OSHAWA — It’s not 90 days, but opponents of an ethanol plant at the Oshawa harbour will take what they can get.

The federal government has granted a two-week extension for the public to comment on a proposal from FarmTech Energy Inc. to build a 12-hectare facility at the waterfront.

Earlier this month Oshawa council asked to extend the July 28 deadline by 90 days based on the fact that many residents are away during the summer months.

Mayor John Henry said the new Aug. 12 cut off will still give the City time to add to a massive stack of opposition letters.

“We’ve collected over 2,300, there’s been a big response,” he said. “This gives us a little bit longer to get even more.”

The City recently took the unusual step of launching a public awareness campaign opposing FarmTech’s proposal for a plant capable of producing 210 million litres of ethanol a year.

The company has applied for federal funding for the project under the ecoAgricultural Biofuels Capital program.

Before a decision is made, public feedback is invited on the environmental assessment screening report for the project.

The City campaign outlines a slew of concerns about the project including how close the facility would be to the environmentally sensitive Second Marsh wetland, Waterfront Trail, Oshawa Community Museum and Lakeview Park.

There is also the fact that residents “resoundingly” rejected the idea at a City meeting on the future of the waterfront.

The Canadian Environmental Law Association, Friends of the Second Marsh and Lake Ontario Waterkeeper have partnered with the City in its fight.

“The timing of this whole situation minimizes the opportunity to have people analyze some of the information in the report and minimizes public awareness. This is a time of year when most people are on vacation or leaving to go on vacation,” said Brian Brasier, executive director at Friends of the Second Marsh.

His group is concerned about the impact of emissions, corn dust and heavy truck traffic on the wetland, which is home to a variety of wildlife including 305 bird species, 57 fish species and 32 mammal species.

FarmTech president Dan O’Connor described the City’s campaign as “disappointing but not surprising” in a statement earlier this month.

He said the port location offers the best competitive advantage and will create “high-paying” local jobs as well as benefits for farmers across southern Ontario.

The mayor said the opposition is all about location.

“People are not opposed to the concept of biofuels, but they’re opposed to ethanol at the harbour,” he explained.

To download the City’s opposition letter, visit www.oshawa/harbour.

To view the screening report, visit www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca and search for project number 08-01-42395 or go to the McLaughlin branch of the Oshawa Public Library for a hard copy.

Comments can be submitted directly to the federal government by e-mailing ecoABC@agr.gc.ca or sending mail to: FarmTech Energy Corporation Environmental Assessment, c/o ecoAgriculture Biofuels Capital Initiative, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 1341 Baseline Road, Tower 7, 7th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0C5.