ARE THEY STARTING TO PACK THEIR BAGS?

Last night's CPAC meeting was a humdinger running from 6 pm. till 9:45 pm. Big picture themes included greater testing being required off the Chemtura site looking for Dioxins and DDT. As Ron Campbell indicated there are concentrations of 50,000-80,000 parts per trillion (ppt) Dioxin in GP1 and this pit actually touches their eastern border yet no samples have ever been taken across that property line. Other major battles occurred regarding Wilf Ruland's May 15, 2008 DNAPL letter addressed to CPAC care of Pat McLean. Both Ron, Sebastian and Dr. Dan Holt expressed concern that this letter never made the CPAC correspondence list both as stated by Jeff Merriman (Chemtura) and by the former CPAC Secretary Corrinne Shuh. The best comments of the night however on this matter came from Susan Bryant who is sharing alternating CPAC attendance with Pat McLean. She advised CPAC that three of the former CPAC members didn't get Wilf's letter because they were on CPAC's air sub-committee. This was Ron Ormson, Gerry Heideburt and Sandra Bair. Wow! So in other words the CPAC Chair picked and chose who, even on the committee, received reports addressed to all CPAC members. Then Susan even suggested to CPAC that I didn't get the seven page Wilf Ruland DNAPL report because in 2008 I wasn't yet using e-mail. Since 1991 I had been using fax, telephone and receiving hard copies of all (in theory) reports. Unbelieveable horseshit!

Once again two of the partners in pollution are sharing excuses. Last month it was Steve Quigley of Conestoga Rovers adamantly stating that the DNAPL Investigation was over and done. Last night Jeff Merriman of Chemtura claimed that regarding DNAPLS everything was settled and that the DNAPL Investigation sub-committee was satisfied. This of course counters what former CPAC Chair Pat McLean said in late 2007 at CPAC when I asked her about the status of the DNAPL investigation. She stated that nothing was yet written in stone. Just like the Optimization issue the manipulating parties didn't even have the courage of their convictions to bluntly advise when they had quietly decided that it was a done deal.

Graham Chevreau and Ron Campbell took turns asking the M.O.E. why the Chemtura site was not a high priority site. Susan Bryant suggested that the level of Dioxins in the creek and overall water basin were the highest in the province. I pointed out that the criteria from the federal government was 21.5 ppt whereas Conestoga Rovers had used 36.6 and yet in 1995/96 Dioxins were found five miles down the creek almost at the Grand River in the 50 to 60 ppt. level. Nevertheless other than more studies nothing has been done downriver. Susanna Meteer asked a M.O.E. presenter if the contaminants could come from other sources such as farm spraying (DDT). Salomie (sp.?) stated that no, Uniroyal/Chemtura were the source.

Vivienne Delaney raised two issues namely a possible precedent regarding the M.O.E. laying a Control order upon a neighbouring party to contamination and the issue of Financial Assurance. Vigorous debate ensued with CPAC firmly supportive of the M.O.E. demanding financial assurance from Chemtura for future work to be done. Richard Clausi of SWAT (soil, water, air & technical) advised Chemtura that as they were confident that they would follow through on their commitments then a finacial assurance sitting untouched until they completed their cleanup shouldn't be onerous. It would be restored to them upon proper completion. George Karlos of the M.O.E. advised Vivienne that neither he nor the M.O.E. would be putting orders on Woolwich Township due to Chemtura contamination under their properties.

There were details from myself indicating specifics as to why we beleive that Chemtura Dioxins and DDT probably flowed off-site rather than due south to the abandoned gravel pits, GP1 & 2. Graham had earlier on asked the M.O.E. to do soil sampling east of the Chemtura property. After the meeting Graham and I showed George Karlos the topographical map indicating the lowest point being east off Chemtura's property and that surface flow from the eastern pits would flow initially south and then primarily west directly to the creek as well as east off the property. Now keep in mind this scenario is based upon assuming Chemtura/CRA are telling the truth about overland flow of stormwater, wastewater and Dioxins/DDT. Abandoned gravel pit GP1 has enormous concentrations of Dioxins and DDT. If those numbers are accurate then those contaminants got there somehow. Is it possible that they were directly dumped or buried in these two pits beside the creek? Is the whole overland travel due to overflowing RPE pits just a smokescreen? Chemtura are yet again between a rock and a hard place. This often happens with individuals or corporations who are not scrupulously forthright.

More probably to follow in upcoming days.