CLEAN WATER COMMITTEE ELECTS NEW CHAIR, ALLOCATES FUNDING
Agriculture and rural affairs activist Jackie Pemberton has been named Chair of South Nation Conservation’s influential Clean Water Committee, replacing Navan farmer Denis Perrault.
A Winchester area farmer, Pemberton has promoted rural environmental causes for 20 years, on boards and committees and in municipal and industrial contexts. She has been a member of the CWC for the past several years and is also a member of the regional Source Protection Committee.
“Jackie is an expert in the field,” said SNC Chairman and fellow dairy farmer Bill Smirle. “She brings a lot of experience and credibility to any public position she takes on.”
Noting the importance of the CWC and the work it does within South Nation’s jurisdiction, Pemberton said she appreciated the opportunity to follow in Perrault’s footsteps.
“Denis devoted a lot of time to South Nation and the CWC. Under his Chairmanship, opportunities available under the Clean Water Program became more widely known and participation increased.”
The CWC is one of four SNC standing committees that rely for success on community participation. The other committees are Forestry, Fisheries and Communication. Responsibilities of the members have recently been strengthened in redrafted terms of reference.
Membership of the CWC includes farmers, environmentalists, industry, municipal and provincial representatives, and the regional stewardship council. The committee’s main role is to allocate funding for pollution reduction in the 4,000 square-km SNC watershed.
This season, the CWC considered more than 40 applications under four funding sources. A total of $66,000 was allocated to 14 projects with a total value of $454,000 once landowner contributions have been factored in. Twelve projects are on a waiting list should additional funding become available.
While core funding has been exhausted, some money is still available under associated programs, said Ronda Boutz, SNC Team Leader, Communications and Outreach. They include the Ottawa Rural Clean Water Program that has approved $22,386 and is accepting applications until this September, and the Eastern Ontario Water Resources Well Decommissioning Program that has handed out $5,950 to six projects and is also accepting applications.
Meanwhile, no more money is available through the Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Programs that has approved an upward limit of $54,000 for two projects.
“Anyone who missed out in this round should be considering their applications for next year,” Boutz emphasized. “Through the CWC, support is provided to applicants through site visits and assistance with applications.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Ronda Boutz, SNC, 877-984-2948, ext. 251.
Rboutz@nation.on.ca