The Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) wants Blind River to check on potential water seepage into the town’s landfill.
In a letter to council, the MOE noted that the solar panel site neighbouring the dump was built without a proper storm water management system. The solar panel site is on town-owned land and is operated by the municipally-owned utility North Shore Power Group (NSPG).
“Given the elevated locations of the solar farm to the neighbouring domestic landfill site, it appears that more storm or freshet water is flowing towards the landfill site which could contribute to a greater landfill leachate problem for the waste site,” the ministry wrote in a letter to the town.
The ministry letter said since the town owns both properties it “needs to establish a consistent storm water collection and treatment system(s) to ensure the protection of the surrounding natural environment, solar farm infrastructure and landfill operations.”
The ministry is calling on the town to provide it with an “update on an action plan to address this matter, by May 31, 2019.”
Town CAO-Clerk Kathryn Scott told council she has notified the town engineer and NSPG of the ministry letter. An inspection of the site is expected at the end of this month.