I am submitting this comment…

I am submitting this comment regarding the proposed Greenfield Global and Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission anaerobic digestion facility.

I support responsible environmental initiatives and renewable energy projects. However, I have significant concerns regarding the size, scale, and long-term impacts of this proposal on Chatham-Kent residents and taxpayers.

The proposed facility would process an enormous volume of organic waste. Before approval is granted, residents deserve clear answers regarding odour control, air quality, truck traffic, infrastructure impacts, environmental protection, and long-term accountability.

My concerns include:

1. Odours

Residents in Chatham-Kent have experienced odour issues from industrial operations in the past. The Ministry should not assume that proposed mitigation measures will completely eliminate odours. Odour impacts must be evaluated during normal operations as well as equipment failures, maintenance shutdowns, power outages, accidents, and extreme weather events.

2. Air Quality

The facility will generate emissions associated with waste processing and renewable natural gas production. Continuous monitoring should be required, and all monitoring results should be made publicly available in a transparent and easy-to-access format.

3. Truck Traffic and Road Infrastructure

A facility receiving thousands of tonnes of material daily will generate substantial truck traffic. Residents deserve a detailed explanation of anticipated truck volumes, routes, operating hours, noise impacts, road wear, safety concerns, and who will be responsible for infrastructure costs associated with increased heavy vehicle traffic.

4. Environmental Protection

Strong safeguards must be in place to protect groundwater, surface water, agricultural land, and surrounding ecosystems. Independent monitoring and regular public reporting should be required throughout the life of the facility.

5. Public Transparency

Residents should have access to complaints records, inspection reports, monitoring data, violations, enforcement actions, and corrective measures. Public confidence depends upon transparency and accountability.

6. Fairness to Chatham-Kent Residents

A question that remains unclear is how much of the material processed at this facility will originate from Chatham-Kent versus being transported from other municipalities throughout Ontario.

If a significant portion of the waste originates elsewhere, local residents will be accepting the environmental, traffic, noise, and quality-of-life impacts of a project that primarily serves outside communities. This issue should be clearly disclosed and considered before any approval is granted.

In closing, I respectfully request that the Ministry apply the highest level of environmental scrutiny to this proposal and ensure that all potential impacts are fully understood and addressed before any approval is issued.

Thank you for considering these comments.