TOMORROW EVENING IS THE PUBLIC CPAC MEETING

The Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC) meets tomorrow evening at 6 pm. in the Woolwich Council Chambers on Church St. in Elmira. Usual participants include now five CPAC members appointed by the municipal council, Chemtura usually with three present, two or three SWAT (soil, water, air technical) team members including yours truly, the Ministry of the Environment with one to three present, the media usually being only the Elmira Independent and finally any members of the public which can be from one to half a dozen.

It has become much more apparent over the last few years that the true purpose of the Ontario M.O.E. supporting a public advisory committee was basically public relations. This is also why Chemtura have been there mostly consistently since 1991 or so. The real business was done privately with Settlement Agreements, Indemnitys, Orders and other behind the scenes meetings and documentation. The public advisory committees were meant to be nothing more than foils for the dissemination of propaganda from the polluter and alleged regulator. This is relatively easily achieved by giving CPAC the mushroom treatment ie. keep them in the dark and cover them with shit. This has been ongoing since the beginning. It is literally years and decades after the fact that gamechanging Orders, Indemnitys and Agreements reach the public venue. All of this is why Chemtura are so enraged with the current CPAC who understand what they are doing and are not cooperating with this agenda.

Chemtura perhaps via a suggestion from the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) are promoting private "mediation" sessions with a couple of CPAC representatives. CPAC, always courteous and respectful, appear to be willing to waste their time on this fruitless exercise.

Tomorrow night will feature discussion around the so called five year updated groundwater plan. The SWAT team have looked this over and will comment. The M.O.E. are supposed to comment on downstream testing of DDT and Dioxins in the Canagagigue Creek. As expected and contrary to CPAC's request it looks as if they and SWAT will not receive this technical data ahead of the meeting. If so this will follow two decades plus of the previously mentioned mushroom treatment. Chemtura will be presenting their Monthly Progress Report (Feb.) which usually is no more than a cheerleading attempt to justify their non cleanup. They will also hopefully be answering a long list of questions presented by the SWAT team, mostly pertaining to their alleged tripling of their off-site groundwater pumping. This plan including potential off-site chemical oxidation (source removal) is in response to CPAC's and Woolwich Council's Resolution of last spring condemning the two decades plus pump and treat program promoted by Chemtura and their partner, the Ontario M.O.E..

The public are encouraged to attend and provisions are available for them to speak as delegates or ask questions through the Chair during the meeting.