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Province gives okay for quarry expansion LISA TALLYN Staff Writer After more than a year of waiting for a verdict, the provincial cabinet has given Dufferin Aggregates' Milton quarry expansion the green light. On Friday, the Province dismissed an appeal filed by two environmental groups and three residents opposed to the application, meaning the 83-hectare extension that straddles the Milton/Halton Hills border (in the Town Line/15 Sideroad area) can proceed. Barbara Halsall, past president of Protect Our Water and Environmental Resources (POWER), one of the groups that appealed the June 2005 Joint Board approval of the quarry expansion, called the cabinet decision "very disappointing." "I think it's a huge mistake," said Halsall. "This really violates Escarpment protection." "The purpose of having the Niagara Escarpment Protection and Development Act is to have a continuous natural environment, and when you bisect that, it's no longer continuous. It just boggles my mind that they don't get it." Halsall also said with cabinet's dismissal of the appeal, the provincial Liberals "violated their whole greenbelt strategy." Dufferin Aggregates general manager Bill Galloway was pleased with cabinet's decision to uphold approval of the quarry extension. "All the agencies supported the project, and it fits well with government policy. We agree with the Board's conditions, especially since most of them had already been recommended by the municipalities, the Niagara Escarpment Commission and Conservation Halton," said Galloway in a n Aqua boy The water gives Ryan Smith a somewhat eerie appearance as he competes in the 11-yearold boys' 100 metre breaststroke for the Halton Hills Blue Fins during the team's swim meet held this past weekend at the Georgetown Indoor Pool. Photo by Shawn McAlpine