SELECTIVE EVIDENCE USED IN ELMIRA

A map would be helpful but at the moment I can't provide that. Basically we have a grossly contaminated area of shallow soil and water at Uniroyal/Chemtura and another one at the old Varnicolor Chemical site bounded by First St., Union St. and Howard Ave. In the deeper Municipal Aquifer we have NDMA, Chlorobenzene, Ammonia and dozens of other chemicals. Astoundingly, contrary to most normal distributions of contaminants, Chlororbenzene concentrations rise from Chemtura southwards towards the water tower as does Ammonia. Similarily in the MU, NDMA rises even further south in the vicinity of Oriole Parkway and Industrial Dr. What is lacking is monitoring of the shallow groundwater from Chemtura southwards. By intentionally not doing this, they have sucessfully eliminated the possibility of Borg, Varnicolor or anyone else being implicated for anything other than localized pollution. Furthermore by focusing for twenty years on NDMA and Chlorobenzene (& Ammonia ) we have all but forgotten all the other chemicals which had been found in the south wellfield (E7/E9). These chemicals included Cyclohexlamine, Fluorene, xylene, anthracene and more. Until and unless the Ontario M.O.E. do a real hydrogeological study of Borg & Varnicolor, both shallow and deep, including soil and groundwater monitoring, we will be left knowing that the M.O.E. cut a deal with Uniroyal twenty years ago to accept all the blame for the destruction of the Elmira aquifer. What was Uniroyal/Chemtura's price? How badly did the taxpayers get shafted? Who at the M.O.E. was involved in this coverup? Did this coverup go right to the top? One senior M.O.E. officer got fired for protecting Varnicolor Chemical. Were there other M.O.E. officers protecting Varnicolor or even Uniroyal? Why was Borg given a free pass without a serious investigation? Why to this day, despite a Control Order demanding a deep investigation at Varnicolor, has it never been done? Why did M.O.E. officers lie by initially claiming there were no buried drums of chemicals on Varnicolor's Lot 91?

In my humble opinion these questions deserve honest answers not just for the benefit of cleaning up the Elmira Aquifer but for the benefit of cleaning up the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. A cleanup of the M.O.E. could positively affect the rest of the province and is long overdue.