Monday, November 30, 2020

ONGOING CRA & GHD LIES ON BEHALF OF THEIR WORLD CLASS POLLUTING CLIENTS

Upper Aquifer (UA) groundwater flow directions on the east side of the Lanxess property appear to be total nonsense and fabrications from both consulting companies. These companies on behalf of Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura and now Lanxess Canada have always claimed that the Upper Aquifer flows south-west and discharges into the Canagagigue Creek where it is located either in the middle of their property or where it runs somewhat parallel to their most southern border with the Martin farm. Never have they indicated that any part of their property discharges UA groundwater eastwards onto the Stroh property nor into the Canagagigue Creek further downstream where it is actually east of their (Lanxess) property. ....................................................................................................................... What evidence do we have? Documentation (maps) exist which clearly show that a large part of Lanxess's south-east corner was wetlands. These were wetlands often with standing water as both the maps (CRA April 2013 "GP1 and GP2 Remediation and Capping", Dwg. C-02 "Existing Conditions") and verbal public testimony from Jeff Merriman of Chemtura has stated. Mr. Merriman further stated that the wetlands have now been drained which of course TAG members and a few lucky members of the public found out during the April 2019 site tour. What Jeff and every other lying....oops...factually confused folks have "forgotten" to add is that it was the Stroh Drain (SDDB) installed in 1983 which drained the swamp as it was partially intended to do. The SDDB is approximately five to six feet deep which not only drains standing surface water south and east but also is the low point locally in the Upper Aquifer hence drawing UA groundwater both from the Stroh and Lanxess property towards itself. This "drain" conveniently also includes a significant Berm on its' east side. Hence I refer to it as the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm or SDDB. ............................................................................................................ So we have maps, verbal testimony and first hand eye witness accounts including my own. There is yet another interesting documented fact. I have estimated in the past that the SDDB on the Stroh property runs parallel to the Lanxess property in their south-east corner for approximately 125 to 150 metres. It then runs a few hundred more metres mostly southwards until it discharges into the Canagagigue Creek. In fact while the SDDB is both a surface and subsurface feature, in fact north of it, it is entirely subsurface. There is a subsurface pipe which discharges into the extreme north end of the SDDB approximately one metre below ground surface. Not only are there multiple eye witnesses to this pipe including TAG, CPAC members and members of the public but there are also multiple photographs of it. This pipe discharges groundwater year round into the SDDB. Whether or not it was installed ostensibly to lower the water table, similar to agricultural drainage tile, beneath Mr. Stroh's corn and soybean field to the north may be problematic as 98% of that field is located at elevations greater than 349 metres above sea level (masl). The Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm for example begins further south at the ground surface elevation of 346 masl where it undoubtedly has and continues to drain both surface and ground water. ................................................................................................................... What the pipe discharging into the SDDB is undoubtedly doing however is draining shallow groundwater from the northern two thirds of the Stroh farm property. It is thus lowering the water table on that part of the Stroh property. With the corn/soybean field on the high ground (349-360 masl) one seriously has to wonder if the major purpose of this tile or shallow drain system is to actually assist crop production. It is my opinion that it is not. Of course as Chemtura/Lanxess strictly control public comments and questions through Woolwich Township stewardship ( i.e. co-opted or worse) all the questions surrounding the Stroh property are not up for routine if even minimal discussion. Woolwich Township and Lanxess also control the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) through the Chair whom they pay for her efforts. Hence asking for public answers from either Lanxess or the MOE/MECP does not work well. ......................................................................................................................... So you amateur hydrogeologists, what does artifically lowering the shallow water table, whether called the Surficial Aquifer or the Upper Aquifer, along the Lanxess/Stroh property line actually accomplish? Well what it does is divert shallow contaminated groundwater from the Uniroyal/Lanxess site onto the Stroh property where it is piped southwards. Groundwater just like surface water flows downhill. If you lower the shallow groundwater elevation on the Stroh side of the property line you will draw both surface water discharge AND shallow groundwater flow from Uniroyal/Lanxess onto your property (i.e. Stroh). And that folks has never been said or shown on groundwater elevation contour maps distributed for public consumption in the last thirty years plus.

Sunday, November 29, 2020

I have hand delivered copies of this map to TAG members last spring. The front of the map is in colour and is approximately 8 1/2 inches by 17 inches in size. The front of the document (map) has all the ground surface elevation lines (i.e. topographical contour lines) clearly marked in metres above sea level (masl). The back of the document (map) has on the left side a Conestoga Rovers & Assoc. map from their "DNAPL Investigation Work Plan" report dated Nov. 2006. This map is but one of many recognized sources such as MOE, GRCA, CRA, Reg. of Waterloo showing topographical contour lines. The right side is an Index explaining what the red and yellow arrows represent as well as explaining a few other items on the map. The yellow/orange arrows represent surface flow direction of water, wastewater, solvents and toxic liquid wastes from the east side pits (RPE 1-5). The red arrows (especially the larger red arrows) show low lying ground (like a large bowl) where hydrophobic compounds such as Dioxins/Furans, DDT likely settled out and bonded with soil particles.

Saturday, November 28, 2020

MORE NEWS ON THURSDAY NIGHT'S TAG MEETING

There are a few other Agenda Items from Thursday's TAG meeting however prior to them I am going to add one more, in my opinion, bizarre criticism that Dustin Martin made regarding Sebastian's presentation dealing with East Side Concerns (i.e. Stroh property). I found it so bizarre and weird that it almost rated up there with Ramin Ansari's comments about bringing a pail of water onto the site and emptying it in order to watch the direction that the water flowed. Obviously on asphalt or cement a single pail would pond on the surface and tend to flow downslope. However on bare soil or ground a single pail of water would simply soak immediately into the ground unless it was frozen solid. ..................................................................................................... Dustin appeared to be all out of sorts regarding Sebastian's estimate of 40,000 to 50,000 gallons of wastewaters per day being pumped to the east side pits from 1944 until 1970. He seemed to feel that somehow this volume was being overemphasized. Actually I've seen and quoted higher volumes per day than those quoted by Sebastian. Regardless Dustin somehow felt it important to trivialize or minimize the volumes of wastewaters by suggesting that they could fit in a fairly small pipe perhaps 6 inches square or perhaps 6 inches in diameter. Like so what? Lanxess and their consultants don't deny large daily volumes of toxic waste waters being pumped into east side open ponds which overflowed and then gravity flowed southwards whether solely into GP-1 then into GP-2 or also more likely also following decreasing ground surface elevations and crossing onto the Stroh property right at the now existing Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB). Hence once again this "criticism" is out of place. Sebastian stepped up to right a glaring wrong by his fellow TAG members and Dustin relied upon Sebastian's not being a hydrogeologist in order to attempt to discredit his whole presentation. ...................................................................................................................... Jaimie Petznik (Lanxess) made a presentation about MISA (Municipal Industrial Strategy for Abatement)and it's intended objective of reducing discharge to surface waters from industrial operations. Thirty minutes of talk could have and should have been done in ten. Essentially the MISA program has been replaced by monitoring of these surface water discharges by a different program. Likely that "program" is simply the Environmental Compliance Agreement (ECA) although I may have nodded off during the extended and dragged out discussion. .......................................................................................................... Linda Dickson discussed the Lanxess October Progress Report and how pumping wells W9 and PW5 continue not to be up and running properly. The excuses are innumerable and ongoing. ....................................................................................................... There was also further discussion of the 2020 Canagagigue Creek Sediment and Soil Investigation as well as the Review Comments of this report by the Ministry of Environment as well as Review Comments by the MECP regarding the Supplemental East Side Off-Site Groundwater Investigation. Some appropriate criticisms and suggested actions by the MECP are most likely to eventually get dropped or forgotten, especially by citizens, whether on or off the TAG committee. Bringing one report at a time and dealing with it once and for all in a decisive fashion simply is never going to happen as the guilty parties all prefer using extensive time delays to beat volunteers into eventual submission or perhaps even into a daze. ....................................................................................................................... The TAG Chair got what she wanted, namely more delay. Six plus years and counting since I "discovered" the Stroh Drain. Since then not one single groundwater reading on the south-west side of the Stroh property (beside Lanxess) and certainly not so much as a single soil sample. The Horse Manure and Bullshit by Lanxess and fellow travellors however is in great form and volume.

Friday, November 27, 2020

LAST NIGHT'S TAG MEETING - MORE DELAYS & MORE IGNORING THE OBVIOUS

Well. There were two positives that I got from the meeting. Their names were Linda Dickson and Katerina Richter. There were also two negatives and their names were Tiffany Svensson and Dustin Martin. None of these impressions/opinions are written in stone. Sometimes good people make errors in judgement and sometimes bad people do the right thing for whatever reason. Firstly I am so very tired of the most important Agenda items being last! Whether UPAC, CPAC or RAC/TAG, last night was no exception. A non naive person might get the impression that this was being done intentionally in order to have volunteer members tired and ready to pack it in prior to the most important item. ....................................................................................................... I have this morning talked to two CPAC members who attended virtually last evening as well as another who did not attend last night but has been a regular attendee during live and in person RAC and TAG meetings. I also talked briefly last night after the meeting to Dr. Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach who presented "East Side Concerns Discussion" under Agenda Item 5.1 . There are some commonalities in the comments. Firstly the two positives, Linda and Katerina, clearly have open, objective minds. They listened carefully and know that the south part of the Stroh property has been intentionally avoided. Secondly Dustin Martin seemed compelled to undermine and criticize Sebastian's presentation. What angered me was his lack of balance which was excruciatingly observed at the end of his comments when he was trying to throw Sebastian a bone. He initially nitpicked about the three locations of GP-1, the Hydrograph Table and the subsurface cross-section of the Municipal aquifer which Sebastian likely misinterpreted as deep municipal groundwater apparently flowing eastwards. Neither of the last two points are frankly even remotely relevant to Sebastian's basic premise that the southern part of the Stroh property near Lanxess has NOT been properly investigated. Regarding the location of GP-1, there are three professional maps showing three different locations of GP-1 and I was appalled that Dustin felt it necessary to support GHD's (Lanxess's consultants) self-serving opinion of GP-1's location with absolutely zero evidence to back it up. That to me, shows evidence of bias. Regarding the "bone" that Dustin threw Sebastian's way Dustin vaguely and with mediocre word choice actually 100% supported Sebastian's basic premise that there has been zero investigation of the south one third of the Stroh property. Dustin did this with the following words " GHD have failed to fully and properly delineate the Stroh property." ....................................................................................................................... So how do those words support Sebastian's position? Well it would have been very helpful if Dustin had been more specific as to what "delineation" he was talking about. I believe and understand that Dustin meant that GHD had failed to fully and properly delineate ...the extent of contamination...on the Stroh property. In other words exactly as Sebastian has been saying...Lanxess, GHD and the MECP have utterly failed to do a proper investigation of the Stroh property. Thank you Dustin Martin even though you prefaced it with nitpicking irrelevant criticisms and you failed to make your final message in plain, clear English. ............................................................................................................ Why the shot in the fourth sentence, first paragraph above regarding Tiffany Svensson? The impression that both I amd other observers to the meeting had was that Tiffany was supporting Dustin's criticisms of Sebastian's presentation. It is becoming clearer that she is a "company man". That is unfortunate.

Thursday, November 26, 2020

TWO NEW/OLD ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN TODAY'S WOOLWICH OBSERVER

First off thank you Steve Kannon for the honourable and accurate mention of yours truly in today's Observer article titled "Union St. subdivision plan on hold again". This is one of the two "new/old" issues in today's Observer. The other is titled "Gravel pit cleared for Winterbourne valley, as Woolwich drops legal action." Interestingly/oddly that while both of these issues have been recently active for several weeks/months, we the public literally got the minimum advance notice possible. That includes the fact that I had filled out the form requesting notice of any and all upcoming public meetings etc. dealing with the Hawk Ridge Homes proposed subdivision on Union St. across from Sulco (CCC) and Lanxess Canada. ...................................................................................................... The second item regarding the Jigs Hollow Pit (i.e. Winterbourne Valley) came out of the blue. This is despite the fact that I had attended Local Planning Area Tribunal (LPAT) meetings one to two years ago and like numerous citizens was quite interested and concerned. Absolutely zero media advance warning or any other on that one. The Jigs Hollow issie now appears to be done and over. Woolwich Township withdrew their opposition and indiviual advocates in opposition to this gravel pit likely are not interested in mortaging their homes or retirements in order to continue the fight. They made incredible efforts over many years and deserve our thanks regardless of the outcome, namely a below water table gravel pit right along the banks of the Grand River beside the village of Winterbourne. It kind of makes a mockery of the Heritage River designation as well as the efforts of hundreds if not thousands of citizens over decades to protect the river. .................................................................................................. I posted yesterday about the probable go ahead for the Hawk Ridge Homes proposal. That too is a disgrace. Wake up folks. If you keep electing the Progressive Conservative Party provincially you can count on a faster environmental degradation process than we are already going through. (Yes I admit the Liberal Party desperately required a timeout but there are other choices you know).

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

HO HUM - WORST CASE SCENARIO, FIRES, EXPLOSIONS, TOXIC AIR EMISSIONS - PLEEZ DON"T HARSH OUR MELLOW

And that folks is the takeaway that I received from last night's Woolwich Committee of the Whole meeting. It is a done deal despite Ron Koniuch of Sulco (CCC) receiving a four month Deferral on Council's approval of the Zone Change and Hawk Ridge Homes subdivision plan. Can anybody spell CORRUPTION? Jeremy Vink, Woolwich planner, spoke strongly in favour of planning principles while at the same time I thought that he looked like a cringing dog awaiting a kick. I'll be more diplomatic. He was clearly on the defensive especially as he kept reiterating that Planning is all about dealing with normal, day to day industrial operations not with Worst Case Scenarios, fires, explosions or other emergencies (say a toxic fugitive release of any one of a hundred chemicals) from Lanxess Canada. Wow! He almost had himself convinced. ......................................................................................................... It's so much a done deal it's blatant. All the important facts and decisions have been made in private a long time ago and last night's Deferral is simply, once again, to give the impression that Council are listening to local stakeholders such as Sulco (CCC). In fact apparently now that Lanxess Canada, contrary to their predecessor Chemtura, are no longer in opposition to this subdivision; Sulco appear to be of little significance to Woolwich decison makers. Afterall they failed to advise Sulco of the last eighteen months of discussion with Hawk Ridge Homes. Ron Koniuch made it plain that that was not acceptable and I believe, if it is possible, that he might have embarassed a few councillors at least. ............................................................................................................ What are the possibilities? Is Lanxess planning on skipping out of town and hence their chemical operations and threat to the proposed subdivision ending? Or as Jeremy Vink referenced past Woolwich Councils allowing residential zoning of this former apple orchard owned by Ken Seiling's mother-in-law, could blame be put on a former politician with considerable local and regional influence? Oops I was warned publicly many years ago not to put Mr. Seiling's name together with Hawk Ridge Homes or make any unflattering suggestions about him. Or thirdly is this just the local behind the scenes power structure still firmly in control of our local council? Would this power structure have anything to do with the equally bizarre proposed east side by-pass over contaminated lands? Maybe there's even a fourth and simpler scenario. Doug Ford is strongly showing his pro business, open for business attitudes and the environment and little guys be damned! Could Hawk Ridge Homes developers be politically confident that they can bulldoze opposition to a residential subdivision next to chemical factories (with a history) by filing a lawsuit against Woolwich Township's past intransigence? It sure seems clear that noise, dust and odours are the only issues allowed to be discussed. Death or major negative health effects appear to have been taken off the table by Woolwich Township. Taken off the table privately that is. .................................................................................................... As is usual the public are being kept in the dark. The rationale to date for ignoring the high potential for disaster is ridiculous. Putting up noise barriers and removing windows on the east side of the new homes will mitigate noise and odours. It is unlikely to mitigate toxic fumes either directly from a fugitive chemical release or from burning solvents or other chemicals during a fire. Please do not recommend this subdivison to anyone you care about.

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

WOW-ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER POLICE FORCE ISSUES NOW WE LEARN THAT THEY AREN"T EVEN THAT GOOD AT THEIR PRIMARY ROLE OF SOLVING CRIMES

Last Friday there was an article in the Waterloo Region Record by Jeff Outhit titled "Police blame clearance rate on "overloaded" officers". This isn't going to go well with the voices that are already demanding that the Waterloo Regional Police lose a significant amount of their funding. My understanding is that critics would like to see various social agencies and groups receive some of the police budget in order to deal with issues such as homelessness, drugs and mental health problems. It does seem that these other groups could do a much better job than police officers who are trained to deal with criminals much more than they are trained to deal with victims of many of these social ills. At the same time diverting these calls away from the police might actually assist the police in spending more of their resources on their core mandate of stopping crime. ............................................................................................... Currently our police are solving about one in three crimes reported to them. I wonder how many crimes aren't even reported in the first place? Overall the statistics are disappointing and our local police are not even doing well on a comparative basis with other police forces in Ontario. Factor this in with lawsuits against the force by their own female officers as well as statistical evidence (carding & or stops) of inherent racism within the force and it becomes apparent that change and improvement are necessary. Of course change does not always equal improvement. That said the staus quo does not seem viable.

Monday, November 23, 2020

REPORT AGAINS FIND DISGRACEFUL, HATEFUL ATTITUDES WITHIN THE RCMP TOWARDS WOMEN AND GAYS

Last Saturday's Waterloo Region Record carried the following story by Jim Bronskill (Canadian Press) titled "Report calls for major changes to rid RCMP of toxic culture". Our local Waterloo Region Police have had more success in blocking a class-action lawsuit against them than the Mounties did. In fact millions of taxpayers dollars were provided as compensation to 2,304 women involved in the class-action lawsuit against the RCMP. Isn't the law just peachy when used/misused by those with deep pockets such as police forces, school boards etc.? .................................................................................................... Former Supreme Court justice Michael Bastarache wrote a report on harassment of women in the RCMP and he states that change cannot come from within the RCMP. He also states that "One of the key findings of this report is that the culture of the RCMP is toxic and tolerates misogynistic and homophobic attitudes among its leaders and members." To be clear...misogynistic means women hating and ...homophobic means afraid of homosexuals. Wow doesn't that just speak volumes about our national police force, its' leadership and even our politicians in nominal charge of the RCMP?

Saturday, November 21, 2020

ANY ONE PIECE OF MAJOR SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE ALONE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH

In fact there are three major lines of evidence namely topographical contour lines showing declining ground surface elevations from Uniroyal/Lanxess to the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm located on the Stroh farm/property. Secondly the direction of flow of Canagagigue Creek flood waters onto the Stroh property and thirdly the text of multiple technical reports by various authorities categorically stating that Uniroyal Chemical toxic waste waters flowed onto the Stroh property. The text also mentions the extreme volume of ongoing overflowing east side toxic waste waters from 1942 until 1970. All five east side pits were overflowing and both contaminated surface and ground water eventually discharged downstream into the Canagagigue Creek. All in all every normal and rational individual should have no problem accepting the reality of decades of dioxins/furans, DDT, NDMA and a myriad of solvents, acids etc. all flowing and unfortunately settling out in the low lying areas to the immediate east of the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB). They would of course settle out only until the volume of further incoming liquid wastes exceeded the ability of the ground to absorb these various toxins. They would then carry on for further dispersal downstream. .................................................................................................... Now of course Donald Trump (former U.S. President who thinks he's still the President) would have absolutely zero difficulty in not accepting the above evidence and facts. This is because he is a narcissistic, mental basket case. Why am I pointing out the obvious? Because Donald Trump is not a one off. There are other narcissistic or not, mental basket cases or not persons out there who are so full of themselves, their financial power and local political authority that they routinely advise us that they alone determine the facts on their contaminated property and any independent citizens, experts or consultants who would dare present evidence contrary to their view are wrong. Always wrong. The only ones who are right work for Lanxess Canada and don't you forget it! People like this can neither be reasoned with nor debated. The polite term is that they are ass.oles. ............................................................................................................... It is time for the non-ass.oles out there to say enough is enough. Vote these self-serving, possibly narcissistic persons out of authority in regards to the cleanup of both the Creek and the Elmira Aquifers. Americans got rid of Donald Trump. Can't Elmira get rid of (at the table?) Lanxess, GHD, MECP and if necessary certain idiots on Woolwich Council.

Friday, November 20, 2020

"UNCONSCIONABLE" - NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ACROSS FROM LANXESS CANADA (Uniroyal Chemical)

Last time around both Chemtura (Uniroyal) and Sulco (CCC) were opposed to the proposed Hawk Ridge residential development on Union St. across from those two companies. This time around Sulco still are and will be at council this Tueasday in opposition to the plan. As will I. ....................................................................................................................... I found a reference yesterday to Lanxess's Worst Case Scenario. That reference is in the Minutes of TAG's October 22/20 Minutes on page 2. TAG Chair Tiffany Svensson has "...requested worst case scenario documents from Lanxess in follow-up from past meeting discussions and a presentation from Lanxess in January of this year." Hmm. I recall being advised, presumably at a TAG meeting, that the old Worst Case Scenario was no longer in force but I don't recall being advised of any updated one. Hence I have sent an e-mail to Lisa Schaefer (Woolwich Twn.) asking for a copy of those new Worst Case Scenario documents that Tiffany is looking for. ............................................................................................ Regardless the first word in the title above is most appropriate. This Township, Region and province did little or nothing while Elmira citizens were poisoned by NDMA and much more in their drinking water from the 1960s and onwards including 1989 and 1990. Shame on each and every one of them. Now these same discredited political entities want to approve a residential subdivision literally across the street from a proven careless polluter whether of our water or our air. Truly UNCONSCIONABLE.

Thursday, November 19, 2020

KEY QUESTIONS REMAIN EITHER UNANSWERED OR UNANSWERED TRUTHFULLY

There is very strong evidence that falls just short of the level that Lanxess, GHD and the Ontario Ministry of Environment seem to be insisting upon. Apparently anything short of a living eye-witness, of sound mind who took professional grade photos or videos of overland flowing waste waters from the east side pits (RPE 1-5) is their basic bottom line. Oh and this eye-witness needs to be still alive and a former employee of the company in a position of authority who knew exactly what he was shooting video of. Also preferably the photos/video would not be a one time occurrence but showed ongoing over decades flowing waste waters going south and then east onto the Stroh property by the current Stroh Drain. Lastly these photos and video would be from 1943 through until the pipelines stopped flowing in approximately 1969 or 1970. If such a witness could be found however who was willing to testify, Lanxess and friends would like to administer a senility test as well as question (with prejudice) this person's company loyalty. .......................................................................................................... The evidence will not meet those corporate and bureaucratic levels. Quite. It does however significantly surpass the civil criteria of "on the balance of probabilties". This evidence will be discussed next Thursday, November 26, 2020 at 6:30 pm. at the virtual TAG meeting. Any Woolwich resident can watch (no questions or comments allowed by fiat of the pretend mayor) this discussion by Dr. Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach through contacting Lisa Schaefer at Woolwich Township (lschaefer@woolwich.ca). This evidence showing Uniroyal Chemical wastewater flows directly onto the Stroh property right at the current location of the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB), in my opinion even reaches the criminal level of "beyond a reasonable doubt". ..................................................................................................................... Criminal conduct. Interesting. The title above references either unanswered or dishonestly answered questions. I believe that some of the actions taken by Uniroyal Chemical between 1980 and 1991 may have surpassed the threshold necessary for a criminal conviction. Which specific charges perhaps should be left to a prosecutor.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

WOOLWICH HAVE APPARENTLY SENT 2-3 OF THE REQUESTED TECHNICAL REPORTS TO TAG MEMBERS

So what could possibly go wrong? Oh let me count the ways! First and foremost you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. In other words, TAG members, other than the Chair, are unpaid local (mostly) volunteers with both families and full time employment. This relative "independence" is both their strength and their weakness. How many of them will read any of the reports and how many will read all that are provided especially at this late date? The next question is even more painful. How many who have read little or none of these reports will choose the Chair's position as their default mode? Do you think that busy volunteers who know that this Delegation by one of their senior members is esssentially an appeal of an already made, unresearched and undebated decision presented to them by their Chair several months ago, will admit that they haven't had time to do their homework? How many of them yet again, on a question that they haven't seriously looked at the facts and evidence, will simply default to the original, made in private decision between Tiffany and Ramin (Lanxess)? ........................................................................................................ The opportunities for truth and obvious facts to fall before credentialed and self-serving and dishonest men and women is great. The basic fact that water flows downhill has been sucessfully ignored for the last six years. The fact that the Topographical contour lines showing ground surface elevation, whether produced by Conestoga Rovers, MOE, GRCA, Chemtura are all consistent, is not helpful if TAG members will not spend the time to study them. The fact that I, a non-TAG member, have handed out colour copies of these maps of the Uniroyal/Lanxess property and topographical contour lines to TAG members also will be of little significance if they choose not to study them. .................................................................................................. TAG are approaching a very high cliff. Any failure on their part as a group to do their duty, responsibility, and due diligence will eventually reflect on all of them personally. Hiding behind authority figures or credentialed experts only goes so far. This is a defining moment for TAG's legacy. Are they independent, intelligent, serious volunteers who have decided to look at the evidence with open minds or are they simply a rubber stamp for the status quo, Woolwich Township pro polluter biases and the Ontario Ministry of Environment?

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

THE SHAM OF PROFESSIONAL PLANNING ???

Sure enough the Hawk Ridge proposal is back for yet another kick at the can. Sure enough the first time around Woolwich Council were against this proposed subdivision in the centre of Uniroyal/Chemtura's "kill zone" in the case of their "Worst Case Scenario" which happened to be a major spill of Anhydrous Ammonia. This time around Woolwich's planning department are recommending that Council approve this subdivision, still located across Union street from Uniroyal/Lanxess Canada and Sulco (Canada Colours). .................................................................................................. What has changed? Perhaps better noise insulation in walls facing Union St. and or fewer windows also facing Union St. This may be combined with better sound reducing barrier walls erected again to reduce noise pollution from the late night trains at both Lanxess and Sulco. There has also been further actions similar to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic prior to disaster be it striking an iceberg or toxic fugitive emissions from either company. These other "actions" include warning clauses on the property deeds or rental agreements. Warning clauses not about possible life long injuries or death but about noise and odours including odours from the nearby Sewage Treatment Plant at the bottom (east end) of First St. Yes we are told (by Lanxess) that Anhydrous Ammonia is no longer present but where are the specifics and details regarding their latest "Worst Case Scenario"? Without that Woolwich Councillors are as usual being kept in the dark. .............................................................................................. There are supposedly Ministry of Environment Minimum Setbacks from Class III Heavy Industries. These setbacks are 300 metres. As well there are calculated Potential Areas of Influence as in potential negative consequences which are 1,000 metres from heavy industry such as Lanxess Canada. The Hawk Ridge proposal is within Sulco's Area of Influence although it is not within their Minimum Setback distance. Interestingly there are only two companies within BOTH the Minimum Setback distance as well as within the potential Area of Influence. Those two companies are Uniroyal/Lanxess and the former Varnicolor Chemical at the corner of First and Union St. Euphemistically that property is referred to as a "Storage Yard". Hence this proposed new residential subdivision is basically surrounded by problems especially when you add in noise, dust, and odours from Lanxess, Sulco and the Sewage Treatment Plant. Warning clauses will do little or nothing once the already having happened disasters strike again whether chlorine releases, toxic smoke from fires, sulpher type emissions from Sulco or whatever mechanical or human error occurs yet again most likely from the Lanxess property. Oh and by the way, the Ministry of Environment's Minimum Setbacks, just like more of their rules and regulations, can and will be be circumvented via mitigating actions such as additional reports being required dealing with noise and odours. Or in the alternative, as the toxic plume is approaching, all the residents can frantically wave their copies of these reports at the approaching death and injury, in the hope of blowing it away. Personally I would suggest particular local politicians give a speech in the direction of the approaching death cloud, again hoping that their hot air will save the day. ................................................................................................................... Long live hot air, planning departments and provincial planning legislation. Perhaps it protects our governments from lawsuits after readily forseeable disasters strike. Or perhaps planning departments and legislation are simply tools to permit otherwise ridiculous and incompatible use development where common sense clearly dictates it should not go.

Monday, November 16, 2020

LATE HALLOWEEN HORROR- LIKE DRACULA THE HAWK RIDGE PROPOSAL NEVER DIES

Well I've received a Notice from Woolwich Township in regards to the clearly immortal Hawk Ridge Homes Draft Plan of Subdivision. This incredibly stupid to the point of negligence proposed subdivision is to be located beside the former Varnicolor Chemical and across Union St. from Sulco (Canada Colours) and Lanxess Canada (formerly Uniroyal). When first proposed the idea was an abomination. Afterall there was a documented kill zone radiating westwards from Uniroyal (Chemtura) that encompassed the proposed residential subdivision. This kill zone was based upon the worst case scenario at Uniroyal/Chemtura in the event of a spill or release of toxic compounds. At the time we were advised that Anhydrous Ammonia was the potentially most lethal compound that could be released and travel in the air across Union St. and possibly up to approximately 700 metres away from the chemical plant. .......................................................................................................... So where are we today? Good question. I haven't the foggiest and I've been carefully watching, listening and reading everything I can get my hands on regarding that chemical plant. We the public have been advised that the plant no longer handles Anhydrous Ammonia. Assuming we are being told the truth, and there are lots of reasons to take everything they say with a grain of salt, the new question is : What is now the Worst Case Scenario?". Well golly gee I sure as heck have seen absolutely nothing. Why? Is our Conservative Provincial government telling Ontario chemical plants to relax and don't lose any sleep about the Worst Case Scenario requirements put in place from a previous government? If so then I would love to see young Dougie Ford move up here and be the first in line to buy (AND LIVE IN) a house in that proposed subdivision.

Saturday, November 14, 2020

ONTARIO CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONTINUE THEIR ASSAULT ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN ORDER TO LINE MORE POCKETS

Well is it just me or am I seeing considerably more articles about the environment in the Waterloo Region Record over the last numerous months? Yesterday's Record carried one Opinion and one Editorial from the Record themselves. It was titled "Don't give free rein to Ontario's developers" and the Opinion piece was titled "Rush to be "open for business" puts environment on back burner". It was written by Susan Koswan. ........................................................................................................... Both of these articles are regarding Doug Ford (P.C.) and his ongoing underhanded attack on the environment. This time he has used an omnibus budget bill to slide in his reductions of authority and responsibility of our Conservation Authorities. It is simply a way to concentrate power both at the Cabinet level where he is in charge and with the very reliable Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. You remember them as the gravel pit proponent's best friend in Ontario. ................................................................................................................ Now don't get me wrong. Despite the Record Editorial suggesting that "they've (Conservation Authorities) done a suberb job, too.", I beg to differ. In fact Susan Koswan mentions in her Opinion piece that as of 2011 "...southern Ontario had lost "more than 70 percent of its wetland habitats, 98 percent of its grasslands, and 89 percent of its forests." If that statistic is accurate then shame on each and every municipal, regional and provincial authority for their share of that failure. I do agree however that these latest proposed changes will only make things worse.

Friday, November 13, 2020

NOT A SMOKING GUN BUT WORRISOME NEVERTHELESS - WOOLWICH OBSERVER

There are two very worthwhile articles in yesterday's Woolwich Observer. I might add that I read the Observer week in and week out. I particularly enjoy the Editorial opinions of Steve Kannon as he pulls no punches regarding the sad state of democracy both in Canada and around the world. I have worked very hard for many years to get along with everybody at the Observer with varying levels of success at varying times. Pre-Covid, Joe Merlihan was usually quite willing to have a chat in his office unannounced and I have on a number of occasions complimented Pat Merlihan for stances he's taken at Woolwich Council. I have also kept to myself a single moment of perhaps a too candid comment by Patrick at his request. Steve I have complimented here many times. I also know and respect their father through a mutual friend when Marty was a teacher at Elmira District Secondary School. .................................................................................................... Way back in 1995 it was suggested to me that the brand new Woolwich Observer was owned/funded ? by Donny Martin (Martin Feed Mills) and other Elmira industrialists who were very upset with Bob Verdun and the Elmira Independent. While I don't recall Uniroyal Chemical's name being explicitly stated, I had that impression and considering that Bob was routinely suggesting jail as an option or perhaps not tarring and feathering of senior Uniroyal staff; the impression in his paper was that the most extreme actions would have been completely appropriate under the circumstances. So as to leave no wrong impression, I felt then and even more in hindsight that he was right. ...................................................................................................... The one article yesterday was the Observer's Editorial titled "Elmira bypass a key part of revitalizing the core". The other was titled "Biogas plant operator expects little impact from approved changes". The Editorial suggests that "A bypass route that would take through traffic, particulaly trucks, off of Arthur St. and through, say, an industrial area on the east side of town would do wonders." Very few Elmirians would dispute the need for a bypass to get heavy trucks along with their noise and toxic diesel fumes out of the downtown. Also in fairness the Observer did mention that the Township "...has looked at options on the west side of Elmira.". They did not mention however that those options have been rejected by the Township. The other article primarily described an expansion of Woolwich Bio-Gas in Elmira's north end (Martin Lane area) but also described the east side bypass running from the south end of Union St. (near Arthur St.) and running northwards on the east side of town through the Martin and Stroh farms among others, then rejoining Arthur St. north via Kenning Place. Interestingly this Observer article mentioned that this east side bypass would be "...perhaps as part of a future expansion of the north-side industrial lands.". ...................................................................................................... The problem for me arises if indeed there are shareholders (or outright owners) of the Observer with skin in this game and the Observer are not advising their readers about that. An unbiased reader certainly would want to know if their local paper was in any fashion promoting local planning and development decisions that favoured shareholders etc. of that same newspaper. Besides my recollection from 25 years ago there has been the very recent Comment on Wednesday October 21 in this Blog from a reader with a long, local history in town. That commenter clearly accuses local, well known industrialists and developers of being shareholders of the Observer and hence the Observer are pushing their agenda in their newspaper. Personally I would like to know if that opinion is accurate or not. If so it would explain a mostly hands off policy regarding Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura and Lanxess especially say in the last fifteen years. If not I am still perplexed as to why the Observer have not stepped up and done their duty in keeping the public informed over the last five and a half years since the Elmira Independent shut their doors leaving the Woolwich and Elmira public in the dark regarding Chemtura/Lanxess and the RAC and TAG committees. There have been huge developments and public scandals exposed at TAG (Technical Advisory Group) that have NOT seen the light of day due to zero media coverage.

Thursday, November 12, 2020

OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTS FOUND IN THE JULY 2003 CPAC REQUEST FOR ACTION

There are some reminders of facts which Uniroyal and successors have traditionally attempted to either deny or underplay. For example Action 3. is to excavate RPW-1 and RPW-2. These letters stand for Retention Pit 1 & 2. At the top of page 2 we are advised that there is evidence of DDT in groundwater samples. Polluters like to claim that certain chemicals are hydrophobic and do not readily dissolve in water. Well they are in the groundwater on the Uniroyal site. Also DDT as well as dioxins are in Ontario's list of legislated maximum concentrations allowed in drinking water. This list is the Ontario Drinking Water Standards or ODWS. If these compounds had zero solubility in water then they would not need to be on this drinking water list in the first place. ........................................................................................................................ Also on page 2 under 5. which is to excavate entire dry channel and island we are advised that Light Non Aqueous Phase Liquid (LNAPL) mobilizes dioxins. In fact a 1996 LNAPL sample showed 209,070 parts per trillion (ppt) dioxin. Just recently Lanxess (GHD) have advised TAG that toluene, a LNAPL chemical and the major component of the on-site LNAPL plume, can not dissolve or mobilize dioxins unless it is at a ridiculously high concentration in groundwater. Well guess what? That is exactly what LNAPL is. There is too much of the chemical (toluene) present to fully dissolve in groundwater hence the chemical floats on the surface of the groundwater and is called LNAPL. ............................................................................................................... CPAC made very clear that hydraulic containment alone of the Uniroyal (Lanxess) site was not adequate. They also strongly believed that "Eliminating hot spots on a reasonable schedule, starting with the worst spots will speed the clean-up of the off-site aquifer as well as the downstream sediments." Today and for the last few years all parties, the guilty ones and others, now admit that hydraulic containment alone will fail to meet the mandated 2028 deadline. Citizens and CPAC were correct but the process in Ontario allows the polluter to run the show up to and including riding roughshod over an anemic, impotent Ministry of Environment. Why do we allow this perverted process in Ontario? The answer is power and $$$$$$$$$$$$$ defeats truth, facts, environmental and human health.

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

JULY 2003 CPAC REQUEST FOR ACTION - ANOTHER REVIEW

Yesterday I posted here about the benefits and need for constant review when one is dealing with an issue (Elmira Water Crisis) that is over thirty years old. That so much knowledge and hard work has been forgotten, lost, and intentionally ignored is shameful and unnecessary. The full title of this report is "CPAC Request for Action Response to SSRA Human Health Assessment, Crompton July 2003". There is also a three paragraph Introduction which explains the rationale and the stimulus for CPAC's efforts. I might add that it was CPAC's Soil & Water sub-committee consisting of myself, Henry, Susan and Fred who produced this report which was accepted by the rest of the CPAC membership and then formally given to Crompton, CRA, and the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE). As indicated in the title the SSRA or Site Specific Risk Assessment from Crompton/CRA was a significant stimulus as was also the alleged CLRP or Comprehensive Long Range Plan for the site. In reality the CLERP was merely one more delaying and energy wasting tactic by the company and supporters (i.e. MOE). ................................................................................................................. The report from CPAC consisted of eight proposed actions most of which were for excavation of highly contaminated and well known hot spots on the Uniroyal/Crompton property. Yours truly did most of the reading and digging through historical reports which to this day are still being ignored and possibly kept hidden from current TAG members. We are still waiting to see how late and how few of the requested reports get into the TAG members hands prior to the November 26, 2020 virtual public TAG meeting. It is one of those cases in which I hope to be wrong although I will say that time is rapidly running out for meaningful time for TAG members to read any of the reports. ..................................................................................................... Five of the eight proposed action areas have not been done despite proposed flexible Timelines such as 2003-2005, 2006-2007, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. Three others were done only partially such as the supposed downstream fencing off and revegetating a buffer strip along the Canagagigue Creek. In fact personal observation by myself a few years after it was allegedly done showed that cattle were not fenced off from the creek and still were routinely crossing through it to and from their barns. Item 5. regarding excavating the entire dry channel and island was probably the best done of the lot. Item 2. excavating of GP-1 and GP-2 was partially done although it wins the award for deception. GP-2 was merely capped with soil and in hindsight we learned that GP-1 very likely was NOT the original location of Gravel Pit 1 (GP-1) and in fact may very well have been used as a substitute for the real GP-1. Of course all the guilty parties including the MOE have refused to even look at the evidence or give any rationale or explanation to the public for the huge discrepancy. This is shades of Tiffany Svensson (TAG Chair) this past summer refusing to give me any logical, rationale, fact or evidence based reasons for her and TAG flatly dismissing my (and numerous recognized experts) February 2020 written Delegation to TAG which consisted of maps, text and data mostly from those same recognized experts. ................................................................................................................. The data and evidence exists for the truth about the failures of the Elmira cleanup. What hasn't existed to date is an honest, real and ongoing public consultation process. The few times when various public advisory committees have been making progress they've either been shut down, ignored or undermined with private, guilty party deal making.

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

CONSTANT REVIEW IS VERY HELPFUL

Sometimes the review consists of rereading Blog postings, TAG Agendas and Minutes, recent important newspaper articles and coorespondence with CPAC members, media and or Lisa (Woolwich Twn.), literally all of which are only days to recent weeks old. Other times review can encompass looking at reports that are decades old, newspaper articles that are years to decades old and even my Blog posts going back years. I have worked very hard to record the Minutes of CPAC and TAG public meetings even when the Elmira Independent and Gail Martin were doing a good job at it. Obviously this last five years plus my recording of TAG and RAC Minutes has been crucial as the only other effort has been that of Lisa Schaefer usually weeks to months AFTER the meeting. My efforts are 99% of the time from my notes and memory, literally the morning after the previous late afternoon or evening meeting. Obviously of course during the research stage of my book "Elmira Water Woes: The Triumph of Corruption, Deceit and Citizen Betrayal", available on-line both at the Cambridge Advocate (www.cambridgeadvocate.com) and the Waterloo Region Advocate (www.waterlooregionadvocate.blogspot.com), I spent well over a year reviewing everything from before 1989 to the then present (2019). .................................................................................................................... Constant review is helpful if not absolutely mandatory one due to just the astounding bulk of data, facts, meetings, individuals involved etc. over the past almost 32 years. The other reason is in order to counter what I refer to as the "Trump effect". This is the willingness of various guilty parties in Elmira to make up facts to suit themselves and their position and or their newest initiative. It is just too easy when you have constantly new members on public advisory committees for the unscrupulous to draw upon proven past "facts" to be able to sell those members on your latest direction, reversal or issue that you wish to promote. ..................................................................................................... One example of this is the committee that TAG Chair Tiffany Svensson has suggested in order to determine allegedly what the Elmira community would like to see going forward in regards to new efforts and goals to remediate the Elmira Aquifers. It has been said about history that those who choose to ignore it are condemned to repeat it endlessly. In other words if you don't know about and learn from the past you will inevitably just keep on making the same mistakes over and over again. That is exactly what will happen with this plan if honest and knowledgable of the past indiviuals are not on this proposed committee. That by the way is exactly what Lanxess, GHD and the Ontario Ministry of Conservation & Parks (MECP) would like. The last thing they want is knowledgable citizens saying something like "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result this time.". Here are the errors you've made over the last thirty years plus. Let's not repeat them!

Monday, November 9, 2020

A WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD MOMENT - WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP CORRUPTION?

Corruption if done properly in this day and age, tries mightly to avoid brown paper bags full of cash. We leave that sort of thing to third world countries and politicians as much as possible. Canadians prefer their corruption to be much more subtle if at all possible. The last TAG meeting was held on Thursday, October 22, 2020. Item 3.2 on the Agenda was a Bibliography from TAG member Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach listing approximately five technical reports produced by the Ontario Ministry of Environment, GRCA, Conestoga Rovers and perhaps Brian Beatty (former Uniroyal consultant) prior to his being "consolidated" by David Ash and Uniroyal. ................................................................................................. The Minutes of the September 10, 2020 TAG meeting reflect that Sebastian would make a list of reports, as mentioned in the above paragraph. This he did and verbally at the October 22 meeting both Lisa Schaefer and Tiffany Svensson, currently in the employ of Woolwich Township, promised TAG members that one they had already requested these reports be provided by the Township (Lisa) and secondly (Tiffany) further added that she would do everything possible to get copies to the TAG members. ................................................................................................... Well that was eighteen days ago and guess what? Nada, nothing! The next virtual TAG meeting is now only seventeen days away. This matter has been under discussion and supposedly being worked on since September 10, 2020. Sebastian has done his part and provided the requested list. He is preparing his presentation for the November 26/20 meeting. TAG member and hydrogeologist Dustin Martin had promised to read reports referring to east side (Stroh property) issues after he learned exactly how close some of the waste pits including GP-1 were to the Stroh farm. He can't do that without the reports. .................................................................................................................. I have made my knowledge and opinion of various contemptible, not in the public interest, actions of Woolwich Township over the decades very clear. They under numerous different councils have run interference on behalf of Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura and now Lanxess Canada in order to limit their environmental liability and to cloak their self-serving behaviours under the guise of pretend public consultation. On occasion they have been publicly exposed. I hope that the honest TAG members are paying close attention to this matter and to which if any reports are delivered to them from Sebastian's list of well known and extremely relevant reports.

Saturday, November 7, 2020

IS THIS WHY CITIZENS OBJECT TO NEW NOISY, SMELLY ENTERPRISES IN THE FIRST PLACE?

You know it's almost like the old metaphor about putting a frog in hot water and slowly raising the temperature until the frog boils to death. In a sense this is also what climate change is all about. Incremental permits given to more and more industries to discharge more and more carbon into the air, hence warming the planet. Downtown Elmira often stinks of diesel fumes especially around Church and Arthur St. Odd to me is that the same folks who were recently alleged here to be pushing for the east side Elmira by-pass and industrial development are involved with this doubling of truck traffic, noise, odours and health issues. Could one suspect they are building the case to get the by-pass sooner than later? ................................................................................................... Today's Waterloo Region Record has a story by Leah Gerber titled "Province allows Elmira biogas plant to boost capacity". The approval from the Ministry of Environment allows for 80 trucks per day from the original 40. Clearly the deal signed by Elmira Bio-Gas with a citizens' group a number of years ago regarding the maximum number of trucks permitted has been dramatically expanded. I have seen this tactic before whereby a contentious issue (say a gravel pit) pleads for a very small, short duration, above the water table permit, only five or ten years later to apply for a larger below water table pit. Again this is why local residents may tend to dig in their heels early. Once established it's close to impossible to ever end these problems. ................................................................................................................. This area of Elmira has been a problem for a very long time. The toll on human health from gas and diesel fumes is obvious. Funny again how our local politicians can ignore problems not related to themselves until they are. Then they seem to jump right on things. Also strange to me is that the Woolwich Observer are located just a block or two away. Where have they been on this issue and why have they not been interviewing local residents?

Friday, November 6, 2020

CLIMATE CHANGE, COVID-19 & THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - WHAT A YEAR!

Climate change has brought the world floods, droughts, heat waves, crop failures, displacement and death and more. Astoundingly it's not been THE Story of 2020. That dubious honour of course goes to Covid-19 with the ongoing election counting and increasing hysteria of an apparent five year old President only temporarily taking centre stage. Humankind has shown an uncanny ability to destroy and only in some crises has he/she been able to step up for the good of all and turn around very bad situations. When both Covid-19 and President Trump are gone the world will go back to THE real crisis of our century namely climate change. .................................................................................................... This is not to say that the next big virus isn't waiting around the corner. That big virus could be another similar to Covid-19 or speaking metaphorically it could be yet another U.S. demamgogue. Are Americans particularly prone to tin pot dictators and the Cult of the Personality? Probably not. Think of Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler and you can see literally hundreds of millions of human beings desperately reaching out blindly for saviours. Americans aren't any dumber intrinsically than other people around the world. Unfortunately as a group they aren't any smarter either. ............................................................................................................... Humanity continue to destroy the environment on earth and that will be the eventual end of us. My only hope is that when we go we don't take the rest of life on earth with us. Plants, trees, animals, fish, insects do not deserve extinction because of our behaviors. Someday, somewhere intelligent life may actually have records of humankinds short span on earth and it will be an object lesson for other species to observe, learn from and avoid.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS - WHETHER A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OR NDMA IN DRINKING WELLS

Well once again I've been digging in my files looking for specific information that I know I have. Sure enough I found it and it's relevant to yesterday's post here in which I suggested an error in the published concentrations of NDMA in Elmira's groundwater. In hindsight it may well be that the number published (1,200 - 2,900 parts per trillion (ppt) wasn't so much inaccurate as was the accompanying text. In other words it's all about comparing apples to oranges versus comparing apples to apples. Put more simply there are literally dozens to hundreds of different concentrations of NDMA in various waters. For example there are NDMA concentrations in the municipal aquifers beneth the town of Elmira. This could depending upon your definition even include the ridiculously high NDMA concentrations in the Municipal Upper and Lower Aquifers on the former Uniroyal Chemical property. They range from as high as 1,000 parts per billion (ppb) which equals 1,000,000 parts per trillion (ppt) up to three and four thousand ppb (or 4,000,000 ppt). .......................................................................................................... Now if you want to exclude the Uniroyal property from the definition of the Elmira Aquifers you would "only" have concentrations from between 100 ppb and say 800 to 900 ppb. or 900,000 parts per trillion (ppt). Then you have the concentrations of NDMA in the Elmira Distribution System back in 1989-1990. Those are considerably smaller yet again as the south wellfield in particular is at least a mile away from the Uniroyal property. Some of those NDMA concentrations were measured as "low" as 1 to 3 parts per billion (40 ppb concentrations were also found in one of the drinking wells at least once). Unfortunately the 1-3 ppb. concentration is still 1,000 to 3,000 parts per trillion (ppt) with an Ontario Drinking Water Standard of 9 ppt. Hence that drinking water NDMA concentration was 100 to 300 times higher than the eventual human health standard. ................................................................................................... So here we are on Thirsday morning with some folks firmly believeing that Joe Biden has won the Presidential election (he's very close) and other idiots screaming that Donald Trump won the election on Tuesday evening (not so close then). Just as the truth of NDMA concentrations was all over the map so is the truth as to has won the Presidential election south of the border. Presumably the appropriate election authorities will make a determination shortly but even that may or may not be subject to some sort of legal review. Truth needs to be patient sometimes albeit not thirty years patient as it has been in Elmira, Ontario.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL - REVIVING MEDIA INTEREST?

I sent an e-mail on to the Waterloo Region Record in regards to the small error regarding NDMA concentrations in the Elmira Aquifers that I described here in the Advocate yesterday. Basically I provided them with the title, author, date etc. of a 1991 report which indicated that groundwater concentrations in the Elmira Aquifers, whether on or off the Uniroyal site were much, much higher than 1,200 -2,900 parts per trillion quoted in the Record. While on-site (i.e. Uniroyal) NDMA concentrations actually are in the thousands of parts per BILLION (ppb) the Record article had quoted 1,200 to 2,900 parts per Trillion (ppt). Now parts per trillion are actually a thousand times smaller than parts per billion. Therefore 1,200 ppt equals 1.2 ppb and 2,900 ppt equals 2.9 ppb. Hence when you have even a lowly 40 ppb found at the private well in 1990 of Harry Soehner on Arthur St. not too far from the south wellfield (E7/E9); that concentration equals 40,000 parts per trillion (ppt) of NDMA which currently has an Ontario Drinking Water Standard of 9 ppt. ........................................................................................................ I have been reading with interest for some time now the environmental stories in the Record authored by Leah Gerber. They have covered a multitude of issues including gravel pits and salt in our regional drinking water aquifers. While right now the public's focus is undoubtedly on Covid-19 AND the U.S. federal election, I am hoping that the public have not forgotten climate change and all its' accompanying issues. Whether droughts or flooding, good quality drinking water will only become more scarce over time. That includes right here in Waterloo Region where it is impacted by industrial practices, road salting and pesticide application.

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

"WHY YOU STILL CAN'T DRINK THE LOCAL WATER IN ELMIRA"

Yesterday's excellent article in the Waterloo Region Record (title above) unfortunately does not answer that question. While Ramin, Tiffany and others friendly to polluters think that the question of the day should be how do we proceed, in fact the question of the day should be how did we fail or rephrased similar to the title above namely "WHY CAN WE STILL NOT DRINK THE LOCAL WATER IN ELMIRA?" ....................................................... ..................................................................................................... .............ROADBLOCKS TO PROGRESS....................................... ..................................................................................................... - past local politicians more concerned with getting along with powerful industrial interests............................................................. - current local politicians more concerned with getting along with powerful industrial interests.............................................................. .........................- a polluter with zero ethics or morals ....................................................................................... ............- past regional politicians more concerned with getting along with powerful industrial interests................................................... - current regional politicians more concerned with getting along with powerful industrial interests....................................................... - past & present provincial governments more interested in getting along with powerful industrial interests.............................................. .............................................- past & present local, regional and provincial politicians with zero ethics or morals....................................................... .......................................- Ontario Ministry of Environment needs to be dismantled. It by design has little positive influence or authority over polluters.......... - ...................................................................................................... - weak environmental laws enhanced by even weaker enforcement of those weak laws - see above as to the why..................................................... ........................................................- Pat, Susan, Ramin, Dwighte, Helder, Sandy, Mark, Steve, Lou, Ken, and oh so many more

Monday, November 2, 2020

WELL DONE WATERLOO REGION RECORD - FRONT PAGE STORY ON THE ELMIRA WATER FAILURE

Reporter Leah Gerber and the Waterloo Region Record have stepped up and informed the public that the much vaunted and bragged about Elmira cleanup isn't working. Wow! Where is the local newspaper, The Woolwich Observer, in all this? They are MIA, over and over again. Their presence has been desperately needed during the last five plus years since TAG & RAC began in September 2015 and most dramatically since the other local newspaper closed their doors in July 2015. The Independent had consistently covered UPAC (Uniroyal Public Advisory Committee) and CPAC (Chemtura Public advisory Committees) for decades. With their closing the Observer had the opportunity to single handedly cover this ground breaking environmental drama. It seems clear that Uniroyal/Chemtura and friends had other plans. I expect that eventually that story will come out. .......................................................................................................... The biggest story that the public has never heard was the Dr. Richard Jackson story. He was the first TAG Chair from September 2015 until the end of December 2016 when he resigned. New and inexperienced TAG members were not willing to go to the wall with him and demand better through the media when it became clear that the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Woolwich Township, Chemtura, and Conestoga Rovers were perfectly satisfied with the go slow, status quo, inadequate cleanup methods that had been ongoing since January 1992. Dr. Jackson publicly pummelled Chemtura, their consultants (CRA), and the Ministry of Environment over and over again for their past and present technical cleanup failures. And other than this Blog there was no one publicly recording those glorious months. .................................................................................................................... Leah Gerber has done a wonderful job despite only talking to Lanxess personnel and the current TAG Chair, Tiffany Svensson. Unfortunately after giving Ms. Svensson more than three and a half years to do the right thing, she finally revealed her true colours this past spring and summer. It was agonizingly difficult to understand that she was part and parcel of the problem as she made a private deal with Lanxess outside of the public TAG meetings that would remove the last chance for a real investigation of the Stroh (& Martin) farms for Uniroyal Chemical contamination that gravity flowed to them. TAG and CPAC (Citizens Public Advisory Committee) member Dr. Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach will be pushing for an honest investigation at the upcoming public (i.e. virtual) TAG meeting on November 26, 2020 at 6:30 pm. Some of us believe that Covid-19 concerns while deadly serious nevertheless are being used to greatly diminish public input and consultation via no live citizens being present at these meetings and virtual admittance controlled by Woolwich Township. ................................................................................................................ A couple of minor corrections are needed in today's Record story. The concentration of NDMA in Elmira's groundwater in 1989 was not 1,200 to 2,900 parts per trillion (ppt). It was closer to 1,200 to 2,900 parts per billion (ppb) which is 1,000 times higher. Secondly the discriptions of the membership of TAG and RAC were inaccurate. TAG are not a group of experts. There is one hydrogeologist and two other "experts" in different fields with other honest and intelligent citizens. RAC are not everyday citizens, they are made up of bureaucrats and government employees from the GRCA, RMOW, Woolwich Township, Ministry of Environment, Lanxess and GHD (consultants). It is still an excellent article and thank you Leah Gerber and the Waterloo Region Record.