CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ASSESSMENT...BELOW WATER TABLE AGGREGATE OPERATIONS

This May 7, 2009 Draft Report was mentioned in the Elmira Advocate last Friday July 16/10. Here is the link to the online report. This report is a cooperative effort of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) and the Ontario Stone Sand and Gravel Association (OSSGA).

What was requested by Puslinch and North Dumphries Townships was a moratorium on below water table gravel extraction until a comprehensive, scientific study was done to determine if any cumulative effects occur affecting either ground or surface water within the Grand River Watershed.

Unfortunately this is not what they received. Pg.2 states "After some discussion and preliminary analysis, the feasibility of undertaking a cumulative effects assessment for the entire Grand River watershed was re-evaluated for a number of reasons including lack of resources, data and science required to conduct a comprehensive study. Instead a set of principles to guide future dialogue and action was developed collectively by representatives from MNR, OSSGA and the Grand River Conservation Authority and are included in Appendix A."

This is exactly what you get with politicized bodies in bed with industry. Puslinch and North Dumphries never had a hope of reining in the aggregate industry in this province. The Principles in Appendix A are nothing more than mom, apple pie, cookies and milk principles. There is no empirical understanding of the damage we are doing to our watershed through aggregate extraction and that is exactly how the people in charge want it. Money rules but bullshit paves the way.