With regard to the CVRD's request for a "pause'; on the administration of South Island Aggregates' application for a waste discharge authorization, the Ministry is obligated to accept, consult upon arid consider the application before making a decision to issue or not issue the requested authorization.  By  way of update on the status of the South Island Aggregates  · application  process, the Nanaimo regional office continues to review the application, including stakeholder  submissions and technical reports, and it is unlikely that a decision on the application  will be made before the end of the year.

I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with an update on the status of three of the commitments made during our May 8, 2012, meeting in Victoria.

1.  Testing of sites to determine if imported soil is contaminated
As you may recall, the Ministry commenced  enquiries over a year ago regarding a number of the sites of interest and, since May of this year, has continued to follow up in an effort to determine the availability of pre-existing information regarding fill soil origin and quality. We have received a range of responses to our enquiries but, in general, there remain questions to be answered. This work is now being supplemented by carrying out a site­ specific soil sampling and analysis program, commencing the week of October 22, 2012. Staff have already undertaken site reconnaissance visits and are finalizing the fieldwork plans.

2.   Spot checks of trucks hauling soil via the Malahat highway for deposit in South
Shawnigan
Ministry staff are presently finalizing plans for this work and, after initially identifying limitations in our ability to pull over trucks for interview and inspection/sampling purposes, we have recently liaised with Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement who have indicated their willingness to provide the necessary assistance for spot checks. This work will incorporate associated compliance verification work at soil source and receiving locations.  The Ministry's Conservation Officer Service has been providing input and will also partner in the implementation of this commitment.

3.   Monitoring of Shawnigan Creek
Since I committed to this follow up item in May 2012, ministry staff have researched available information regarding the quality of the receiving environment in the Shawnigan Creek watershed. We have learned of the work that the Shawnigan Watershed Roundtable is undertaking in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and are developing a monitoring plan with environmental quality specialists in the Ministry's Nanaimo regional office.

Thank you again for working collaboratively with stafffrom the Ministry of Environment so that we may continue to better understand the CVRD's concerns regarding soil deposition and waste management facilities. A key aspect of our work together is for us to collectively better understand the current regulatory frameworks (both provincial and local) governing these activities so that we can seek opportunities and avenues for improvement.

Sincerely,

Terry Lake.
Minister of Environment

cc: Jim Standen, Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Division, Ministry of
Environment
Randy Alexander, Regional Manager - Vancouver Island Region, Environmental
Protection Regional Operations Branch, Ministry of Environment
Alan McCammon, Manager, Brownfields and Remediation Assurance, Environmental
Management Branch, Ministry of Environment
Warren Jones, Chief Administrative Officer, Cowichan Valley Regional District