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News Release

Preferred vendor announced for energy-from-waste project

WHITBY, ON April 14, 2009 — A staff report recommending the selection of a preferred vendor for the proposed Durham/York energy-from-waste (EFW) facility, which also determines the technology, was presented to a joint Durham Region Works and Finance & Administration Committee meeting today at Regional Headquarters.

The joint Commissioners' report recommends Covanta Energy Corporation as the preferred vendor, based on a formal evaluation of submissions received from four pre-qualified vendors. The preferred vendor, subject to Regional Council approval, will execute an 'Early Works' agreement with the Regions in order to complete the environmental assessment (EA), develop architectural renderings for consideration, and negotiate with the Regions to finalize the draft design, construct and operate agreement.

Although this joint committee passed the recommended preferred vendor, Durham Regional Council still needs to consider this report during its regularly scheduled meeting on April 22. In addition, a final decision regarding the execution of an agreement to design, construct and operate the proposed facility will not be made by Durham Regional Council until June 2009.

Covanta Energy Corporation is proposing to be the single source, full service contractor to design, permit, build, start up, commission and operate a 140,000-tonne-per-year, EFW facility for the Regions of Durham and York. Covanta is the largest provider of EFW services in North America, with 35 operating facilities in the United States, including 24 that were designed and built directly by Covanta.

Covanta will serve as the overall project co-ordinator with the responsibility for directing the design, engineering, procurement of equipment, and construction of the new EFW facility. Martin GmbH will serve as Covanta's EFW technology partner—an organization that supplied the technology currently used at 22 of Covanta's facilities, as well as numerous facilities in Europe.

In August 2008, Durham Region on behalf of Durham and York Regions issued a request for proposals (RFP) and related technical requirements for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of an EFW facility. The RFP was issued to five pre-qualified vendors (companies approved via a previous Request for Qualifications process) who were required to submit their proposals by the February RFP closing date. Submissions were received from four of the five pre-qualified vendors.

The RFP process applied common procurement best practices used by major provincial and federal infrastructure procurement agencies across Canada. Plus, in an effort to ensure fairness, the Region engaged an outside agency to monitor the process.

The evaluation committee consisted of representatives from the Durham and York Works departments and the Durham Region Finance Department. Technical and financial consultants were also available as a resource to assist the evaluation team.

A copy of the report is available on the Region's website (www.durham.ca) and on the study website (www.durhamyorkwaste.ca). Printed copies are available in the Regional Clerk's office at The Regional Municipality of Durham Headquarters, located at 605 Rossland Rd. E. in Whitby.

The selection of a preferred vendor and specific technology for the proposed EFW facility, is part of an EA process that is currently being undertaken by both Durham and York Regions. Since 2005, these two regions have been working together to examine ways to manage residual waste—the waste that remains after composting and recycling. The EA's next steps include final site- and technology-specific studies.

For more information on the Durham/York Residual Waste Study, or to review project milestones to date, visit www.durhamyorkwaste.ca, call 905-307-8628 (or toll-free at 1-866-398-4423), or email info@durhamyorkwaste.ca.

Media Inquiries:
REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM:
Sherri Munns-Audet - Director, Corporate Communications
905-668-7711 ext. 2068