I read with concern the…

I read with concern the proposal under ERO#025-0663, where an aggregate company is proposing to import millions of cubic metres of excess soil to fill in a pit.

One unanswered question is why this much fill is needed to “rehabilitate” the pit. It is fine to say it will become agricultural land but is this much fill needed for that result, assuming that rehabilitation to agricultural land is possible? As I understand it, the berms that surround pits are put in place, using the topsoil on site when the pit begins excavation, and that this is done, in part, so the berm soil can be put back during rehabilitation.

My overriding concern is the impact on the local Credit River watershed.

This pit is 571 hectares in size and is below the water table. The company submission refers to the body of water as a “pond”. The international Ramsar wetland convention sets the upper limit for pond size as 8 hectares/20 acres. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pond The company has not clarified in the “pond’s” size but a quick look at Google Maps shows the body of water is lake-sized, likely larger than Green Lake (refer attached file).

This body of water is fed by surface and groundwater which also supplies Caledon's drinking water. The risk of contaminated soil being used is concerning. It is difficult to believe that 11 million cubic metres of soil would be thoroughly tested enough to eliminate this risk to our drinking water.

Even assuming all the soil was “safe”, filling this huge body of water will negatively impact the water flow in this area. The lake on this pit property is now part of local hydrologic and hydraulic form and function of the area. To my knowledge, the water flow from this property would be towards the Credit River and Green Lake, a lake surrounded by residents on private wells. We cannot continue to put our long-term water supplies at risk, especially in northwest Caledon which is already facing other water-impacting pressures in a mere 6 km stretch.

If safe fill is needed for any rehabilitation efforts, please have the company use the existing berms to fill in the land areas only and ensure nothing is done to the lake on the property.