Margaret Berube District…

Margaret Berube
District Planner
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
dearRegional Operations Division
Southern Region
Bancroft District
106 Monck Street
PO Box 500
Bancroft Ontario
K0L 1C0 

Dear Margret

Here are my comments on the imminent  Environmental Disaster proposed by the Freymond Mine

THE PROPOSED AGGREGATE MINE
The proposed site is 2287 Bay Lake Road, Bancroft ON.  It is applying for a license to mine and crush 300,000 tonnes of aggregate annually at a current selling price of approximately $4,000,000 FOUR MILLION DOLLARS each year for the Freymond Operation.

GRAVEL TRUCK TRAFFIC
Trips
In order to deliver the aggregate to market gravel trucks are used to haul the material to the customers.  These trucks have a capacity of between 11 and 22 tonnes depending on the number of wheels and the physical size of the unit.   (1) https://www.reference.com/science/many-tons-gravel-can-fit-dump-truck-89dc08c93ac5e34d?qo=contentSimilarQuestions#
For the delivery of 300,000 tonnes this would require the use of between 13,225 and 25,445 trucks or 36 to 70 trucks per day every day.  Since that is the capacity for hauling the material out that means 72 to 140 trips per day of large noisy gravel trucks up and down Bay Lake Road, everyday.
The Tranplan Study shows a May to November loading operation 5 days a week 10 hours per day.  We have confirmed that the Quarry has no control over the size of truck that the customer sends to pick up materials so that the actual number of trips could be as high as 390 trips per day with and 11 ton capacity truck.  This would be a truck at the intersection of Bay Lake Road and 62 Highway every 90 seconds.
The study only incorporated the intersection of 62 and Bay Lake Road and did not look at the effect on 28 and 62 intersection or the impact on downtown Bancroft or on the Town of Madoc with this huge increase in traffic.
Obviously a study of the total impact to all stakeholders is needed to avoid the gridlock which will be created by this increased truck traffic. 

Air Pollution
Besides the huge traffic problems which will be created by such an enterprise there will be an immense increase in exhaust gases produced by this large number of trucks.
However, this is not the only source of air pollution.  Fugitive Dust Emissions are also generated from the plant yard due to vehicular traffic and wind. (2) https://businessimpactenvironment.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/environmental-issues-in-stone-crushers/
  This dust settles on the vehicles during loading operation and is then blown off as the truck moves down the highway.  This fugitive dust is then deposited on the highway where it is then spread by all vehicles in the air as the tires pick it up.
The dust is then in the air to be spread by the wind and is deposited on the surrounding environment where it can kill both vegetation and aquatic life depending on the formulation of the compound and its toxicity levels.

Noise Pollution
Obviously, the addition of that number of vehicles to the area will result in a huge noise increase from engines, air brakes, gear changes, back up alarms etc.  This will destroy the quiet enjoyment of all residents.

MINING OPERATIONS
Excavation and Processing
The aggregate is mined by using explosives to break the material into movable pieces by heavy machinery where the material is crushed into product and transferred to stockpiles for loading into trucks for transport.

Air Pollution
All operations will produce fugitive dust sources which will contaminate the air and be harmful to surrounding environment.  Although mitigating measures will be employed no effective measures for controlling particulate emissions from blasting are available. (2) https://businessimpactenvironment.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/environmental-issues-in-stone-crushers/

Noise Pollution
Blasting, extracting, crushing and conveying equipment will produce sound levels which will affect wildlife habitat and quiet enjoyment of surrounding properties.  Low frequency sound will be transmitted into fish spawning areas as well as blasting shockwaves.

Potential Pop Ups
Occasionally pop-ups occur in the quarries, such as Marmoraton Mine near Madoc, Ontario, and stress relief fracturing can be catastrophic when they create underground mining "rockbursts."(4) https://uwaterloo.ca/wat-on-earth/news/pop-physics
As documents, have shown, there have already been incidents where Long’s Quarry experienced “pop-ups” in its floor and affected the water table in the area – a water table already fragile, by most accounts. (5) http://www.intelligencer.ca/2014/08/14/chris-malette-a-quarry-quandary

LAKE TROUT SPAWING BEDS LAKE JEFFERY
Lake Trout Habitat
Of the quarter of a million lakes in Ontario, only two thousand some odd (or 1 percent) have been identified as capable of supporting lake trout.  Few of these lakes are close to population centres, accessible as a recreational source.  Slightly over 50 of these lakes are in the Bancroft area, and the 1980 Ministry of the Environment/Ministry of Natural Resources report has identified 52 lakes in the northern portion of the Southeastern Region as containing water quality conditions suitable for the survival of lake trout.  Such lakes require a sufficient volume of water below a temperature of 10 Degrees Celsius, and containing dissolved oxygen in excess of 5Mg/L.  Reductions in dissolved oxygen increase with an increase of nutrient supply. (3) OMB Ruling S8400110840073R840170

Most Highly Sensitive Lake
Jeffery Lake having an area of only 42 hectares and a flushing rate of only 0.2 times per year is rate amongst the most highly sensitive lakes. (3) OMB Ruling S8400110840073R840170
Any changes to the flushing rate, water temperature caused by changes to the water table or changes to the oxygen content caused by the deposit of fugitive dust sources from aggregate mining will result in the loss of this spawning bed and the lake trout population.

Official Plan
2.2 Environmental Goal
To maximize the quality of the environment of the Planning Area by establishing guidelines and policies for the utilization of land and water resources, by minimizing the pollution of water, air and land and by preserving the distinctive features of the landscape.  All other goals should satisfy the requirements of the environmental goal so as to improve the quality of life for the people of Hastings County. (3) OMB Ruling S8400110840073R840170