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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSD-101-02 ~ to Cl!)!jQgton REPORT PLANNING SERVICES Meeting: Date: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Report #: Monday, October 7,2002 C l?-- PSD-l0l-02 File #: PLN 33.4.6 &!/}- 3'!C(-fJ;L- By-law #: Subject: PORT GRANBY PROJECT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PSD-101-02 be received; 2. THAT the Terms of Reference for the Port Granby Project Community Advisory Committee, attached to this Report as Attachment 1, be approved; 3. THAT the Clerk be directed to advertise for the positions on the Community Advisory Committee and report back to Council; 4. THAT the Regional Councillor for Wards 3 and 4 be appointed as the Council representative on the Community Advisory Committee; 5. THAT the Medical Officer of Health for Durham Region be requested to provide a representative on the Community Advisory Committee; and 6. THAT a copy of this Report and Council's resolution be forwarded to the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office, Natural Resources Canada-Energy Resources Branch, and the Durham Region Medical Officer of Health,' Submitted by: avi . Crome, M.C.I.P.,R.P.P. Director, Planning Services RevieWedbY:c.J ~......:....~ Franklin Wu Chief Administrative Officer JAC'DC'sh September 27, 2002 CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF ClARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVllLE, ONTARIO L 1 C 3A6 T (905)623- 3379 F (905)623-0830 1504 629 I - ~ REPORT NO.: PSD-101-02 PAGE 2 1.0 BACKGROUND 1.1 In June 2001, the Government of Canada and the Municipality of Clarington announced the signing of a legal agreement under which both parties agree to work towards developing a local solution to the secure long term storage and management of the low level radioactive waste currently stored at the Port Granby Waste Management Facility. The undertaking is known as the Port Granby Project (the Project) and the Low Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO) has been designated as the Proponent. 1.2 The planning and implementation of the Project will take place over several years and is expected to proceed in three distinct stages: . the undertaking of the environmental assessment, Council approval of a preferred altemative for the Project, and approval of the preferred alternative by the responsible federal authorities; . the construction of the new waste management facility; . maintenance and monitoring of the new facility by the federal govemment. 1.3 The Agreement commits both the Municipality and the Federal Government to work cooperatively in order to expedite the completion of the Project, and to consult and communicate regularly throughout the process until final decisions have been reached by the relevant authorities. In this regard, the Agreement provides the Municipality with the option of establishing a Community Advisory Committee (CAC), with the organization and mandate of the CAC to be decided by Council in consultation with the Federal Government. The Federal Government will provide funding to the Municipality to reimburse reasonable expenses related to the CAC. 1.4 The purpose of this Report is to approve the Terms of Reference for the Port Granby Project Community Advisory Committee. The Terms of Reference as set out in Attachment No. 1 define the mandate, organization and administration of the CAC. 1505 630 - . REPORT NO.: PSD-101.02 PAGE 3 2.0 COMMENTS 2.1 The Community Advisory Committee will assist the Proponent in helping residents understand the various issues related to the Port Granby Project, and will provide public input to Council on the planning and implementation of the Project. As such, it is important that the Committee membership be broad - based and balanced to ensure that its recommendations to Council reflect a wide range of perspectives from various interests across the Municipality. The groups identified in the Terms of Reference include area residents, as well as agriculture, education, environment, business and health. It is important to emphasize however, that the CAC will be an advisory committee to Council and not an oversight committee for the Project. The CAC will not make recommendations directly to the Federal Government, but rather will advise and make recommendations to Council on matters related to the Project. 2.2 The potential human health effect of the Project is as important issue and is expected to be of particular interest to the CAC. In this regard, a member should be appointed that possesses the knowledge necessary to understand and evaluate the public health implications of the Project. Therefore, it is suggested that the health community representative be recognized as a special appointee and not as a citizen member. The Durham Region Health Department possesses the appropriate expertise and has provided leadership in the field of the human health effects of nuclear facilities. Dr. Robert Kyle, the Medical Officer of Health for Durham Region, has agreed to provide a staff person to sit on the Committee, if requested by Council. 2.3 Staff will provide administrative, clerical and technical support to the Committee, as well as administer the Committee's budget. The consulting team retained by the Municipality to provide technical assistance for the Project will also be available to the CAC to assist in the review and understanding of technical matters. A member of the consulting team will also assist the Chair as a facilitator to manage committee dynamics. 1506 631 ~. REPORT NO.: PSD-101-02 PAGE 4 2.4 As is normal practice, the term of the Committee shall coincide with the term of Council. This will require the Committee to be re-appointed by the new Council in January 2004 to sit for a further three years to the end of 2006, at which time it is anticipated that that the environmental assessment and licensing phase of the Project will be at or close to completion. Council may wish to review the need for and the mandate of the Committee at that time. 2.5 The Federal Government has agreed to compensate the Municipality for costs related to the CAC for the 2002 federal fiscal year (ending March 31,2003), up to a maximum of approximately $50,000.00. Consultants account for the bulk of the estimated costs, with the balance covering administrative costs. Additional funding will be made available on an annual basis to the end of the Committee's mandate. 2.6 Membership on the CAC will be voluntary and, as such, members will not receive an honorarium. This approach is consistent with that of other advisory committees established by Council (eg. Agricultural Advisory Committee, Traffic Advisory Committee), 3.0 CONCLUSION 3.1 The creation of a Community Advisory Committee is important to developing and implementing a successful resolution to the low level radioactive waste management problem at the Port Granby site. The CAC will assist residents in understanding the various issues related to the Project, provide a venue for residents to participate in constructive debate and discussion, and assist Council in making decisions regarding the Project. Attachments: Attachment 1 - Terms of Reference - Port Granby Project Community Advisory Committee 1507 632 REPORT NO.: PSD-101-02 PAGE 5 Interested parties to be advised of Council and Committee's decision: Mr. Robert Zelmer, Director Low Level Radioactive Waste Management Office 1595 Telesat Court, Suite 700 Gloucester, ON K1 B 5R3 Director General, Energy Resources Branch Natural Resources Canada 580 Booth Street Ottawa, ON K1A OE4 Mr. Glenn Case, Director Port Hope Area Initiative Low Level Waste Management Office 5 Mill Street South Port Hope, ON L lA 2S6 Dr. Robert Kyle Durham Region Health Department 1615 Dundas Street E. Suite 210 Whitby, ON L 1 N 2L 1 1508 633 ATTACHMENT 1 TERMS OF REFERENCE PORT GRANBY PROJECT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE Backaround The Government of Canada and the Municipality of Clarington have entered into a legal agreement committing both parties to work towards developing a local solution for the secure long term storage and management of the low level radioactive waste currently stored at and associated with the Port Granby Waste Management Facility. This process to establish a new waste management facility is known as the Port Granby Project (the Project). The Low Level Radioactive Waste Management Office is the Project Proponent (the Proponent). The purpose of the Project is to clean up and provide appropriate local, long term management of low level radioactive wastes and marginally contaminated soils currently located in Clarington that are associated with the existing Port Granby Waste Management Facility. The principai objective of the Project is to manage the wastes in a suitably constructed, environmentally safe, socially acceptable and appropriately controlled facility for at least 500 years. Under the Agreement, the Municipality and the federal government have agreed to work together and to develop and maintain excellent communications and professional working relationships throughout the life of the Port Granby Project in order to attain the highest level of success in the completion of the Project. Both parties also believe that meaningful involvement by residents, businesses and community leaders in the Port Granby Project is important. In order to facilitate effective communications with the public, the Proponent has established a comprehensive communications program and Council is establishing a Community Advisory Committee (CAC), as provided for by the Agreement. Committee Mandate The Community Advisory Committee shall assist the Proponent in communicating with the public about the Port Granby Project, and provide advice to Council on the Project 1509- 634 , that reflects the comments and concerns of Clarington residents. In performing this function, the CAC will be expected to represent the views of both present and future residents of the Municipality. The members of the Committee shall work cooperatively and in partnership with the Municipality and the Federal Government to achieve the purpose and objectives of the Project. Scope of Activities The Community Advisory Committee, in fulfilling its mandate, shall review matters related to the Port Granby Project referred to the Committee by Council or the Government of Canada, including the Proponent: The Committee may be requested to: a) Assist the Proponent in communicating with the general public on the Project; b) Receive and review studies and reports regarding the Project. The Committee shall report regularly to Council with advice and recommendations on matters being considered by the Committee. Membership and Structure The Community Advisory Committee is a volunteer committee. It shall consist of 7 citizen members representing a variety of interests drawn from across the Municipality in order to provide a range of perspectives on the Port Granby Project. Council shall generally seek to appoint members from each of the following groups: . agricultural community (1 member) . area residents (3 members) . education (1 member) . environment (1 member) . industry and local business (1 member). One member of Council and the Durham Region Medical Officer of Health or his designate shall also be appointed to sit on the Committee. One member of Clarington staff shall sit on the Committee as a non-voting member. 151-0 635 . ' Given the projected life span of the Port Granby Project and the complex and potentially controversial nature of the issues to be addressed by the Committee, members must be willing to commit the time required to understand and evaluate the information provided, as well as be open-minded about listening to various opinions and perspectives on the Project. Openings for membership shall be publicly advertised and all residents of the Municipality are eligible to apply. Applicants will submit applications to the Municipality of Clarington Clerk's Department. Members will be formally appointed by Council. The Staff representative on the Committee shall sit as the interim chair. Once the Committee is operating in an acceptable manner, the Committee will select a Chair and Vice-Chair from among its membership. The Chair shall provide leadership to the Committee, ensure that the Committee carries out its mandate, and act as the primary liaison between the Committee and Staff, Council and the federal government. Citizen members cannot send delegates or alternates to meetings. The Chair shall advise the Clerk of any member who is absent for three consecutive meetings without reason being given at least 24 hours prior to the meeting, and may request that the member be removed from the Committee. The Chair shall also advise the Clerk of the resignation of any member. Council shall appoint new members to the Committee to fill any vacancies as required. Technical Support Municipal Staff will provide clerical, administrative and technical assistance to the Committee, as well as act as liaison between the Committee and the municipal administration. A facilitator will assist the Chair in ensuring that the Committee is successful in achieving its mandate. The Municipality's consultants will be available to the Committee to assist the members in understanding the various technical issues related to the Project. 1511 636 , Term of the Committee The terms of the Committee shall coincide with the term of Council. At the end of the first phase of the Project (environmental assessment and licensing), Council may review the need for and the mandate of the Committee. Meetinqs Committee meetings shall be held in the Municipal Administrative Centre. The Committee shall generally meet a minimum of once per month; however, the Chair may schedule additional meetings or cancel meetings after consulting with the other members of the Committee. The Chair shall set the agenda for each meeting in consultation with Staff of the Municipality and the Proponent. A majority of the Committee membership (5) shall constitute a quorum. Decisions will be carried by a majority of the members present. At the first meeting of a calendar year, the Committee shall meet with Staff and representatives from the Government of Canada to discuss and plan the Committee's liaison work for the year. ReportinQ to C.9uncil The Committee shall report to Council as follows: · The recording secretary shall submit the minutes of all Committee meetings to the Municipal Clerk for inclusion in the Council agenda for information; · The Committee shall submit reports or make presentations to Council a minimum of twice per calendar year to provide Council with an update on the Committee's activities and to provide advice and recommendations on various matters related to the Project; · All recommendations from the Committee shall be submitted to the Clerk for inclusion in Council agenda for direction. 1512 637