Amaizeingly Green previously known as Collingwood Ethanol has pleaded guilty to numerous charges laid by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) for violating the Environmental Protection Act and was fined $300,000. These charges relate to the adverse effect their operation has had on nearby residents stemming from both odour and noise. The company also pleaded guilty to an additional charge of operating odour-causing equipment with respect to their fertilizer production and bagging without obtaining necessary operating approvals from the MOE and was fined a further $25,000. The fertilizer production aspect of their business has been a substantial source of odour. Upon further investigation by the MOE it was determined that the company did not have the necessary approval for such an operation. Amaizeingly Green must now submit the appropriate applications for approval of the fertilizer bag house operation which will be subject to the customary public appeal process.
Amaizeingly Green also pleaded guilty to charges laid by the Town of Collingwood for sewer discharges that exceed by-law limits. CE was fined $15,000 plus costs for these charges. Amaizeingly Green has a plant shut down scheduled for June 30th during which time the plant will be completely idle until some 27 odour and noise abatement corrections have been installed and confirmed by the MOE.
After blowing into Town from Alberta over a year ago with their smear campaign against the Mayor, the Progressive Group For Independent Business has in recent months been amazingly quiet! I wonder what they will have to say now about these guilty pleas.
While this area is in dire need of higher paying jobs, employment should not come at the expense of the environment and in laying these charges, the MOE has clearly demonstrated a strong commitment to enforcement of the Environmental Protection Act.
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