Meet our team
John Sferrazza – President
Mr. Sferrazza is a Senior Project Manager and Director of EAG. In his career of over three decades, he has completed numerous mine permitting projects, ecological and aquatic environmental assessment projects including, environmental assessments and Class EAs, Environmental Effects Monitoring studies for both Pulp and Paper and Metal Mining companies. He has also designed and implemented environmental baseline assessments for permitting of resource development projects, assimilative capacity studies to support Industrial Sewage Certificate of Approvals and in situ aquatic toxicity studies, He has been involved in all aspects of environmental monitoring projects including, client liaison, project planning/costing and consulting and contract administration and preparation of technical proposals and reports.
Mr. Sferrazza has over 30 years of environmental consulting experience, most of it relating directly to assessments of aquatic habitats for Environmental Effects Monitoring purposes. He is also well accustomed to dealing with regulators at all levels of government. His more recent project experience has been focused on the permitting of new and re-commissioned metal mine sites in Ontario. He has designed programs to obtain the environmental data required to support the various permits required to move these sites from exploration to advanced exploration and into production.
John has been involved in the permitting of new mine sites, sites proceeding from advanced exploration to production and the re-commissioning of closed mine sites. He has successfully negotiated environmental permits from all levels of government for the purposes of site development including Environmental Assessments, Class EA’s, Species at Risk, Fish Habitat Compensation or Letters of Advice, development of site specific effluent limits, Permits to Take Water, and Environmental Compliance Approval applications. He is also well known and respected by regulatory agencies and has liaised with federal, provincial and municipal government on behalf of his clients for many years.
Andrew Rees, Ph.D. – Senior Environmental Scientist
Andrew is an environmental scientist with an extensive background in hydrology, water quality, and water management. He has over 15 years of experience in planning and implementing environmental projects, including baseline studies, environmental assessments, feasibility studies, and scientific research programs. He has a doctorate degree in hydrology and has an extensive background in water quality, water balance studies, climatology, environmental modelling, and spatial and statistical data analysis.
He has developed and reviewed multiple reports to support permitting applications and environmental assessments for several clients throughout Ontario, Canada, and Africa.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Hydrology, Water Quality, Surface Water Management, and Climate
Environmental Assessment, Permitting, and Compliance
Hydrogeology, Geomatics, Statistical and Spatial Data Analysis
Darryl Boyd – Senior Environmental Scientist
Darryl has been employed in the mining sector for over 21 years as an operator and as a consultant. As an operator, Darryl has completed the permitting for several Ontario project start-ups from preliminary exploration through to advanced exploration and commercial production (underground and open pit). As a consultant, Darryl has initiated the permitting for several project start-ups and prepared overall permit acquisition plans for handover to owner’s staff and then periodic follow-up audits with periodic technical support. A list of project start-ups for which Darryl has managed baseline studies, engineering designs, permitting, consultation / engagement and selected long-lead procurement and planning (water treatment, wastewater treatment, energy supply) is provided below.
North American Palladium Ltd. – Lac des Iles Mine & Mill; Shebandowan West Advanced Exploration Project
FNX Mining Company Inc. – McCreedy West Mine; Norman North Advanced Exploration Project; Levack Advanced Exploration Project
First Nickel Inc. – Lockerby Mine; Premiere Ridge Mine (permitting only)
Lake Shore Gold Corp. – Timmins West Advanced Exploration Project; Bell Creek Mine & Mill
Rubicon Minerals Corporation – Phoenix Advanced Exploration Project; Phoenix Mine & Mill
Harte Gold Corp.: Sugar Zone Advanced Exploration Project; Sugar Zone Mine and Mill
Gold Canyon Resources: Springpole Gold Project (access corridor project)
Superior Lake Resources Ltd.: Superior Lake Project (in progress)
Rock Tech Lithium Inc.: Georgia Lake Project (in progress)
Darryl has scoped and managed assignments including due diligence evaluations by multi-disciplinary teams that have included biologists (terrestrial, aquatic), engineers (water & wastewater treatment, civil and geotechnical related to wastewater management and tailings management, rock mechanics), geochemists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists, air & acoustic specialists, archaeologists, socio-economic impact assessment specialists and risk assessors.
Ron deGagne, P. Geo. – Senior Geoscientist and Project Manager
Mr. deGagne is an accomplished geoscience professional with more than 30 years of progressive experience managing and implementing geo-environmental projects involving mine waste geochemistry and abandoned mine site hazard assessments. He specializes in conducting static geochemical characterization (ML/ARD potential) studies that comprise mine development rock, tailings, and aggregate materials, for mining clients.
Mr. deGagne has conducted numerous studies assessing physical and environmental hazards at inactive and abandoned mine sites for Provincial regulators in Ontario and Manitoba, and for major mining companies. These studies also included the development of site-specific rehabilitation options that conform to regulatory guidelines.
Ron also has a strong early career grounding working in the mineral exploration industry and is proficient in the use of GIS methodologies for geoscience project applications.
Dr. Chris Marwood, Ph.D. – Former Professor at the University of California Santa Barbara (EAG Associate)
25+ years experience in Aquatic Toxicology, Ecological Risk Assessment, Environmental Chemistry, and Statistics. Dr. Marwood is recognized by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment as a QP.
As a former professor at the University of California Santa Barbara, Dr. Marwood developed novel methods for assessing exposure to contaminants in aquatic systems, and evaluated the performance of biomarkers in mesocosm and field studies with aquatic organisms. Since leaving academia, he has focused on conducting and reviewing site-specific human health and ecological risk assessments, environmental assessments, toxicological investigations, and environmental effects monitoring programs. Dr. Marwood has a wide range of experience with different approaches to risk assessment of chemicals and other environmental stressors, and has authored numerous risk assessments in accordance with the requirements of federal, provincial, and regional regulatory agencies. He has considerable experience in the mining sector using risk-based approaches to characterize risk to receiving environments and identify scientifically defensible discharge limits. Dr. Marwood has completed several detailed quantitative ERAs for federal properties, small-craft harbours, and military bases.
His project experience also includes calculating toxicologically-based discharge limits for the aquatic environment and development of risk-based Site-Specific Target Levels (SSTL) for both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Dr. Marwood has significant practical experience with aquatic toxicity testing, and can provide support with the design and interpretation of routine toxicity testing programs or Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE). Dr. Marwood is recognized by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment as a QPRA qualified to conduct risk assessments in support of Records of Site Condition under Ontario’s Brownfield Regulations (O.Reg. 153/04). He has also participated in the creation of a framework for risk assessment of invasive species in Alberta, and the development of the drinking water threats scoring system and a risk management measures catalogue in support of Ontario’s source water protection program under Ontario’s Clean Water Act. Dr. Marwood has taught graduate-level courses in ecological risk assessment and contributed to the body of knowledge in this area in peer-reviewed literature.
Jack Yu – MSc. Environmental Engineering BSc. Chemical Engineering (EAG Associate)
30+ years of consulting experience in Industrial and Municipal Water/Waste Water Treatment.
Jack is a Principal Environmental Engineer with 30 years of consulting and manufacturing experience in the industrial and municipal water/wastewater treatment area. His capabilities include wastewater treatment, treatment process selection, process optimization, and facility operations and troubleshooting. He has planned, designed and constructed physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes for oil & gas exploration, chemical, metal finishing, food processing, dye, textile and electronic industries.
He has also designed and optimized biological nutrient removal process and chemical phosphorus removal for municipal sectors. Jack owns a MS degree in environmental engineering and a BS degree in chemical engineering. Jack is a registered civil engineer in the US and a licensed chemical engineer in Canada.
Pat Bolger – Msc, BSc & CEA (EAG Associate)
38+ years of environmental, health and safety management experience in industry, government and consulting
Pat Bolger is an environment, health and safety professional with 35 years of environmental, health and safety management experience in industry, government and consulting.
Pat has worked on projects in Canada, United States, Peru, Chile, India, Austria, Turkey, Tunisia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. As a result of his global experience, spanning 6 continents, Pat has worked under a wide range of legal, social and political frameworks. He has a valuable appreciation of different multicultural perspectives for resolving environment, health and safety issues.
Pat has 19 years of environmental, health and safety experience working in the mining and power generation sectors. This included roles of Environmental Effects Coordinator and Division Environmental Coordinator (Inco Limited), Corporate Safety, Health and Environment Director (Inmet Mining), and Division Manager of Impacts and Assessment (Ontario Power Generation – Nuclear).
During his 8 years working for the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, Pat served as an Environmental Abatement Supervisor and Mine Rehabilitation Inspector. He supervised enforcement officers in the investigation of hundreds of incidents and public complaints and participated in more than 200 environmental assessment and decommissioning projects.
During the past 7 years as a consultant, Pat has been applying his extensive industry and government experience. He supports organizations in managing a wide range of environment, health, and safety management issues. Major focus areas include implementing governance processes and environment, health, safety management systems (OHSAS 18001 / ISO 14001), conducting audits, facilitating strategic / scenario planning sessions, implementing ecological and human health risk assessments and assisting multi-stakeholder teams with consensus building and conflict management.
Pat has been active in the field of environmental education throughout his career. He taught an Environmental Management Course at Canadore College for three semesters. Pat has served as an advisor on Canadore College’s environmental program advisory committees since 1985 and is currently the Chair of the Environmental Protection Program Advisory Committee. He has also served as an advisor for environmental programs at Northern College, Sault College and the former Ministry of the Environment Brampton Training Centre. He has been a guest lecturer at the University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, University of Western Ontario, Laurentian University, Fanshawe College and Humber College. At the invitation of Environment Canada, Pat participated in a delegation that assisted the government of Chile in developing revisions to its mining and environment regulations.
Pat has a Masters of Science Degree in Biology. He is a Certified Environmental Auditor (Canadian Environmental Auditing Association – Registration Number 960023G) and has completed a Certificate Program in Alternative Dispute Resolution at the Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation in Ottawa.