compliance and reporting may 2 12
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Compliance and Reporting
Environmental Compliance Essentials
Dianne Saxe, Ph.D.
May 2, 2012
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Overviewn Mandatory reportingn Compliant reportingn Protecting Information
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Mandatory reportingn What must be reported? Just about
everything...n Routine air / water emissions (Fed / prov / munic)n Spillsn Wasten Products, e.g.,
n drinking water
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Sources of reporting requirementsn Statutes & reßgulations (many!): e.g., n Environmental Protection Act
n s. 13, 15, 92, 168.15n Airborne Contaminant Discharge Monitoring &
Reporting Regulation (O.Reg. 127/01) n Emission Summary & Dispersion Modelling Reports
(O.Reg. 419/04)n MISA
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
E.g. Reg. 419n Must notify MOE: If air emissions may
exceed air standard, guideline, upper risk threshold and / or may cause adverse effectn Must submit abatement plan within 30 days n Must submit ESDM report within 3 months of
potential URT exceedence
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
More statutesn Ontario Water Resources Actn Safe Drinking Water Actn Nutrient Management Actn Toxics Reduction Act, 2009n Pesticides Actn etc.
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Other sourcesn By-laws
n Toronto’s Right to Know By-law
n Permitsn Certificate of Approval, PTTW
n Ordersn Control Orders, Provincial Officer Orders
n National Pollutant Release Inventory
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Common issuesn Spill reportingn Contaminated site reportingn Engineer’s professional obligation to
report
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Spill reportingn What is a spill?n Abnormal discharge out of a structure,
vehicle or other containern of a pollutant n into the natural environmentn that causes or is likely to cause an adverse effect
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Is that a spill?n No minimum quantityn Need not leave propertyn Odours or gas (not noise) can = spilln Leaksn Flyrock
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Obligationsn Stop spilln Report
n To MOE, Municipality, owner of pollutant, AND person in control of pollutant,
n Plus OHSA if impact on a worker
n Contain and clean upn Restore natural environment to the extent practicable
n Civil liability
May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Contaminated site reportingn Is it a “discharge”?n Is it a “spill”?n Is it migrating?n Is it a danger?
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Overviewn Mandatory reportingn Compliant reportingn Protecting Information
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Compliancen A resultn Essential goal of good managementn Usually motivated by regulatory
requirementsn Minimizes short and long term liabilityn Can improve efficiency, save moneyn Doesn’t happen by accident
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Compliant reporting 1n Identify requirements, e.g.
n Statute/ regulationsn Special reporting requirements? e.g., MISA
regulations applyn Emissions from equipment used?
n Permitsn CofA, other permits (e.g., PTTW, discharge permits)
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Compliant reporting 2n Detect what needs reporting
n Monitoringn Internal reportingn Is someone checking the reports?
n On time
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Compliant reporting 3n Know how to reportn Just the facts, ma’amn Never guess or speculaten I don’t know?
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Compliant reporting 4n Make it someone’s jobn Do they know how to do it?
n How do you know?n How can you prove it?
n Required reporting parameter(s)n Know all possible sources - Don’t be surprised!
n Processes? (air, water, soil)n Suppliers?
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Compliant reporting 5n Keep good records
n What did you report?n When?n Why?
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Compliant reporting 6n Audit
n Is your system working?n Do you correct mistakes?n Do you learn from mistakes?
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Environmental management system?n Help make it all happenn E.g. ISO 14001
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Overviewn Mandatory reportingn Compliant reportingn Protecting Information
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Report integrityn Protected formats (e.g. locked PDF)n Secure physical originalsn Encrypted transmissionn Controlled recipientsn Confidentiality agreements?
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
What can the MOE demand?n Who’s asking?
n Provincial Officer powersn Inspector v. Investigatorn Always ask who and why
n Asking for:n Documents?n Answers to questions?n Explanations?
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
MOE use of reportsn Assess compliancen Environmental Penaltiesn Use in prosecution?n Self-incrimination?
n R. v. Soules
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Solicitor / client privilege n When to usen What can it protect?n How to assert?n Instruction letter
n “privileged & confidential, for the advice of counsel”
n Separate from paymentn Data / working papers / drafts / reports
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Protecting privilegen Treat as confidential
n Control distribution and copyingn Keep the lawyer central n Confidentiality agreements for third
partiesn Buy time to fix the problem?
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Public Accessn Mandatory public distribution, e.g.,
n Toxics Reduction Act, 2009n Safe Drinking Water Actn Federal National Pollution Release Inventory
(under CEPA, 1999)n Legal proceedings (exhibits)n FOI
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
FOI defence?n Protected information?
n Trade secrets?n Other proprietary information?
n Confidentiality claims?n Clearly marked?n Kept separate?n Justified?
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May 2, 2012 Dianne Saxe
Overviewn Mandatory reportingn Compliant reportingn Protecting Information
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Questions?
SAXE LAW OFFICE720 Bathurst Street
Toronto, Ontario M5S 2R4Tel: 416 - 962 - 5882Fax: 416 - 962 - 8817
Email: dsaxe@envirolaw.comOur popular blog: envirolaw.com
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