make a comment.”

Information about the issue is being sent to all municipalities in Lambton in the hope they also will make an official comment about York1’s proposal.

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said all of Lambton to get involved. “Warwick went through this with Toronto for how many tortuous years – we need to get in the game early and support Dawn-Euphemia.”