THE ISCO PLOT THICKENS IN ELMIRA

Trust. Such a simple concept and word. Once more it seems however to be a word that our Ministry of the Environment do not understand. In their blind support and validation of a rogue company they have failed Elmira yet again.

Conestoga Rovers, the long time consultants to this rogue company two weeks ago presented both verbally as well as in writing their alleged new five year plan. The verbal aspect focused on tripling the rates of pumping and treating within the Elmira Aquifer as well as the use of ISCO (In-situ chemical oxidation). There appears to have been an intentional deception involved in regards to certain aspects of ISCO which I've already pointed out this week here in the Advocate.

CPAC at the public meeting and since have a number of legitimate questions and concerns regarding this source removal/destruction plan. I am reasonably confident based upon over two decades of dealing with CRA/Chemtura/MOE that they will not be accurately addressed or responded to by any of those three parties. Thus despite the best efforts of citizen volunteers on CPAC & SWAT (soil, water, air, technology) sub-committee; public consultation will proceed with cleanup decisions for the Elmira Aquifers being made in private meetings between the unholy trinity already mentioned. These decisions will be trotted out for CPAC and the public to view and if any difficult or awkward questions are asked, the unholy trinity will close ranks; obfuscate, deflect, massage the truth or simply lose sight of it altogether.

Back to trust. The M.O.E. could have and should have advised CPAC two weeks ago that ISCO has already been used here in Elmira. It is not the new and emerging technology that was hinted at by CRA. It was first used twenty-seven years ago in the United States and has since been used at hundreds of contaminated sites including...you guessed it... by Conestoga Rovers on behalf of a client. I am currently aware of two sites in Elmira where it has been used although I strongly suspect other Elmira cleanups have incorporated it as well. There is no excuse for not sharing this information with CPAC, the committee of Woolwich Council, charged with the responsibility of overseeing the restoration of the Elmira Aquifers by 2028.

The M.O.E. are the greatest advocates of the mushroom treatment for public consultative bodies. Either lie outright or lie by omission, it matters not to them at all.