CHEMTURA PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING THIS EVENING

Tonite at 6 pm. in Woolwich Council Chambers at 24 Church St. Elmira we will have our regular public CPAC meeting. Tonites meeting will be extra special both due to a guest appearance by Peter Gray of MTE Consultants on behalf of CPAC as well as appearances by a number of local illuminaries and dignitaries. I hope that both Chemtura and the M.O.E. will be on their best behaviour for this occasion. I believe that the M.O.E. are only sending Steve Martindale as they are still sorting out responsibilities etc. after the departure of George Karlos. Steve is nearly unflappable and always calm and polite hence I expect bigger issues from Chemtura reps who not surprisingly as the tables turn and their fortunes wane have become somewhat brusque, short and impatient.

As has been presented at Woolwich Council, discussion will focus on what I view as wilful negligence by both Chemtura and the M.O.E. regarding decades long toxic discharges from their east and southern property borders. While the more readily soluble components may be long gone down the Canagagigue to the detriment of both animal and human life, there are less readily soluble components still causing environmental and human harm. These less soluble components include their ever present DNAPLS. These Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquids that are heavier than water, reside in the sub-surface where they slowly dissolve in the groundwater effectively contaminating it above drinking water standards for literally decades to centuries. Secondly there are more hydrophobic persistent organic pollutants (POPS) such as DDT and Dioxins. While they tend to adsorb to soil particles and dissolve poorly in clean groundwater they have been mobilized by solvents in the on-site contaminated groundwaters. There they have flowed off-site either via this groundwater or while attached to soil particles they have been flushed by either heavy rains or flooding in the creek.

Tonite should be very interesting as I expect the excuses, buck passing and overall wishful thinking by Chemtura to be top notch.