LOTS OF LOCAL HOT ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

First off Chemtura have failed their most recent *Responsible Care* verification. This isn't a big surprise. For me the surprise is that the CIAC (Chemical Industry Assoc'n of Canada; formerly CCPA) are insightful enough to realize that giving Chemtura the go ahead would tarnish the CIAC's credibility overall. I emphasize that this is my take on the situation only and I acknowledge that local folks were involved in the verification process last summer. This Report is dated February 24, 2012. A very big part of their failure relates to their relationship and communication with the community.

The next news relates to the Hawk Ridge Homes Ontario Municipal Board (O.M.B.) hearing which I posted about earlier here in the Advocate. There is an article in this week's Elmira Independent titled "Residents present concerns about Hawk Ridge Homes". These three residents are all former members of the old CPAC although Sandra Bair had only been a member for a short period of time, possibly a year. That being said I had been impressed with her performance overall at the old CPAC and she and former member Ken Driedger were the only two former CPAC members that I had recommended be kept on the new CPAC. Unfortunately they both eventually decided to join their collegues in removing their Applications from the new CPAC even though the other old CPAC members by that time knew they weren't going to be reappointed anyways. At the O.M.B. hearings these three spoke to the Board about the safety of putting a new subdivision so close to Sulco and Chemtura. The former Chair of CPAC who I believe was much to palsy with Chemtura for years sang a somewhat different tune at the O.M.B. stating "The company (Chemtura) doesn't really seem to care about Woolwich residents". Why weren't you this honest and forthcoming when it really mattered Pat?

The third news of course deals with the sweetheart deal between Chemtura and the Ministry of the Environment (M.O.E.). It is appropriate that there is an uproar and I believe it will only get bigger. The story has been carried, somewhat poorly, but nevertheless carried in the Woolwich Observer. On-line I have added one comment to that story and this morning I note there is another comment consisting of a story from here (Elmira Advocate) that was picked up by the Cambridge Advocate. At the moment I don't know who posted that comment. The hits here in the Advocate have been off the charts lately and yesterday was no exception. I have the 22 page sweetheart deal as an attachment on an e-mail and I will be posting it in it's entirety soon. It is my hope that CPAC will also be addressing this issue shortly. The next regularily scheduled public CPAC meeting is Thursday March 29/12 at 6 pm. in the Woolwich Council Chambers.