ELMIRA INDEPENDENT & CPAC

Yesterday's Elmira Independent carrys the following article on the front page "CPAC asks ministry to clarify cleanup criteria". The Independent are currently and have been for some time the sole media to regularily attend public CPAC meetings. This article covers the entire public meeting of Thursday January 30, 2014. The title is in reference to an issue originally brought to light back at the November public CPAC meeting. Graham Chevreau led the charge this time and he put forward a Motion asking the Ministry of the Environment to develop formal criteria to determine "...when the cleanup has been reached, including identification of specific contaminants, wells and aquifers.".

Dr. Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach again asked questions pertaining to the bedrock aquifer and whether it will be seperately addressed. Steve Martindale was unable to give a specific answwer to the question. Yours truly got into a debate with Jeff Merriman of Chemtura as to whether they had hydraulic containment of their entire site. They do not although they claim to have over 90% of the contamination contained which is both debatable as well as a different criteria then what the 1991 Control Order demands of them. It has however been clear for some time that the M.O.E. only intermittently and erratically enforce their own Control Orders.

There was also further discussion of the proposed underground fuel tanks near the former south wellfield on Arthur St..

Finally the M.O.E. have internally submitted a formal proposal for consideration involving a further study of DDT in the downstream Canagagigue Creek. The next public CPAC meeting is set for Thursday February 27/14 either at 6 or 6:30 pm. in the Woolwich Council Chambers.