Amendment to the Renewable Energy Approval for the Kingston Gardiner Hwy 2 South Solar Energy Project

On March 24, 2021, we amended Renewable Energy Approval No. 5515-8WDH5G to:

• Include a condition that requires the company to undertake an annual effluent monitoring schedule for the transformer substation spill containment facility

The Renewable Energy Approval for the Kingston Gardiner Hwy 2 South Solar Energy Project issued to SunE Hwy 2 S GP Corp., as general partner for and on behalf of SunE Hwy 2 S LP included a condition that required the company to design, construct and operate the sewage works of the transformer substation spill containment facility such that the concentration of oil and grease does not exceed 15 mg/L.

The Renewable Energy Approval for the facility also required the company to notify the District Manager as soon as reasonably possible of any exceedance of the maximum concentration objective of oil and grease; take immediate action to identify the cause of the exceedance; and take immediate action to prevent further exceedances.

Unlike other Renewable Energy Approvals for nearby solar facilities located in the ministry’s Eastern Region, the Renewable Energy Approval for the Kingston Gardiner Hwy 2 South facility did not include any details regarding the monitoring frequency of the oil and grease; however, the company conducted quarterly monitoring out of good faith. Renewable Energy Approvals issued subsequent to the approval for this facility included conditions requiring the company to measure the oil and grease concentration quarterly and allowed them to contact the District Manager to change the monitoring frequency to annual.

Ministry staff have reviewed the monitoring report and determined that all of the associated laboratory results indicate that the effluent met the 15 mg/L oil and grease objective specified in the Renewable Energy Approval. In fact, for most of the sample results, oil and grease concentrations were below laboratory method detection limits.

Based on the laboratory results, the ministry does not have any objections to the company’s request to reduce effluent monitoring to annual. Conditions have been added to the amendment requiring the company to undertake an annual effluent monitoring schedule for the transformer substation spill containment facility.

No new environmental effects are expected beyond those that were previously identified, documented and consulted on through the Renewable Energy Approval process.

Re-confirmation letters from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries are not required because the changes did not result in relocating any project components beyond the project location that was already assessed.

This Class 3 solar facility, known as the Kingston Gardiner Hwy 2 South Solar Energy Project, is located at Lot 40, Concession 3 in Loyalist Township in the County of Lennox and Addington.

Third party hearing provisions

Any resident of Ontario may require a hearing by the Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) within 15 days after the date this Decision is loaded to the Environmental Registry by written notice served upon all of the following:

Appellate body

Courier mail should be addressed to:

Environmental Review Tribunal
25 Grosvenor Street, 4th Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 1R1

Mail sent through Canada Post should be addressed to:

Environmental Review Tribunal
655 Bay Street, Suite 1500
Toronto, ON M5G 1E5
Phone: 416-212-6349
Toll free: 1-866-448-2248
TTY: 1-800-855-1155
Email: ERTTribunalsecretary@ontario.ca

Issuing authority

Miroslav Ubovic, P.Eng.
Director, Section 47.5, Environmental Protection Act
Environmental Permissions Branch
135 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 1
Toronto Ontario
M4V 1P5
Phone: (437) 216-7610
Toll Free Phone: (800) 461-6290
Email: enviropermissions@ontario.ca

Proponent

SunE Hwy 2 S GP Corp., as general partner for and on behalf of SunE Hwy 2 S LP
c/o Clarke Herring
Great Circle Solar
330 Bay Street, Unit 1210
Toronto, Ontario
M5H 2S8
Email: cherring@greatcirclesolar.ca

An applicant for a hearing shall state in the notice requiring the hearing:

1. A description of how engaging in the renewable energy project in accordance with the renewable energy approval will cause either:
   • serious harm to human health
   • serious and irreversible harm to plant life, animal life or the natural environment
2. The portion of the renewable energy approval in respect of which the hearing is required
3. The relief sought.

Further information is provided on the ERT’s website at: https://olt.gov.on.ca/tribunals/ert/about-the-ert/renewable-energy-appeals/