THE IRON TRIANGLE UNITE AS CRA FLY BY THE SEAT OF THEIR PANTS

TRUTH IS THE FIRST CASUALTY OF WAR

Bless you good friends. Dr. Henry Regier is the first person I ever heard refer to the professional groups involved with running and operation of our drinking water systems, as the iron triangle. I imagine this also refers to the iron rings that professional engineers wear. Regardless the Senior Hydrogeologist at the Ministry of the Environment, the head of the Region of Waterloo's Water Resources Division and P.Eng Steve Quigley of Conestoga Rovers are all out there together supporting each other. And yes truth once more is sacrificed upon the alter of superiority, professionalism and perfection. Clearly the public are mere annoying gnats to be tolerated at best and if necessary discredited and ganged up upon.

One more good friend to the rescue last night. I was astounded at last night's turnout for the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee meeting. CRA brought reinforcements as did the M.O.E.. Steve M., George K., Bill B., Jaimie Connolly, Jackie L. represented the M.O.E.. Eric Hodgins from the Region of Waterloo was present. As usual we had Josef Crybaby and Dwighte E. with Jeff M.. My count was eleven senior and experienced professionals against six young CPAC and two grizzled veterans namely Rich Clausi and myself.

And CPAC kicked their butts! CPAC members Dan, David, Ron, Vivienne, Sebastian were honest, straightforward and forceful. Oh yes Mark Bauman was there as well. The funniest line of the night was his as he claimed that we should all trust the M.O.E.. As it came from the least experienced, least senior CPAC member, it was very poignant and sweet. The three guilty parties Chemtura, CRA and the M.O.E. are hurting. The CPAC Resolution of months ago has taken the ground out from under their pretend cleanup. The old CPAC were wrapped around their little fingers. The young CPAC know the score and are not intimidated by a bunch of yahoos riding their credentials.

Here is where these folks still won't fly straight. Steve Quigley of CRA announced a major turnaround in the "cleanup" of the Elmira Aquifers. Twenty-three years after shutting down the two wellfields and after years of killing trees for writing "scenarios" and self congratulatory reports, they've backed down. This CPAC & SWAT (Henry, Richard and I) have publicly called them out. In the CPAC Resolution, which was endorsed by Woolwich Council; the provincial government, the Environment Minister, Regional government, the media and the public have been told the truth about the pretend cleanup by 2028. Chemtura, their consultants and the M.O.E. no longer are the only team on the field. And boy have they blinked!. They have proposed TRIPLING the amount of off-site pumping and treating. They are also going to go after two off-site contaminated areas for source removal/destruction.

The two areas have long been obvious off-site sources. They include the one that I've pointed out publicly for several years now which is west of the Chemtura site. It extends from nearly Union St. to five blocks further west. NDMA has long been permitted to contaminate the Municipal Aquifer in this area with no hydraulic containment in sight. If I had to guess I wouldn't be surprised if the old Shirt Factory decades ago was the source. The second off-site location is Yara/Nutrite. For ten years Uniroyal/Chemtura pretended they were the only source. Finally they threw in the towel and went after Nutrite for Ammonia contamination allegedly. Well the Ammonia is under control through a shallow pump and treat system at Yara/Nutrite so what's the problem? The problem is that Chemtura have free of charge "enriched" Yara's property with a number of chemicals. The most obvious one, at incredible solubility concentrations, is MBT (Mercaptobenzothiazole).

Make no mistake this is a major step forward by Chemtura and their partners in pollution, the Ontario M.O.E. ISCO or In Situ Chemical Oxidation is the source removal/destruction method planned. It's been used as close by as Cambridge (Bishop St. community). To date I don't know how it is suceeding. I do know that six years ago I suggested it be considered at Chemtura during a public CPAC meeting (April 24, 2006). Jaimie Connolly of the M.O.E. was extremely lukewarm to the idea at that meeting and it went nowhere, courtesy of everybody.

Credit goes partly to the new Woolwich Council and their wise idea to dump, oops replace, the old, tired, co-opted? CPAC. Major credit goes to the young CPAC namely Chair Dr. Dan Holt, SWAT Chair Ron Campbell, Vivienne Delaney, Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach, David Marks and Mark Bauman. Chemtura, CRA and the M.O.E. are in major face saving mode right now. Bill Bardswick, Director of West Central M.O.E., who extinguished himself with his performance in Cambridge twenty years ago; claimed last night that these upgrades were "fine tuning" and merely refinements. When I pointed out to the meeting that the promises made were huge and not "fine tuning", Mr. Bardswick nearly went postal on me. O.K. boys and girls of CRA, Chemtura & M.O.E.. Good for you. You are nice. You're starting to catch on. I like you. Now lets see if you deliver on your promises. More to come in the next few days regarding last night's gamechanger.