Save Picton Bay

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Citizen’s group Save Picton Bay calls for public donations to continue water protection mission in Prince Edward County

Concerned PEC residents aim to raise $100,000 to protect the environment and community

TORONTO: September 4, 2018 – Citizen’s group Save Picton Bay announced the launch of a GoFundMe campaign today in an effort to raise $100,000 to continue their water protection mission in Prince EdwardCounty.

The not-for-profit group of local citizens made strides recently when they took shipping business Picton Terminals to court following a toxic petcoke contamination of a residential property and thousands of tonnes of road salt leaching into Picton Bay. Save Picton Bay also challenged The Corporation of Prince EdwardCounty on the interpretation of the zoning bylaws for Picton Terminals’ property.

Although the judge ruled Picton Terminals must cease industrial use of a portion of its land due to its Rural Residential zoning, the ruling allowed Picton Terminals to continue using its main property to transship bulk goods without restriction.

“ Our client is asking for public support in order to appeal the decision. Our client’s goal is to end the pollution caused by Picton Terminals, who aapear to continue to disregard Provincial and Federal regulations,” said Eric Gillespie, lawyer representing Save Picton Bay.

While Picton Terminals contends that garbage transshipping is “off the table”, they show biomass as one of the possible goods to be stored or shipped in the future. Save Picton Bay maintains that garbage or biomass, along with petrochemicals, liquid fertilizers and other harmful materials, could destroy Picton Bay if managed improperly and allowed to enter the water or air.

Ultimately, Picton Terminals has demonstrated an inability to handle toxic materials that are hazardous if accidentally spilled into the Bay:


• The company had a barge sinking and oil spill, which shut down the County’s water system for 10 days in the spring of 2017.

• The company was charged by The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) for improper handling of Petroleum Coke (Petcoke), which led to contamination of a nearby home.

• The company has received several Minister’s Orders by the MOECC and one by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for improper discharging and storage of road salt, as well as for depositing Aluminum, Chloride, Iron and Cyanide in excess of the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for Protection of Aquatic Life into Picton Bay.

• Files entered into evidence during the Court proceedings show Picton Terminals’ experts admitting that approximately 11,000 tons of salt has been lost, presumably into Picton Bay, in the five years Picton Terminals has operated the site.

Save Picton Bay’s objective is not to stop an industry or deny hard-working people their livelihood, but rather ensure that private business is properly regulated for the safety and well-being of the environment and citizens of Prince Edward County. Save Picton Bay is a not-for-profit group made up of ordinary citizens from all walks of life, whose concerns is solely water quality for County drinking, recreation, tourism and commerce.




For more information please visit: savepictonbay.ca

Available for interviews:

David Mackay, Save Picton Bay member

*Eric Gillespie, lawyer representing Save Picton Bay

For media inquiries please contact:

Duet Public Relations

Jennifer Love | T: [phone redacted]

E: [email redacted]

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