News release

Department Fulfilling Regulatory Role for Tar Ponds, Coke Ovens Cleanup

Environment and Labour (Oct. 2000 - March 2008)

A three-member board has started its work to monitor and report on how the Department of Environment and Labour is performing as the primary regulator of the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens Clean-up Project.

"I want Nova Scotians to know that the department takes its role as regulator very seriously," said Mark Parent, Minister of Environment and Labour. "I welcome the opinions of the board to assure the public that my department is closely monitoring the clean-up project."

The creation of the Remediation Monitoring Oversight Board was announced in January 2007, when an environmental assessment approval was granted to the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency to move forward with the cleanup.

Mr. Parent appointed Sinclair Dewis, Edwin MacLellan and Colin Hines to the board in December and they had their first meeting last week. Mr. Dewis, board chair, is retired after 35 years with Environment Canada. Mr. MacLellan teaches engineering at Cape Breton University and Mr. Hines is a principal with Atlantic Environmental Training & On-Site Services Inc.

"I am pleased to have highly qualified individuals that have experience in environmental auditing, emergency response, risk management and contaminated site remediation," said Mr. Parent.

The board must submit an annual report to the Minister of Environment and Labour. Copies of the report will be made available to the public.

"We will be monitoring the department throughout the cleanup and prepare an annual report highlighting the department's regulatory performance," said Mr. Dewis. "We look forward to advising the minister on the effectiveness of his department as a regulator on this clean-up project."

Since January 2007, the Department has responded to the joint review panel recommendations to increase regulatory capacity.

Five staff have already been hired to help the department with the regulatory role and two more will be added shortly.

The staff are involved in all aspects of the project, through technical review, compliance audits, use of third-party expertise, and co-ordination with various federal and provincial regulatory bodies.

For more information on the Remediation Monitoring Oversight Board visit: http://wdev1.gov.ns.ca/enla/ea/tarponds.asp