PUBLIC MEETING RE: WEST MONTROSE CULTURAL HERITAGE LANDSCAPE
This public meeting is in Council Chambers on Tuesday February 1, 2011 at 7 pm. The notice is in today's Woolwich Observer, on page 25. This designation of course is of great significance to the inhabitants both human and non human as it will affect the possibilities of one, two or three gravel pits being sited in the immediate vicinty, beside the Grand River and near the famous Covered Bridge.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
REMAINING SAFETY-KLEEN ISSUES
Due to good work yesterday from the Region and the Township, a number of procedural and planning issues have been able to go ahead in regards to Safety-Kleen's proposed purchase and expansion onto the former Forwell property in Breslau.
Nevertheless there are still huge issues to be faced by both the Township and the M.O.E. regarding groundwater contamination. What I am about to write here is not mere opinion. It is the expert opinions of a number of hydrogeologists and engineers who have studied and reported upon this site. Firstly ever since the first load of oily wastes were dumped into the lagoons on site, both groundwater from beneath the lagoons and surface water from rain and runoff have gravity flowed overland to the Grand River as well as to the Municipal Drinking Wells K70 & K71. The shallow groundwater has discharged at surface into the onsite creek/municipal drain and then flowed to the Grand River. The shallow aquifer contaminants have also flowed vertically downwards through the silty aquitard which contains only minor clay and into the lower aquifer. This aquifer also flows westerly towards the Grand River and discharges to it.
The proposed cleanup will leave behind not only substantial amounts of residual LNAPL (light non aqueous phase liquid) but also in places up to .5 metre of free phase LNAPL. LNAPL can best be easily described as oils which float on the surface of ground or surface water. Although there is no argument that removing some LNAPL is better than none, there will be no reduction in the concentration of dissolved contaminants until after both the free phase (mobile & flowing) and residual (oil droplets held in the pore spaces between grains of sand/soil) are removed, dissolved etc. I would estimate another fourty to fifty years just to flush out the residual LNAPL AFTER the free phase is gone. If the free phase is left behind (.5 metre) then we are looking at a century or more. This is not acceptable to me nor I hope to the Township of Woolwich.
Due to good work yesterday from the Region and the Township, a number of procedural and planning issues have been able to go ahead in regards to Safety-Kleen's proposed purchase and expansion onto the former Forwell property in Breslau.
Nevertheless there are still huge issues to be faced by both the Township and the M.O.E. regarding groundwater contamination. What I am about to write here is not mere opinion. It is the expert opinions of a number of hydrogeologists and engineers who have studied and reported upon this site. Firstly ever since the first load of oily wastes were dumped into the lagoons on site, both groundwater from beneath the lagoons and surface water from rain and runoff have gravity flowed overland to the Grand River as well as to the Municipal Drinking Wells K70 & K71. The shallow groundwater has discharged at surface into the onsite creek/municipal drain and then flowed to the Grand River. The shallow aquifer contaminants have also flowed vertically downwards through the silty aquitard which contains only minor clay and into the lower aquifer. This aquifer also flows westerly towards the Grand River and discharges to it.
The proposed cleanup will leave behind not only substantial amounts of residual LNAPL (light non aqueous phase liquid) but also in places up to .5 metre of free phase LNAPL. LNAPL can best be easily described as oils which float on the surface of ground or surface water. Although there is no argument that removing some LNAPL is better than none, there will be no reduction in the concentration of dissolved contaminants until after both the free phase (mobile & flowing) and residual (oil droplets held in the pore spaces between grains of sand/soil) are removed, dissolved etc. I would estimate another fourty to fifty years just to flush out the residual LNAPL AFTER the free phase is gone. If the free phase is left behind (.5 metre) then we are looking at a century or more. This is not acceptable to me nor I hope to the Township of Woolwich.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
O.M.B. MEDIATION MEETING
O.K. It was confidential, without prejudice and private. As I agreed to that do I stop here?
Well........... I think it's O.K. if I'm very careful to which I apologize to my readers as I'm usually not reticent in communicating either facts, opinions or impressions. Here is what I can say about today without hopefully offending anyone at the meeting. 1) The Chair representing the O.M.B. was excellent. 2) All the parties present including Safety-Kleen, me, the Township and the Region were sharp, focused and kept their eyes on the ball.3) A meeting of the minds on the specific narrow issue of Official Plan Amendment #15 was reached. 4) Formal Minutes of Settlement will follow as well as a couple of technical reports.
Further congratulations go to the Region and the Township reps for their patience and abilities in explaining to me some fine points around planning issues. I am not and never have been conversant with the process or details in this area.
O.K. It was confidential, without prejudice and private. As I agreed to that do I stop here?
Well........... I think it's O.K. if I'm very careful to which I apologize to my readers as I'm usually not reticent in communicating either facts, opinions or impressions. Here is what I can say about today without hopefully offending anyone at the meeting. 1) The Chair representing the O.M.B. was excellent. 2) All the parties present including Safety-Kleen, me, the Township and the Region were sharp, focused and kept their eyes on the ball.3) A meeting of the minds on the specific narrow issue of Official Plan Amendment #15 was reached. 4) Formal Minutes of Settlement will follow as well as a couple of technical reports.
Further congratulations go to the Region and the Township reps for their patience and abilities in explaining to me some fine points around planning issues. I am not and never have been conversant with the process or details in this area.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
WHO IS LAWRENCE SWARTZ?
He says he works for the Ombudsman's Office. He keeps phoning me with the most unintelligent, illogical drivel. It has taken all my willpower not to tell him to flock off and grow a brain. I haven't done so because I do have respect for the Ombudsman and various good things he has done for Ontario. This character (lawrence S.) however is a piece of work. He sends me nothing in writing, it's all verbal crap. I have written twice about him here in the Elmira Advocate namely on November 9 & 16/10. I can't figure out if he is unintelligent (as in extremely) or does he have his own agenda and he's playing a game with me. Yesterday afternoon, on the phone he advises me that Steve Martindale of the M.O.E. has sent him written responses to my alleged complaint but no he Lawrence won't send those written responses on to me. We'll discuss them on the phone now he says. Mr. Swartz also appears to be constantly trying to shift the focus of my complaint around to suit himself. He also keeps telling me that " I failed to provide this document or that response". This is a bureaucrat par excellence. I had enough of his bullshit and finally advised him that I was glad I hadn't put all my eggs in one basket; thank you very much and have a very fine day. I then hung up. This guy is rude, insulting, grossly unhelpful and a disgrace to the Ombudsman's Office.
He says he works for the Ombudsman's Office. He keeps phoning me with the most unintelligent, illogical drivel. It has taken all my willpower not to tell him to flock off and grow a brain. I haven't done so because I do have respect for the Ombudsman and various good things he has done for Ontario. This character (lawrence S.) however is a piece of work. He sends me nothing in writing, it's all verbal crap. I have written twice about him here in the Elmira Advocate namely on November 9 & 16/10. I can't figure out if he is unintelligent (as in extremely) or does he have his own agenda and he's playing a game with me. Yesterday afternoon, on the phone he advises me that Steve Martindale of the M.O.E. has sent him written responses to my alleged complaint but no he Lawrence won't send those written responses on to me. We'll discuss them on the phone now he says. Mr. Swartz also appears to be constantly trying to shift the focus of my complaint around to suit himself. He also keeps telling me that " I failed to provide this document or that response". This is a bureaucrat par excellence. I had enough of his bullshit and finally advised him that I was glad I hadn't put all my eggs in one basket; thank you very much and have a very fine day. I then hung up. This guy is rude, insulting, grossly unhelpful and a disgrace to the Ombudsman's Office.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
SAFETY-KLEEN (BRESLAU) ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
More than a decade ago I had a two page listing of all the hydrogeological reports that had been done on Breslube/Safety-Kleen. This listing I will estimate encompassed somewhere in the vicinity of fourty different professional studies of this site in Breslau, immediately upgradient of the Grand River and two Kitchener drinking wells. Here in Canada we are becoming famous for our professional technical expertise and studies. Unfortunately we are also becoming famous for our abilities to continue studying contaminated sites forever versus actually cleaning them up. Apparently pen and paper are much cheaper than backhoes, excavators, trucks and landfill or other disposal options.
The most recent report that I have is dated November 2002 by Cameron-Cole of Boulder Colorado. We are advised that the free phase petroleum hydrocarbon plume includes "low concentrations of PCBs and other chlorinated solvent hydrocarbons." These other chlorinateds would include for example, vinyl chloride a breakdown product of Trichloroethylene. The "low concentrations" of PCBs are up to 21 parts per million (ppm) in the soil and from 75 to 340 ppm in the oil. These are not "low" concentrations. Among numerous issues I have regarding the proposed remediation is the fact that the latest monitoring results appear to be going on nine years old. Although I don't expect much change from then, nevertheless more up to date results should be available.
More than a decade ago I had a two page listing of all the hydrogeological reports that had been done on Breslube/Safety-Kleen. This listing I will estimate encompassed somewhere in the vicinity of fourty different professional studies of this site in Breslau, immediately upgradient of the Grand River and two Kitchener drinking wells. Here in Canada we are becoming famous for our professional technical expertise and studies. Unfortunately we are also becoming famous for our abilities to continue studying contaminated sites forever versus actually cleaning them up. Apparently pen and paper are much cheaper than backhoes, excavators, trucks and landfill or other disposal options.
The most recent report that I have is dated November 2002 by Cameron-Cole of Boulder Colorado. We are advised that the free phase petroleum hydrocarbon plume includes "low concentrations of PCBs and other chlorinated solvent hydrocarbons." These other chlorinateds would include for example, vinyl chloride a breakdown product of Trichloroethylene. The "low concentrations" of PCBs are up to 21 parts per million (ppm) in the soil and from 75 to 340 ppm in the oil. These are not "low" concentrations. Among numerous issues I have regarding the proposed remediation is the fact that the latest monitoring results appear to be going on nine years old. Although I don't expect much change from then, nevertheless more up to date results should be available.
Monday, January 3, 2011
O.M.B. MEDIATION BETWEEN SAFETY-KLEEN & YOURS TRULY
The Ontario Municipal Board is holding a private (I presume) mediation meeting this Thursday, 10:30 am. January 6/11 at the Woolwich Township Hall. The idea is to see if we can find some common ground regarding the zone change permitting S.K.'s expansion onto the former Forwell's gravel pit property. S.K. are building a parking lot and a warehouse on property which has long been contaminated with oils and solvents. These oils and solvents (& P.C.B.'s) are courtesy of former waste lagoons both on and off the S.K. property. The P.C.B.'a plus other evidence may also indicate leakage from tanks and tank farms on site. The possibility of common ground is based on everyone having access to the same technical reports. They indicate the probability of some or all of these former lagoons not having been remediated. Also the testimony by S.K. at Woolwich Council was that while they believed that some of these lagoons had been remediated already, they do not have any data, photographs or other evidence to back up their position.
This site is approximately 750 yards up gradient from the Grand River as well as from former Municipal wells, K70 & K71 (K for Kitchener). Safety-Kleen used to be famous for the soothing odours which they discharged to the Breslau community.
The Ontario Municipal Board is holding a private (I presume) mediation meeting this Thursday, 10:30 am. January 6/11 at the Woolwich Township Hall. The idea is to see if we can find some common ground regarding the zone change permitting S.K.'s expansion onto the former Forwell's gravel pit property. S.K. are building a parking lot and a warehouse on property which has long been contaminated with oils and solvents. These oils and solvents (& P.C.B.'s) are courtesy of former waste lagoons both on and off the S.K. property. The P.C.B.'a plus other evidence may also indicate leakage from tanks and tank farms on site. The possibility of common ground is based on everyone having access to the same technical reports. They indicate the probability of some or all of these former lagoons not having been remediated. Also the testimony by S.K. at Woolwich Council was that while they believed that some of these lagoons had been remediated already, they do not have any data, photographs or other evidence to back up their position.
This site is approximately 750 yards up gradient from the Grand River as well as from former Municipal wells, K70 & K71 (K for Kitchener). Safety-Kleen used to be famous for the soothing odours which they discharged to the Breslau community.
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