Ontario Budget
The 2007 Ontario budget contained no grand environmental measures, such as BC’s shift from income taxes to carbon taxes. Nor does it tackle any of the large, strategic questions raised by the Environmental Commissioner about how to reconcile population and econimic growth with environm…
View the post titled Ontario BudgetSmog: Health, Agriculture or Politics?
This month, the U.S. EPA announced a very modest tightening of its ground-level ozone standards from 80 to 75 parts per billion, averaged over eight hours. This announcement met immediate criticism from public health advocates, since an extensive scientific review had recommended that the st…
View the post titled Smog: Health, Agriculture or Politics?Fines for Individuals
Three recent cases neatly illustrate the experience of many individuals charged with environmental offences.
View the post titled Fines for IndividualsPoisonous Biosolids?
In McElmurray v. USDA, 2008 WL 516751 (S.D.Ga.), a U.S. court has strongly criticized American biosolids policy, and awarded compensation to a farmer whose fields were poisoned by sewage sludge. McElmurray sought federal disaster compensation, on the ground that Augusta, Georgia’s muni…
View the post titled Poisonous Biosolids?Law or Politics?
The Federal Government filed its defence on Thursday, to Friends of the Earth’s climate change lawsuit. Last year, the three opposition parties combined to pass a Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, now part of the law of Canada. This statute requires the Minister of the Environment to …
View the post titled Law or Politics?More on Jail for Garbage Fire
The three 310 Waste defendants have been released from jail pending appeal. The appeal of both sets of convictions will be argued July 11, 2008.
View the post titled More on Jail for Garbage FireQuebec Court of Appeal Dismisses Flooding Class Action
Are municipalities liable when sewers can’t cope with big storms? The Quebec Court of Appeal has dismissed a class action by owners of 1,723 homes that flooded in 1997, when sewers backed up in heavy rains. In Dicaire v. Chambly, many of the homes had flooded three times in 18 months. …
View the post titled Quebec Court of Appeal Dismisses Flooding Class ActionGarbage Fire Jail Appeal
This Thursday, the three people jailed for Vaughan’s massive 2004 garbage fire will seek bail pending appeal. To put their case in context, here are some of the other jail sentences imposed for environmental offences in Canada, over the last fifteen years:
View the post titled Garbage Fire Jail AppealProsecution marathons
The City of Hamilton has fought the Ministry of the Environment to a draw. Few defendants can afford a prolonged fight with the Ministry of the Environment. For most, fines are far lower than the cost of being innocent [i.e. a full-scale trial], so sooner or later they plead guilty to someth…
View the post titled Prosecution marathonsJail for Garbage Fire
In October 2004, choking fumes from a giant garbage fire tormented Vaughan residents and created widespread health concerns. It took millions to put out the fire and clean up the transfer site. This week, those responsible for the garbage mountain were finally sent to jail, and fined a recor…
View the post titled Jail for Garbage FireReceive Blog Posts
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