CPAC SOLDIERS ON WHILE CHEMTURA / M.O.E. HIDE BEHIND WOMEN'S SKIRTS

Has one of the reasons that women have done better in formerly male dominated professions such as politics due to gender sterotypes? In other words somewhat of a reverse sterotype that women are "nicer", less aggressive, less perverse ie. inherently more decent, honest and or less deceptive. An example would be a silly suggestion months ago before the election in one of our local papers that mayor Shantz was "tough enough" for the job . Allegedly she was viewed as being "too nice".

At last Thursday's CPAC meeting, CPAC members took several rounds out of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Ron Campbell advsed that it was ludicrous for Chemtura not having any Financial Assurance required for their cleanup if they shut down, went bankrupt or abandoned their site. I believe that he also felt it was ludicrous that the M.O.E. not only weren't pursuing Financial Assurance but that they would suggest that it wasn't even a fit topic for CPAC to be discussing. Here again is an example of the Ontario M.O.E.'s pro polluter, anti public attitudes and stance.

Sebastian also was unhappy with the lack of a response from the M.O.E.. This was at least in part in regards to Woolwich Council's Resolution of last October in support of the MTE Consultants Report. Possibly it was also due to the M.O.E.'s recent admission that a year after their 2014 sediment sampling downstream in the Canagagigue Creek they have the lab results but will not share them with CPAC. That is truly both scandalous and typical of the M.O.E.'s behaviour.

CPAC member Graham Chevreau pointed out the gross differences in the cleanup of Chemtura's Elmira site versus the cleanup of the Velsicol site in Pine River, Michigan. At Pine River there was serious source removal including excavation, capping, In Situ Chemical Oxidation, In Situ Thermal Oxidation and also containment via pump and treat. Contrast that with Chemtura's and their consultant's reliance on the cheapest, least effective method namely hydraulic containment or pump and treat. Much more needs to be done here in Elmira to protect the environment, human health and wildlife.