Wind Controversy Research Report

April 3, 2012

the considerable volume of independent research that exists demonstrates that the arguments made in favour of wind are considerably more supported than those against it.

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Attacks escalating on environmental charities

April 2, 2012

Just as the Federal Budget spends $8 million to increase the burdens on charities to prove that they are staying away from political activities, the oil industry is trying to get Environmental Defence’s charitable registration revoked. The lobby group that calls itself Ethical Oil has launched a formal complaint with the federal Canada Revenue Agency alleging Environmental Defence [...]

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Mine or hauler: Who’s responsible for Waste PCB Oil?

March 28, 2012

In Enviro West Inc. v. Copper Mountain Mining Corp. a waste hauler was hired to remove waste oil from a transformer at a mine. Despite several oral and written warnings, the hauler didn’t realize the oil was heavily contaminated with PCBs. As a result, the hauler mixed the PCBs with other oils, creating extensive PCB contamination [...]

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Feed in Tariff update for renewable energy

March 27, 2012

Wind and Solar Tariffs Reduced New Emphasis on Community Power–10% of Capacity Set Aside Substantial Increase in Inflation Adjustment for Biomass and Biogas Program Moves to Annual Review Possible New Renewable Targets No Word on Connection Barriers and Inclusion of New Technologies Paul Gipe has graciously allowed us to publish his analysis of the long [...]

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OBA prods AG on Anti-SLAPP

March 26, 2012

The Ontario Bar Association has reminded the Attorney General of the need for anti-SLAPP legislation in Ontario:

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Young Global Leader

March 23, 2012

Rebecca Saxe, an associate member of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT and associate professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, has been named one of the World Economic Forum‘s Young Global Leaders for 2012. 

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Creditor or regulator? Nortel, the MOE and environment v insolvency

March 22, 2012

If there are continuing operations, there has to be ongoing compliance with environmental legislation. But if there are no ongoing operations, the environmental regulator has to rely on its security, failing which it has unsecured status.

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Is public consultation a political activity forbidden to charities?

March 21, 2012

With the launch of Conservative Senator Nicole Eaton’s inquiry into the “Involvement of Foreign Foundations in Canada’s Domestic Affairs”, increased scrutiny is being focused on the activities of Canada’s charitable environmental groups. In particular, is participating in public consultations, or encouraging others to do so, a political activity forbidden to charities?

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Bitter bedbug battle

March 20, 2012

Over the past decade, North America and western Europe have seen an alarming  resurgence of bedbugs in homes, university dormitories, apartments and hotels.  Although the reason for the proliferation of bedbugs is not clear, some attribute this to the increase in international travel, use of narrower spectrum insecticides targetting other insect pests (that don’t work [...]

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ERT rejects neighbours’ plea re 22 year old spill

March 19, 2012

Should it really take more than 22 years to clean up a domestic fuel spill?

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How much cadmium in your dinner?

March 16, 2012

Would you like to know how much cadmium is in your can of lunchmeat? Or lead in your chocolate chip cookie?  Health Canada has just the table you need. The levels are generally low, but provide another reason to prefer to eat local, less processed food….

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Draft mining regulations posted for comment

March 15, 2012

Ontario is proposing an second set of amendments to Mining Act, 2009 regulations. One key feature of the amendments is  better Aboriginal consultation, better protection of Sites of Aboriginal Cultural Significance, and more control of “early exploration”, which has led to much recent conflict in Northern Ontario.

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Water infrastructure crumbling?

March 14, 2012

Water infrastructure costs will double from roughly $13 billion a year today to almost $30 billion (in 2010 dollars) annually by the 2040s, according to the American Water and Wastewater Association. This means the investment needed for buried drinking water infrastructure in the United States totals more than $1 trillion between now and 2035. They predict [...]

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iBorehole

March 13, 2012

I can’t resist telling you that geotechnical engineer Shoshanna Saxe and web developer Micah Zarnke have released a new app that uses the GPS, camera and other features of an iPhone to improve the ease and accuracy of field logging of boreholes. iBorehole is available through the iTunes App Store.

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Anti-nuclear litigation in Japan

March 12, 2012

One year after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, evidence continues to accumulate of the widespread distribution of radioactive elements, including plutonium, which pose significant threats to human health and the environment. Meanwhile, environmental groups in Japan are launching litigation, trying to prevent the reopening of some of the shuttered nuclear power plants. 

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