LET THE "SWEETHEART DEAL" LYING BEGIN !

Firstly Thank You Woolwich Observer for finally publishing the most momentuous news regarding the Elmira non-cleanup in decades. Today's front page story is titled
"20-year-old agreement causes a stir". It's not on-line yet but when it is I will add a link to it. Yes you appear to have naively accepted the words of the two recipients at face value, namely the Ontario M.O.E. and Chemtura. This I find strange as I've become a fan of Steve Kannon's insightful Editorials. Of late he has taken accurate and penetrating shots at politicians, money men, corporate elites and how ordinary citizens are taking it in the ear from our so called authorities.

On page 7 Steve quotes parts of section 16(releases). He stops prematurely however. Here is the rest of the sentence: "...and the province are presently aware, which against Uniroyal... the province ever had, now has or which the province or its assigns, can, shall or may have by reason of or arising out of contamination on the Uniroyal site in Elmira." Keep in mind the "presently aware" part. This was signed during the SECOND Environmental Appeal Board hearing and AFTER both the 1984 and August 1990 Control Orders. Both parties had excellent knowledge of the current horrid state of the Uniroyal site which was at least partially responsible for the shutdown of all the municipal wells in Elmira.

Dwight Este of Chemtura and Steve Martindale of the M.O.E. are the long time front men and designated deceivers. Their two employers are and have been partners in pollution literally for decades. Clearly truth is temporarily unavailable for these two as it has been for most of the last twenty years. Their claims that the document has been public since it was drafted is drivel. They then claim that they issued a press release the same day as if that was evidence of something. A self serving, self congratulatory press release is not making the document public. This is not the first time these two bodies have hidden documents or deals and I'm also sure that more will be discovered in the future.

Dwight Este also claims that pump and treat groundwater work and further work along the banks of the Canagagigue Creek is evidence that the company did not get a "free pass". More hooey! If he's referring to Dioxin removal at GP1 & 2 then this was contamination they were not aware of in 1991. It was discovered in 2002 as part of the SSRA (site specific risk assessment). The pump and treat is also part of this October 7, 1991 sweetheart deal. Twenty years plus of public meetings and criticism of Uniroyal/Chemtura and the M.O.E. for not removing DNAPLS (dense non-aqueous phase liquids) and NEVER did either of those parties admit that they had given or received a Release that let them off the hook for that contamination of which they were "presently aware".

Shortly I will be releasing my written remarks to Council (last tuesday nite) and I will attempt to post the entire 22 page sweetheart deal on line. Currently I have posted the 1st and 15 th pages on line here in the Advocate. Please also note the comment I've put at the bottom of the article on the Woolwich Observer which is linked at the top of this posting.