HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-03-18, Page 72LEASE SPECIALS • LEASE SPECIALS • LEASE SPECIALS
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Page 16A - Farm Progress '98
FkRM
"Drain Your Farm Before It Drains You"
A.G. HAYTER
CONTRACTING LTD.
R.R. 3 Parkhill
519E23812313
Allen Hayter
Residence
238-2881
Grant Hayter
Residence
235-4507
Glenn Hayter
Residence
238-6968
DR:I\;GE PR ESIO\SI\CE 196, -
Mother Nature has
her own police force
by Blake Patterson
Whether it's
through comic
books or your
favorite cop show -- you
know the drill. The call
cones in, a crime is report-
ed, and Superman or Dirty
Harry is dispatched to
wipe the scum off the
streets.
But did you know a
similar system is in place
to protect Mother Nature?
Not many people know
about them, but the
province has a specially
trained group of enforce-
ment officers in this region
tasked to investigate and
prosecute people for
offences against the envi-
ronment.
John Scarterfield is one
of those officers and he
wants people to know, "We
are out there, and if
(offenders) are not
careful, they'll see
us."
Scarterfield is an
charges started with a tele-
phone call from fishermen
who reported dead fish and
discolored water in
Naftel's Creek.
Scarterfield says that's
how the process usually
kicks into action.
A call comes into his
office to report something
such as a manure odor and
discoloration in a stream.
A pollution abatement offi-
cer is then sent out to con-
firm the report, verify the
source, and if necessary,
stop the pollution, take
samples, photographs and
begin an investigation.
If the case warrants, its
file is handed over to the
investigations branch for
further investigation. It's
their job to "piece together
what happened" and deter-
mine whether or not suffi-
research is complete, the
investigating officer must
prepare a brief for the
Crown attorney, swear
information before the
court and have legal docu-
ments issued.
Scarterfield said the
process of being investi-
gated can be its own form
of deterrent.
Whether or not the case
goes to court, Scarterfield
said, "We find we rarely
see a repeat offender."
Part of that success rate,
may be due to the 'fines
offenders can face if they
are convicted.
A first offence under the
Federal Fisheries Act
could cost a polluter as
must as $300,000 and a
second offence could bring
jail time.
Under the Ontario
Water Resources
Act, individuals face
a fine of $10,000 and
the possibility of a
year in jail for a first
offence.
Corporations, can be
charged as much as
$100,000 for a first
offence.
As for what can
be done to avoid a
visit from
Scarterficld and his
friends, he said, "A little
bit of preventative action
could save a lot of time."
' 1 -le said offices of the
Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture Food and
Rural Affair, as well as
local Conservation
Authorities have lots infor-
mation to help everyone
better understand environ-
mental issues.
"There is no excuse for
not getting help," he said.
The Sarnia office is
responsible for responding
to spills and environmental
concerns in the counties of
Huron, Lambton, Essex
and Kent.
If you need to contact
the the Ministry of
Environment and Energy
for more information or to
report a spill. you can call
1-800-387-7784 or I -80O-
268-6060.
investigator with the
Investigations and z'- -f �.•
Enforcement Branch
of the Ministry of
Environment and
Energy. There are
seven investigations
officers serving the
Southwestern
Ontario region.
Scarterficld works in the
Sarnia office with two
other investigators. Two
investigators work out of
London, one is based in
Windsor and another is in
Owen Sound.
*On March 5,
Scarterfield's
brought to
Goderich.
A Huron County farm-
ing operation faced
charges in relation to a
spill of liquid pig manure
into Naftel's Creek on or
about Nov. 16, 1996. The
judge decided to delay the
case until next month, but
thc fact the case is in court
at all. represents thc end
result of Scarterfield's day-
to-day efforts.
In the case of the
manure spill. the investiga-
tion which led to the
one of
cases was
court in
cient evidence exists with
which to recommend pros-
ecution.
Scarterfield said each
case is unique. One case
could be technically com-
plex and involve a major
corporation in Sarnia's
chemical valley while
another case could be as
simple as a farmer using
the wrong kind of pesticide
on one of his fields.
About a half dozen
cases are completed each
year, but Scarterfield said
each investigator will be
working on between 10
and 15 cases at any one
time.
Deciding whether or not
to take a case to court is
not based on the whims of
the investigating officers.
"It's not an arbitrary
decision," said
Scarterficld. After a