VARNA – Municipality of Bluewater council passed a resolution Aug. 23 to prohibit any underground gas storage facility under or within three kilometers of its urban and residential areas.

A motion on the matter, which passed unanimously in a recorded vote, states the ban would be in place until questions and fears of residents can be resolved.

The move is a response to a June 21 delegation from the Zurich Landowners’ Association, which noted a series of concerns about the potential impact of a proposed natural gas storage facility for the Zurich area.

As previously reported, those concerns range from the potential for accidents and water contamination to decreased property values.

The group also claims one quarter of the village is located over a buffer zone for the pool, something Tribute Resources, the company behind the potential development, would not confirm.

The ZLA also claims St. Boniface School is located over the pool area itself, while Tribute claims the school is "in the vicinity of the storage pool."

The company told the Times-Advocate the proposed structure is 1,500 feet below ground "in a geological rock formation that has existed for millions of years."

The company said all surface operations would be located "sufficiently distant from the school property so as to ensure there are no safety concerns."

The company rebutted various other concerns in a story published in the July 14 edition of the Times-Advocate.

Council directed municipal staff June 21 to review the matter, listing all negative ramifications or risks versus possible gains for the community.

In a report to council Aug. 23, Bluewater utilities superintendent Brent Kittmer states it was recommended a peer review be completed on the matter, involving a detailed geological and hydrological review.

Kittmer’s report states the municipality does not have a qualified staff member to conduct such a review, and suggests a budget of $10,000 for the peer review.

The report claims Tribute has not submitted a formal application to the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) for the Zurich gas pool, and Kittmer suggested council may wish to delay the review until such an application is made.

Deputy Mayor Dave Johnston took issue with paying for a peer review, asking why the municipality wouldn’t ask Tribute to satisfy the concerns of ratepayers.

"I think it’s incumbent on Tribute Resources to satisfy those concerns, and I for one … will not support Tribute Resources until the people of the Zurich Landowners Association are satisfied," he said.

Zurich Coun. Marg Deichert then moved that the municipality not allow such a project within three kilometers of Bluewater’s urban and residential areas.

The motion passed with little further discussion.