现在来说明一下为什么这个沥青厂在这里作业是非法的。
分享安省环保法的一个章节:
Ontario Environmental Protection Act Section 14
14 (1) Subject to subsection (2) but despite any other provision of this Act or the regulations, a person shall not discharge a contaminant or cause or permit the discharge of a contaminant into the natural environment, if the discharge causes or may cause an adverse effect. 2005, c. 12, s. 1 (5).
Exceptions
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to,
(a) a discharge that is authorized under this Act or the Ontario Water Resources Act, if the discharge does not cause and is not likely to cause an adverse effect; or
(b) a discharge of a contaminant that arises when animal wastes are disposed of in accordance with normal farming practices, if the only adverse effect that is caused or that may be caused by the discharge is an adverse effect referred to in clause (a) of the definition of “adverse effect” in subsection 1 (1). 2005, c. 12, s. 1 (5).
Interpretation
1 (1) In this Act,
“adverse effect” means one or more of,
(a) impairment of the quality of the natural environment for any use that can be made of it,
(b) injury or damage to property or to plant or animal life,
(c) harm or material discomfort to any person,
(d) an adverse effect on the health of any person,
(e) impairment of the safety of any person,
(f) rendering any property or plant or animal life unfit for human use,
(g) loss of enjoyment of normal use of property, and
(h) interference with the normal conduct of business; (“conséquence préjudiciable”)
网友们可以自己想一下,沥青厂的周边并不是重工业,绝大多数是商业设施和轻工业,居民区的距离是 243 米,方便起见我们一般说 250 米。沥青厂的作业会产生环保法列举的那些 adverse effects 吗?这个不难得出结论吧?
根据我得到的 free advice,对这个章节的解释是,即使沥青厂满足了条件,比如,zoning,如果它造成了任何一个 adverse effect,它的作业都是不能允许的。这个不难理解,因为这个也是为什么要有环保法的理由。
那么什么叫做非法呢?不合法的就是非法。这样理解有错吗?
市政府和环境局坚持只要他们有污染排放许可就是 legal 的,那么在某些人利用职权批出允许沥青厂违反环保法作业的 permit 的情况下,这个 permit 本身就是违法的,这个作业还是 legal 的吗?这种情况就涉及到了腐败。