Consultation sought on asphalt

Community members are being invited to participate in the early stages of forming proposed legislation concerning hot mix asphalt production in Kahnawake, with written feedback and open consultation sessions taking place in the coming weeks.

“We want to hear from the community just about the idea and the concept of having a hot mix asphalt business in the community, and listen to the pros and cons that people might have,” said Lloyd Phillips, commissioner of public safety at the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK).

Hot mix asphalt has been the topic of tensions in the community. Previously, the JFK Quarry produced asphalt, with its production and all other activities at its site subject to MCK’s Sanitary Conditions Law, which has been in place since the early 2000s.

Though JFK held a Sanitary Conditions Law permit, community members expressed concern with its asphalt production, and it was decided that MCK would create a separate, specific permit for asphalt production.

The quarry wasn’t permitted to reopen asphalt production, which is a seasonal activity, last year or this year.

“It’s a complicated type of situation. In Kahnawake, we don’t have any zoning laws, so it’s very difficult to regulate something when it’s a private property and a private business,” Phillips said.

“It’s complicated, but the community has input in whatever Council does in terms of regulations.”

The consultation process is part of the Community Decision-Making and Review Process (CDMRP) - a technical drafting committee has been working out details for the consultations and seeking input from environmental health services and the Kahnawake Environment Protection Office (KEPO) before launching this first phase of consultations.

Open consultation sessions will take place at the Golden Age Club on Friday, July 25, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursday, July 31, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and written feedback will also be accepted by email until August 12.

“At this point it’s not a detailed, in-depth discussion about the regulations themselves, it’s about a framework of what regulations could look like, and we want to hear what people have to say,” Phillips said.

A report will be compiled after the consultations are finished, which will inform a more focused set of consultations, most likely in the late fall.

Once that process is complete, the Council table determines if the regulations will be enacted.

MCK grand chief Cody Diabo said it’s important that the community make their voice heard, given that the topic of asphalt has been controversial in the past.

“Obviously there’s concerns with anything, with increased traffic, concern about potential pollutants, we’re very environmentally conscious as a people as well, but with anything, I think if regulations are developed there would be strict criteria and we’d engage with experts as well,” Diabo said.

“Things on their own might be dangerous, but if they’re tightly regulated, is this something that could benefit the community overall?”

He reiterated that since there’s no zoning laws in the community, it makes situations like this difficult to navigate.

“I know they’ve tried it (zoning) in the past numerous times, but maybe it’s a conversation that needs to be brought back up again, because I don’t know if we should be telling people they can’t do something to better themselves or their family, or create something for their family, but it also shouldn’t be done at the expense of others,” Diabo said.

“We have to find a way that we can grow but still keep our values at the forefront.”

For more information about the consultation process, community members are advised to contact MCK’s public safety division. Community members wishing to submit written feedback can email their thoughts to [email protected].

[email protected]