Consolidated Environmental Management Plan for Burrard Inlet ...

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Consolidated Environmental Management Plan for Burrard Inlet / Existing Policy and Planning Initiatives in Burrard Inlet
Regulating Liquid Waste Discharges
Environment Canada’s responsibilities under the
Fisheries Act relate to the enforcement of the prohibition
of the deposition of deleterious substances into
fi sh-bearing waters. The Act enables Environment
Canada to request information from a proponent,
to conduct enforcement actions and to order
remedial actions. Environment Canada’s discharge
of these responsibilities (and as well perhaps the
deterrent effect of the penalties allowed by the
Act) has resulted in the effective management of
discharges that would otherwise contribute to the
degradation of water quality in Burrard Inlet.
The BC Ministry of Environment, through the
Environmental Management Act, is responsible for
authorizing waste discharges into the air, land, marine
and fresh waters. The Ministry ensures that wastes
and discharges comply with Provincial requirements
through monitoring programs and associated
inspections. The Environmental Management Act
also allows municipalities and regional districts
to develop Liquid Waste Management Plans for
approval by the Minister of Environment. The Metro
Vancouver ILWRMP consists of proactive strategies
to ensure liquid waste discharge conforms with
Ministry objectives, an implementation schedule, and
measures to accommodate future development.
Metro Vancouver and its member municipalities
are responsible for the management of municipal
liquid wastes as required by the Environmental
Management Act, through the Metro Vancouver
ILWRMP. The Metro Vancouver ILWRMP is a long-term
plan to manage wastewater treatment, combined and
sanitary sewer infrastructure, source control, biosolids
and stormwater in the Greater Vancouver area.
Through the ILWRMP, Metro Vancouver with member
municipalities develop Integrated Stormwater
Management Plans that take into account retention of
the natural drainage system, pollution prevention tools
such as source control and best management practices
and monitoring. The ILWRMP gives priority to initiatives
and projects that provide the maximum environmental
benefi t for every dollar spent. Consequently, facility
upgrading decisions are based on conserving resources,
maintaining infrastructure, stretching system
capacity and maximizing environmental benefi ts.
Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) is governed by the
Port Authorities Operations Regulations, which
prohibit actions within the Port that will or are likely
to adversely affect soil, air or water quality unless
authorized by the Port. PMV reviews proposals for
potentially prohibited actions and authorizes only
those that are environmentally benign or that include
effective mitigations for the potential effects. Reviews
of existing, potentially problematic discharges are
also undertaken opportunistically (such as at lease
renewals) and mitigations applied where appropriate.
PMV also maintains proactive programs to protect the
environment, such as boarding all deep-sea vessels
entering the Port and sealing their bilge valves to
prevent the discharge of oily bilge water.
The Canadian Coast Guard (Fisheries and Oceans
Canada) responds to spills in Burrard Inlet. Under
the Coast Guard’s leadership, Canada’s national oil
spill preparedness and response system brings
together industry, Environment Canada, the BC
Ministry of Environment, Port Metro Vancouver and
other agencies to protect the marine environment.
Transport Canada is responsible for the discharge of
wastes from vessels under the Regulations for the
Prevention of Pollution from Ships and for Dangerous
Chemicals where all vessels will be required to
have holding tanks and must eliminate waste
effl uent at designated shore pump out facilities.