Nick Mocan Joins LSRCA’s Phosphorus Offsetting Implementation Committee

Months after releasing the new Phosphorus Offsetting Policy (which went into effect January 1^st), the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority’s Phosphorus Offsetting Implementation Review Committee met in late February.

The committee was formed to assist in implementing the Lake Simcoe Phosphorus Offsetting Policy (LSPOP). Ultimately the role of the committee is to review potentially funded Low Impact Development and retrofit projects, ensure projects meet implementation criteria, review and recommend water quality monitoring, and provide direction on other ways to improve phosphorus offsetting.

Crozier Engineer and Senior Partner, Nick Mocan, M.Sc., P.Eng., was at the inaugural meeting with other committee members from the development industry, watershed municipalities, and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Phosphorus is one of the greatest threats to this watershed’s health. The new policy requires future development in the Lake Simcoe Watershed to achieve a target of zero-phosphorus discharge into Lake Simcoe and surrounding waterways. According to the LSRCA, Lake Simcoe Phosphorus Offsetting Program will result in many other environmental, social and economic benefits including:

• Reduced peak flows, frequency and severity of flooding, risk to life, property and social disruption,
• Increased resilience of communities to climate change,
• Enhanced groundwater recharge to maintain ground-water drinking supplies and ecological services,
• Creation of green industry – jobs in construction, operation and maintenance,
• Facilities that are aesthetically attractive and provide opportunities for carbon offsetting and climate change mitigation.