THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS NO LONGER INVISIBLE

For twenty-four years citizens, politicians, consultants and stakeholders have all avoided a major concern. That concern however has long been whispered quietly in Elmira. There is a plan, albeit an inadequate plan, involving Chemtura (Uniroyal) pumping groundwater allegedly for thirty years from the Elmira Aquifers and simultaneously pumping groundwater from their highly contaminated site, in perpetuity. The "in perpetuity" is starting to be questioned and addressed by the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC).

Ron Campbell of CPAC stated last Thursday evening that he views the current remediation plan as both a containment project for Chemtura's property (ie. on-site) as well as a containment project for the rest of the Elmira Aquifers (ie. off-site). In other words contrary to the claims of Chemtura/CRA/ M.O.E. Ron feels that the pump and treat (hydraulic containment) is exactly that (containment) and no more. He and others feel that it is to prevent the ongoing spread of contamination by natural groundwater flow; rather than to sucessfully restore Elmira's groundwater to drinking water standards.

Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach of CPAC has gently informed Chemtura that when it comes to "in perpetuity", corporations are short term phenomena only. Perhaps "in perpetuity" could describe certain long term geological activities but that expression is total nonsense being used to describe the actions of a corporation. In other words companies fold, go bankrupt, disappear, are merged with others and or simply walk away from certain problems and jurisdictions as they please. When, not if that happens, the taxpayers of Ontario through the Ontario Ministry of the Environment will be left holding the bag. This is the elephant in the room. Chemtura's insistence that they will forever be responsible and pump and treat their groundwater beneath their site is total hokum.

Councillor and CPAC member Mark Bauman has an interesting take on the cleanup of the Elmira Aquifers. He says he is not hung up on the restoration of the Elmira Aquifers because there is more water outside Elmira, presumably to the north and west. This may be true however it kind of begs the question why the province, the M.O.E., the Region, sucessive Woolwich Councils and Chemtura have been insisting that they can and will clean up Elmira's groundwater to drinking standards. Has this "cleanup" been a massive public fraud from the very beginning?

Whether Mark is right or wrong the Elmira Aquifers need to be contained in the short run and cleaned up eventually; the very same as the Chemtura site. We can continue the misdirection and deceit and leave this mess to coming generations or we can be responsible citizens and continue to pressure for a substantive cleanup. We can also pressure for our politicians and authorities to tell us the truth. That would be a refreshing improvement.