TAMRMS#: B02
7.1
title
Environmental Advisory Committee Recommendations: Environmental Management of Contaminated Sites Policy (C-IS-06) Amendments
Presented by: Meghan Myers, Manager of Environment
label
REQUESTED MOTION
recommendation
That the amended Council Policy C-IS-06 Environmental Management of Contaminated Sites attached to the agenda report entitled “Environmental Advisory Committee Recommendations: Environmental Management of Contaminated Sites Policy (C-IS-06) Amendments” dated July 2, 2024, be approved.
body
PURPOSE OF REPORT
The purpose of this report is to bring to Council a recommendation arising from an item on the agenda of the April 25, 2024 meeting of the Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC). The motion approved by EAC was:
“That the Environmental Advisory Committee recommend to Council that the amended Policy C-IS-06 Environmental Management of Contaminated Sites be approved.”
A review of the Contaminated Sites Policy was included in the EAC’s 2024 Work Plan and Priorities. As such, the EAC reviewed and endorsed the policy amendments, as set out in the Committee minutes that are included as Attachment 1 to this report. In addition, City staff from Planning and Development, Financial and Strategic Services, Public Operations, Engineering, and Legal, Legislative & Records Services were consulted to inform and confirm the recommended amendments for Council’s consideration.
Originally approved on August 25, 2014, and last revised on January 21, 2019, Council Policy C-IS-06 Environmental Management of Contaminated Sites (the ‘policy’) is in place to mitigate the environmental risks and liabilities related to City-owned contaminated sites.
The following changes, as outlined in the marked-up copy of the policy, which is included as Attachment 2 to this report, are being proposed (the amended policy is Attachment 3 to this report):
• Update the ‘Environmental Management System’ definition to refence the most recent International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 14001.
• Update the ‘Environmental Regulator’ definition to include only the two most significant authorities and current regulator name: Alberta Environment and Protected Areas and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
• Replace the Public Sector Accounting Board (PSAB) standard PS 3270 (Solid Waste Landfill Closure and Post-Closure Liability) with PS 3280 (Asset Retirement Obligation) which is associated with the retirement of a tangible capital asset resulting from its acquisition, construction, development, or normal use. The PS 3270 standard has been withdrawn from the Public Sector Accounting Standards handbook and replaced with the more general standard PS 3280.
• Remove the clause associated with the Environmental Management System (EMS) requiring procedures that ensure the system is audited annually. Auditing is an operational requirement of the ISO standard and is included in other documentation for the EMS.
• Change cross references with updated and current documents.
body
Report Date: July 2, 2024
Committee: Environmental Advisory Committee