Saturday, July 30, 2016

CURRENT CHEMTURA ISSUES



Following are a list of environmental items that are either being ignored, "investigated", partially addressed, addressed in slow motion or the appearance only given of addressing them :

1) East side off-site contamination on the Stroh farm

2) Stroh Drain contaminants, it's full length even onto the Martin farm. This includes looking for DDT & Dioxin/Furans.

3) The "Gig" or Canagagigue Creek downstream of Chemtura. The entire creek sediments and floodplain are contaminated with DDT, Dioxins/Furans, Mercury and P.C.B.s. Our corrupt MOECC would have us believe there are but two hot spots.

4) Off-site pumping of the Elmira aquifers. After their grossly inadequate pump & treat was outed by CPAC in May 2012 Chemtura promised to TRIPLE off-site pumping. Not a gallon to date of increased pumping.

5) Off-site source removal via ISCO (In-Situ Chemical Oxidation). Chemtura screwed up their pilot tests according to Dr. Dick Jackson and need to redo them.

6) On-site source removal of DNAPLS & LNAPLS. Longtime heavy B/S regrading their inability to find or extract them. All about $$$$$$.

7) GP1 (gravel pit 1). Again all about appearances. They spent $3 Million knowingly excavating the wrong area in order to avoid excavating the really bad spot where the majority of their liquid wastes flowed on their way off-site to the Stroh Drain. All about $$$$$$

8) Barrier Drain/Trench. While unproven to date nevertheless most likely explanation for Google Earth & Waterloo GIS satellite photos showing manmade earthworks. Also explains Uniroyal/M.O.E. failure to hydraulically contain shallow aquifer (UA1) on the east side of their property. Why contain after you've constructed a drain/trench to divert the contaminated groundwater and leachate eastwards onto your neighbour's property and from there via the Stroh Drain into the Canagagigue further downstream.

9) Improper local political support. This includes under the banner of "local" both municipal and regional government.

Friday, July 29, 2016

A HILARIOUS CARTOON & A SOLID EDITORIAL



O.K. so I'm fair game for the Observer's cartoonist (Scott? Arnold). Afterall if you speak in public whether at a Council meeting or other public meeting you open yourself to public scrutiny including the media. That said there can be vicious, false comments and criticism or there can be thoughtful, accurate comment. Perhaps the usual media comment falls somewhere in the middle. That said I have to admit that I'm still laughing at yesterday's cartoon about myself. The thought of me collecting stamps is just about as likely as me cave diving or rock climbing. Just not me folks.

While I may disagree with Steve Kannon's final conclusion in his Editorial I am nevertheless pleased with his presentation of facts as well as his solid support for citizens taking action against false and inaccurate Financial Statements. Lest we forget all Woolwich Council members swore an oath that their Financial Statements were accurate and honest. The one exception to that was Councillor Bauman who with Woolwich Township explicit approval, illegally didn't file at all. The rest all did and only three of them it turns out did so fairly and properly. Yes I would agree with Steve Kannon that that set up a rather embarassing spectacle here in Woolwich Township.

For me the most important fact regarding Scott Hahn is the Forensic Auditor's report done by Froese Forensic Partners. While mayor Shantz did indeed pay for her own "audit" it was not a Forensic Audit. The difference in detail, depth and investigation is reflected in the $12,000 cost of the Forensic Audit versus approximately $1,000 for the private audit. I have read numerous other private audits from councillors in Waterloo Region and frankly they are just shy of a joke. They rely entirely on the numbers provided by the candidate and simply are to satisfy the weak legislation.

Steve Kannon corectly stated that the auditor's report (ie. Forensic Audit) "cast considerable doubt on amended filings". Wait a minute. Scott's original filing claimed $328 expenses and his amended filing $3,200 and the Forensic Audit has cast doubt even on that! What is going on with his amended Financial Statement? That is precisely why MECAC (Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee) absolutely were required to send Scott's case on to the prosecuter. MECAC utterly failed in their duty. I am attempting to do their job for them.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

TO THOSE WHO DO NOT SUPPORT TAKING COUNCILLORS TO COURT



Two days ago I posted here all the roadblocks, intentional and otherwise, that are thrown in the path of any citizens choosing to exercise their legal rights under the Municipal Elections Act (MEA). I also mentioned the not trivial concern that Dr. Dan Holt faced when he requested a Forensic Audit be ordered by MECAC (Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee). That concern was the cost of the so ordered Forensic Audit of Scott Hahn namely $12,000. If the Forensic Auditors (Froese) had decided that there were no contraventions of the MEA then Dr. Holt would have been on the hook to pay for the Forensic Audit out of his own pocket. Yours truly took a similar risk by requesting a Forensic Audit of Sandy Shantz's multiple Financial Statements TWICE! Both times MECAC improperly, and in my opinion illegally, refused to order that Forensic Audit despite thousands of dollars in missing Contributions and Expenses.

This above information plus the next forthcoming is to nullify any inaccurate suggestions that citizens are allowed to take free shots at elected officials without any consequences or accountability. In fact the entire process is loaded with consequences, financial and otherwise and citizens are held accountable (somewhat) by the public nature of the process. If a citizen does not have very strong grounds for their complaints then the media will and do publicly say exactly that. This has not happened because all three Woolwich Councillors (Bauman, Shantz & Hahn) involved in the 2014 Election Fiasco messed up royally and worse.

Since serving the Summons on Mr. Hahn last Saturday I have also had to phone three lawyers, visit two and make a payment (nominal) to one of them in order to get the Affidavit of Service of Summons, "commissioned". This "commissioning" is essentially my swearing an oath that yes I did personally serve the summons on Mr. Hahn. Then it was back down to Kitchener to both Intake/Superior Court first and then over to Provincial Court at 77 Queen St. Kitchener. Both locations required speaking to staff in order to confirm that I was giving the Affidavit of Service to the right court at the correct location.

Put simply my efforts (and Dr. Dan's & others) have only been possible by our being retired, committed, persistent and dedicated. There have been a dozen times when it would have been less expensive, less time consuming and easier on the nerves to throw in the towel and walk away. You are welcome Woolwich taxpayers and residents.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY BELOW WATER TABLE GRAVEL EXTRACTION



Last week's Wellington Advertiser carrys an article titled "Warmer water in Puslinch pit concerns local councillors".The gravel pit causing concerns is referred to as CBM's Rozell Road Pit. Information was brought to Puslinch Councillors by Stan Denhoed of Harden Environmental regarding temperature changes in both surface and groundwater.

It is Preston Sand and Gravel who are the operators of this pit which was the subject of an OMB hearing back in 2009. In 2014 CBM commenced below water table extraction which Mr. Denhoed believes contravenes the site plan which stipulates floor elevations for the pit.

There are several years of background temperature monitoring between 2005 and 2013. Temperatures of groundwater discharging to nearby cold water fisheries is being affected (warmed) most likely due to the stripping of soil and excavation of overburden. This reduces the insulating factor significantly especially when their is extraction below the water table. hence the water table (shallow aquifer) is exposed at surface and heats up in the hot summer months.

Simply put the normal environmental problems caused by above water table extraction are seriously exacerbated with exposure of normally below surface groundwater during below water table extraction. The Kuntz Pit in Winterbourne which I believe also involves Preston Sand and Gravel is currently attempting to change their operations to allow for below water table extraction. There are numerous issues with this pit including right from the start the volume of gravel available above the water table was marginal.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

K-W RECORD WEIGHS IN ON M.O.E./CHEMTURA/CRA 2028 FAILURE




Today's Waterloo Region Record advises us similar to the Woolwich Observer and CKCO-TV (Kitchener) that the (ir)responsible parties will not achieve their long promised and mandated cleanup in Elmira, Ontario. The story is titled "Elmira cleanup won't meet 2028 deadline". Yours truly suggested as much nearly a decade ago with the statement "The Elmira cleanup is a sham". It was obvious to me then that all the bragging and puffery in the world just wasn't reducing the off-site concentrations adequately. Numerous times between 2006 and 2010 I calculated the percentages of off-site wells with reducing concentration trends, increasing trends and no trends. The no trends were by far in the majority. CPAC in 2012 hired a consultant (Dr. Gail Krantzburg) who came to the same conclusion based upon the data.

Credit goes to Dr. Dick Jackson the Chair of TAG for explaining clearly the technical reasons for this failure. The simplest is of course that pump & treat technology simply on its own isn't up to the job and never was designed to be. The various contaminants have diffused into the less permeable clays of the aquitards between the sand and gravel aquifers. These contaminants are now very slowly back diffusing into the aquifers where they are slowly pumped out (& treated). Dr. Jackson suggests thatb this process is morelikely to take fifty years than thirty as initially predicted.

The first sentence in today's story is incorrect as 2028 will be Thirty years not twenty since the off-site pumping started in 1998. Keep in mind that it took the vartious and assorted twits nearly a decade to even begin the off-site pumping after the two wellfields were shut down in 1989.

Every single error and misstep by the so called "experts" and Q.P.s (qualified persons) has been predicted and pointed out by citizens over the last twenty-seven years. We have been ignored by the other equally guilty parties, the woefully uninformed and intellectually inferior local politicians who have supported this ridiculous "process" since the beginning. Examples abound of citizens correctly pointing out cleanup directions that Conestoga Rovers and Chemtura have refused. These include reinjection of treated water into the aquifers, using In Situ Chemical Oxidation (ISCO) and increased pumping at the heart of the on-site contamination (PW4) rather than at the edges (PW1).

While Councillor Mark Bauman deplores "...that this saga continues to go on"; he personally can take significant discredit for that happening with his continued support of Chemtura/CRA and the Ministry of the Environment during his multiple terms on Council.

Monday, July 25, 2016

SO YOU WANT TO LAY ELECTION CHARGES AGAINST A MUNICIPAL COUNCILLOR?



According to the Municipal Elections Act 1996 Section 81.(17) "This section does not prevent a person from laying a charge or taking any other legal action, at any time, with respect to an alleged contravention of a provision of this Act relating to election campaign finances." Wow it's just that easy and simple. Not!

The assistance citizens receive from the courts can best be described as minimalist, contradictory, inconsistent and confusing. This includes Intake Court within the Superior Court building in downtown Kitchener as well as advice you may receive from any number of different Justices of the Peace. In fairness part of the problem is the rarity in which a non lawyer citizen takes a municipal election candidate to court. That said the process of only permitting citizens to access Intake Court on Fridays is beyond belief. If you get something wrong even if you've followed directions to the letter, you guessed it; come back and see us in a week. By the way I would show up at 9 am., sign the sheet and be either the first second or third to have done so and routinely spend the next three to five hours sitting there. This I did SIX times with Sandy Shantz's charges and three times with Scott Hahn's. Normally my time with the J.P. would be between ten and twenty minutes.

Approximately six trips from Elmira to court were required in regards to Sandy's charges plus two or three more with the two prosecuters. How many with Scott is anybody's guess. At no point prior to the penultimate court appearance did either prosecuter suggest to me that there was any problem with how any of the charges were laid by the J.P..

I will say this regarding the court system. At no point was I threatened or intimidated by any judges or police during the process. Afterall Canada isn't a third world country is it? The out of town prosecuter Fraser Kelly I would best describe as a pompous ass. He did threaten me however. Firstly he pulled the stunt of misrepresenting a meeting a few days prior to Sandy's last court appearance to get me to attend a meeting with him and it turned out a Waterloo Regional Police detective. In hindsight it seems clear to me that Mr. Kelly had zero interest in prosecuting a Regional Councillor and mayor of Woolwich Township. What he had in mind was charging me with allegedly, surrepticiously taperecording a PUBLIC MECAC meeting, already being taped by the Township, in their Council Chambers.

Does it get any worse? Well that depends upon one's sensibilities. The Summons for Sandy was served via the courts doing the job. I was informed a week and a half ago that I personally had to serve Mr. Hahn his Summons. Are you kidding me? I advised both the J.P. and the Waterloo Regional Police that that was an inflammatory, provocative action to have the same citizen who lays election charges on a councillor, also personally serve the Summons on him. While we would like to think that councillors normally are 100% law abiding, calm and semi-reasonable persons, that has not been my experience with Woolwich councillors in general. Their public behaviour has been on occasion, brash and intemperate, and I am not remotely focusing on Mr. Hahn here. This includes his experienced colleagues on Council.

I will say that when push came to shove the Regional Police while insisting that I serve the Summons, did request that I advise them in advance of the time, date and location and hence an officer did attend with me. I would also say that that particular officer was very polite, courteous and helpful towards me. I will also add that Mr. Hahn was calm, cool and respectful and indeed his Council colleagues could take a lesson from him. That the citizen laying the charge also has to serve the Summons however is dispicable. In fact the entire legal process to date has been dispicable. I now view this legislated right of citizens to lay private charges to be nothing but a sham. Shame on every person in authority responsible for this entire asinine process. I believe it has been intentionally designed from start to finish to block citizens from their legislated right to lay private charges against candidates and politicians who blatantly contravene the Municpal Elections Act.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

COULD MECAC & THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM HAVE AS MUCH TO ANSWER FOR AS COUNCILLOR HAHN?




Last Thursday's Woolwich Observer carrys the following story titled "Woolwich councillor Scott Hahn faces new legal challenge". That title sort of implies that he's already been facing legal challenges regarding his error filled campaign Financial Statements which is inaccurate. To date he's only faced the highly friendly and pro Woolwich MECAC (Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee). Their name when taken literally is exactly what they are supposed to do. They are supposed to order a Forensic Audit whenever there is the likely appearance that the Municpal Elections Act (MEA) has been contravened by a candidate. Even a single apparent contravention based upon the reasonable belief of a citizen and demonstrated to the committee is grounds for an Audit.

Now if the Audit reveals zero contraventions then the committee actually have the authority to charge the citizen complainant for the costs of the Audit which in Scott Hahn's case was $12,000 initially paid for by Woolwich Township. If the Audit however finds either a significant contravention of the MEA or multiple contraventions then MECAC are not supposed to assume the role of either the prosecuter or the judge or jury. MECAC are supposed to send the file with Audit on to the prosecuter for their determination. Using the professional and detailed Forensic Audit advising him the prosecuter determines whether it is in the public interest to proceed with prosecution.

Mr. Hahn's contraventions were both significant and they were numerous. His initial Financial Statement filed prior to the March 27, 2015 deadline is the sole one that either MECAC or the courts must focus on. His months later filing was accepted and commissioned illegally by Woolwich Township who seem hellbent themselves on breaking laws as they see fit.

Mr. Hahn claimed $328 as his total Contributions and Expenses. Only after Dr. Holt requested an Audit did he advise that he had spent $3,000 on his campaign. The Forensic Audit did look at both his Financial Statements, the original and the second improperly accepted one and determined that there were significant contraventions of the MEA in both of them. Either the Municpal Elections Act is a complete joke and a farce that should be totally scrapped or it must be enforced especially in egregious cases of ridiculous and blatant contraventions.

As in the Todd Cowan case if the court (not MECAC) decide that these contraventions were unintentional or the result of inattention and sloppy paperwork then the Judge can and presumably will give Mr. Hahn a minor slap on the wrist. Justice will have been done. On the other hand if the Judge determines there was some intent to deceive, break the law or coverup contraventions then I expect he/she will be less lenient. All that is the Judge's determination. MECAC grossly exceeded their authority in both Woolwich cases and they too should be held accountable.

Friday, July 22, 2016

CHEMTURA'S CREDIBILITY ENDS WITH A WHIMPER



Yesterday's Woolwich Observer carried this story titled "Elmira aquifer cleanup work expected to go past 2028 deadline". How can both myself and CPAC not say "I told you so"? It's even more than Chemtura and Conestoga Rover's reliance on hydraulic containment alone as a remediation method has been proven to be pigheaded. They adamantly refused to use best methods or best technology and here is the result. I had publicly at CPAC years ago advised them of the good results that In Situ Chemical Oxidation (ISCO) had achieved in Cambridge in getting rid of chlorinated solvents (TCE & TCA). Now after screwing up field tests a couple of years ago they are going to reattempt it this time with expert advice on how to do it. For thirty years we've been hearing the same crap from Chemtura, CRA and the Ontario M.O.E. namely that they had all the knowledge, all the expertise and all the credentials. Turns out they have exactly what I've said they have for decades and that's all the bullshit.

Jeff Merriman, senior apologist at Chemtura, again is blowing smoke at the public. He suggests that 99.7% of the site will be cleaned up by 2028. I suggest he is nuts even if he was misquoted and was saying 99.7% of the off-site aquifer will be cleaned up. Jeff also says that their computer model uses conservative assumptions. By conservative does he really mean untruthful assumptions? That's the only thing that makes any sense as they are years behind in their pumping and years behind where they need to be in order to achive their 2028 deadline. By the way for those who don't know that 30 year deadline originally was for 2021, then it was 30 years from the early 1990s and finally it was set at 30 years from the belated start of the off-site pumping in 1998 nearly a decade after the Elmira wells were shut down. That has been the story of this "cleanup" from day one. Stall, delay, bullshit, then repeat the process.

Chemtura's expanded pump and treat has taken nearly four years before even the first additional gallon of water will be pumped. Jeff claims it should be up and running in the fall. That is typical of their pace. All of this off-site cleanup is based on the ridiculous assumption that the on-site hydraulic containment, as mediocre as it is, continues forever. Forever is a very long time and those professional truth adjusters will be long gone from Elmira eventually, maybe sooner than later. Six months or a year after the on-site pumps stop the thirty years of off-site pumping will be for nothing unless more on-site source removal takes place. We know where the LNAPLS are and we know where the DNAPLS are. What's been lacking is the will of both Chemtura and local politicians as well as the truth also from both parties.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

THE DEFAULT POSITION FAVOURS MONEY NOT THE ENVIRONMENT



On July 7, 2016 the Waterloo Region Record carried this story titled "Court asked to stop approval of pesticide". The pesticides involved are clothianidin and thiamethoxam, both members of a group known as neonicotonoids. This group have been implicated by scientists and governments for extensive damages to bee colonys over the last decade.

The David Suzuki Foundation, Friends of the Earth Canada, Ontario Nature and the Wilderness Committee have all filed a lawsuit in Fedral Court in Toronto aimed at the registration of these pesticides by the federal regulator known as the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).

The claim by the plaintiffs is that without adequate scientific evidence PMRA has been registering and reregistering these products for years for use. In fact PMRA while admitting to concerns regarding these products has been requesting field studies to prove the safety of the product only to wait years without the proponent providing them. Apparently the default position in these cases is not to jeopardize corporate profits versus the health of either humans or the environment.

This Canada is the political attitude all the way down the line provincially, regionally and municipally. This is yet again an example of corrupt politicians taking care of money and influence first and foremost.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

COMPARISON OF TWO ELECTION ACT CASES




In Sandy Shantz's case all expenses and contributions were not clear. There had not been a formal, professional investigation by either a Forensic Auditor nor by the police acting on behalf of the Crown prosecuter. To my surprise and disappointment, even after the local Crown Alexander Andres took complete carriage of the file, there still was not going to be a complete, comprehensive investigation into her four Financial Statements. Hence right up until near the end of her case I was still sucessfully finding additional campaign expenses (and hence contributions) that she had not included. This of course puts her July 2015 conditional Reinstatement by Justic Broad into some question.

In Scott Hahn's case with his initial and only legally acceptable Financial Statement, the initial complainant Dr. Dan Holt had essentially a blank canvas to work with. It truly was an incredibly ridiculous Financial Statement right on the face of it. That the Clerk Val Hummel did not question it by asking Mr. Hahn some very simple questions is inexplicable. Inexplicable that is unless she did ask him some appropriate questions and either the answers were inaccurate or if accurate no timely resubmission was demanded. That Woolwich Township improperly and I believe also illegally accepted and commissioned Mr. Hahn's second Financial Statement was and is bizarre. The Elections Act simply does not allow that after the March 27/15 deadline unless ordered by a Judge.

To his credit amd similar to Todd Cowan, Mr. Hahn co-operated with the investigation and quickly admitted that he had made some major errors. That was certainly an understatement but at least he did not lie about having so many very large signs throughout Ward One. Are Woolwich residents such lightweights that they would so easily be induced to vote for a basically unknown candidate simply due to his signs and brochures, albeit almost $3,000 worth of them? I would certainly hope not yet he did defeat much more knowledgable and experienced candidates including Pat Merlihan, Ruby Weber, Dr. Holt and Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach. Ahh democracy can sometimes be strange. It worries me that Todd could attempt a political comeback several years down the road. I can see his campaign slogan now ..." I'm the only candidate caught so far and I've learned my lesson unlike my worthy opponents". LOL

What concerns me with Scott is what could be interpreted as breathtaking arrogance. Saying that I readily admit that I do not know him well. The appearance to me at the MECAC hearings was that of a young man caught redhanded at the very least having absoultely not a clue as to what his legal responsibilities and duties were. And at times he was on the offensive with Dr. Dan Holt. Dr. Dan was never rude, offensive or even judgemental. He stuck to the facts whereas both Scott and Sandy at her hearings were at times ridiculously personal, rude and disrespectful. Wow that's pretty impressive considering they are the ones who by their own admission screwed up their legally required Financial Statements royally.

Scott also had some very, to say the least, unusual receipts and invoices. The Forensic Auditors made it clear that they had serious problems with them. Firstly they simply could not be confirmed as legitimate or accurate via the legally required paperwork trails. These paperwork trails are mandatory yet invoices could not be found on Tri-Mach's computer system nor could entries of over $1700 in cash be found in their petty cash records to allegedly pay for the signs. Nor could withdrawals of cash from personal bank accounts account for this large sum of cash. Somewhat similarily Scott's in-laws did produce an invoice for brochures that they printed on Scott's behalf only to suggest that it was a "sample" invoice. While they did list the billing to two individuals hence attempting to keep below the maximun $750 indiviual campaign donation, the Auditor was having none of that. Allegedly no money was paid to them hence it was an individual corporate overdonation to Scott's campaign.

For me the bottom line with all three (Sandy, Scott, Mark) Woolwich Election Act lawbreakers is as follows: Why even bother passing legislation provincially if you the Crown have no interest in enforcing even some of the most egregious and blatant cases? Again similar to Todd Cowan nobody based upon the current knowledge is suggesting extreme punitive measures such as jail time. However a conviction on these provincial offences (ie. non criminal) may well be appropriate. Only a judge or jury can so decide.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

FROM MAYOR OF WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP..... TODD'S FALL FROM GRACE




Today's Waterloo Region record carrys the following story titled "Former Woolwich mayor Todd Cowan gets conditional discharge". Bob Burtt you may yet get sued for Libel. I was not the one who called Sylvia Berg corrupt or in Uniroyal's pocket contrary to the misinformation in your book. You gutlessly never asked me about that during our interview. You did ask about the DNAPL report and APTE's failure to confront the M.O.E.'s approval of it. Hindsight being twenty-twenty I am so glad that Richard, Esther and I left APTE over that because that was the turning point in APTE's future reduced influence. By the way Dr. Henry Regier did not leave APTE then. He wasn't even in town yet and didn't join APTE until around 1996. He left APTE over other failures not so much by APTE as by Susan Bryant and joined the Elmira Hazards Team around 2005.

Whoa what the hell was that sidetrack all about? One second I'm talking about Todd Cowan and the next I'm teeing off on Bob Burtt. Basically in preparing for this posting about Todd Cowan I decided to review Todd's lies in Bob's book. I never got to them but did get to other falsehoods. That said Bob's book is by no means all bad. It is disappointing however that Bob, under Susan's influence, has deminished his book with the personal attack upon my character by the following factually challenged individuals: Wilf Ruland, Todd Cowan, Bill Bardswick, Susan Bryant etc.. Upon rereading Bob's book there actually is a lot of good stuff in there particularily regarding the sins (corruption?) of Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. That we agree on. The rest by a pack of twits more allegedly worried about my style than substance is just window dressing. Wilf will bend over backwards and kiss his own butt rather than tell the plain, unvarnished truth to power. Power means Chemtura, Conestoga-Rovers and the M.O.E.. In Marshall speak he is a gutless wonder of very little use when confronting influential, professional truth twisters.

Susan and Sylvia, in years of hindsight, did sell out APTE, myself and Elmira citizens to the M.O.E. and Uniroyal. That said now I did not know, believe or say any such thing in January 1994 or in fact up until 2010. It took a tremendous amount of time, facts, experience and yes some advice from one or two others to convince me. I do not readily or easily distrust those to whom I have given my trust and confidence. Even after the fall of 2007 and the spring of 2008 when CPAC and Woolwich Council turfed me from CPAC I required a very long time to come to that conclusion. History and more facts have since reinforced my conclusions.

Back to Todd. He is both the luckiest and unluckiest person in Woolwich Township. Lucky as hell that the Judge didn't convict him on the Fraud charge and unlucky as hell that his attempt at getting the Township to pay for his girlfriend's breakfasts was witnessed. Also unlucky in that his reputation and character have so publicly been destroyed. Undoubtedly a number of Woolwich Staff and politicians are happy as hell about that.

In the big picture Todd is no hardcore criminal likely to pose a threat to society in general. He has paid an awful price for his behaviour and is unlikely to ever be back in a position to breach the public trust. He will likely continue however to gild the lily when it so suits him and I can only say "buyer beware". I may give him a second chance but I sure as hell am unlikely to ever trust him again. Just like Susan.

Monday, July 18, 2016

ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY DENIED BY MECAC IN WOOLWICH




The Municipal Elections Compliance Audit Committee (MECAC) have a perfect record. They are zero for two. In other words they failed to uphold the Municipal Elections Act (1996) in both cases here in Woolwich Township when citizens following the process put in place by the Act requested an investigation into readily apparent multiple contraventions by each candidate. In fact for one of the candidates (mayor) MECAC even refused twice to order a professional forensic audit which is essentially obligatory when a candidate has clearly and obviously on the face of their Financial Statements made serious errors. Hers were so severe that she was issued a Default notice by the Woolwich Clerk, albeit grudgingly, and briefly lost her position as mayor. Despite this MECAC refused to order a professional Forensic Audit to get to the bottom of her contraventions of the Act. By the way today's Waterloo Region Record article titled "Woolwich councillor accused of election violations" while overall very good does not include among the mayor's violations her understating by thousands of dollars her expenses including still yet unstated expenses after four Financial Statements.

Last summer Justice David Broad gave mayor Shantz her job back CONDITIONALLY. It was conditional upon her refiling accurate Financial Statements including a Supplementary Financial Statement. He also wrote in his Judgement that she must include all expenses and all contributions to her Financial Statements as a condition of her reinstatement. As of last December I gave documented evidence including photographs to Crown Prosecuter Alexander Andres indicating that she had not included various expenses from her party at the Elmira Curling Club. The prosecuter indicated that names along with the photograph would be very helpful to his decision whether or not to go ahead. After much effort I also obtained those and provided them. Lo and behold the case went to an outside Prosecuter who dropped all the charges.

Councillor Scott Hahn mangled his Financial Statement beyond belief. Quite frankly a five year old should have been embarassed by the lack of effort put into his. Lack of effort and lack of accuracy. From $328 in total expenses he's now nudging the $3,000 mark. By comparison while mayor Shantz's efforts were pathetic and inaccurate his were quite simply a joke. I have to suspect that someone more experienced at the Woolwich Township Hall must have told him not to worry, nobody ever reads the on-line Financial Statements of candidates. Anybody want to bet that in 2018 Woolwich candidates will be more accurate and complete when they fill out their forms? A half dozen Woolwich citizens including myself who made formal complaints and or spoke at the MECAC hearings can take credit for that.

In my mind the biggest unresolved matter with Mr. Hahn is not his incompetence in making the original mess of his Financial Statement. It is his efforts after the fact to "fix" it. The details including invoices and receipts came out via the Forensic Audit by Froese Forensic Partners dated August 11, 2015. This is precisely why MECAC are supposed to order a Forensic Audit when there are apparent contraventions of the Elections Act. The incredibly detailed Forensic Audit makes a candidate's voluntary audit look like a joke which is essentially what it is.

Following is a quote from the Forensic Audit, paid for by the Township, which just nibbles around the edges of my and other citizens concerns with Mr. Hahn's "fixing" of his Financial Statement: "We are unable to conclude whether Scott Hahn believes, or ought to believe, that the information on the contributers, as reported in the Amended Financial Statement, is true. That is, whether the three family members actually contributed cash to Tri-Mach's petty cash in or around October 2014." (3.22 pg.10 ).

Wow! Think carefully about what that statement from the Auditors may be alleging. Then ask yourselves why in hell did Carl Zehr and the boys and girls (Grace Sudden) on the committee (MECAC) refuse to send this Forensic Audit on to the Prosecuter. It is my opinion that the whole thing smells very bad.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

MUNICIPAL ELECTION ACT CHARGES LAID AGAINST COUNCILLOR SCOTT HAHN




Private charges were laid yesterday at the Superior Courthouse in Kitchener with Justice of the Peace Z. Radulovic. Ms. Radulovic has been one of three different Justices who have examined Informations regarding the Municipal Elections Act (MEA) since last September in relation to two Woolwich Council members. The three J.P.s are Justice Radulovic, Justice Marquette and Justice Phillips.

There are four charges under the MEA covering Sections 89, 78,92 and 94. These charges cover seven to eight contraventions of the Act all of which were explained in depth in the August 11, 2015 Forensic Audit produced by Froese Forensic Partners. Mr. Hahn's contraventions were neither minor, inadvertent nor insignificant and in my opinion the thirteen page Audit plus six pages of Exhibits clearly demonstrated that.

Personally to date I have been appalled at how ridiculous, onerous, disrespectful and amateurish the entire judicial process has been since last September. This would include multiple court appearances and adjournements over six months while the local Crown Prosecuter had complete carriage of the file and then sat on apparently improperly laid charges the entire time. Not until the out of town prosecuter Fraser Kelly announced in court that the charges would not proceed was I aware that the J.P.s involved had somehow laid the charges incorrectly. It has become very clear to me that the so called "right" for citizens to lay private charges under the MEA (at least) is a joke and a paper tiger. Let's see exactly how far and how long these charges against Mr. Hahn proceed.

This private laying of charges while clearly permitted and stated in the MEA is I believe used primarily as a last resort. They can however be laid at any time although the Act lays out a process using a Municipal Elections Compliance Audit Committee (MECAC) normally followed by a professional Forensic Audit when potential or likely contraventions are found. It normally is not the committee's place to determine whether a candidate is in contravention of the law. Those determinations are made by the Forensic Auditors. They did so and clearly indicated multiple contraventions of the law. Despite that MECAC took it upon themselves not to exercise their authority and send Mr. Hahn's case on to a Prosecuter.

That there is a bias by the Crown in favour of prosecuting charges sent to them by police, municipal councils, MECAC committees and other "authorities" has become very clear to me. That the local Crown would sit on improperly laid charges by a Justice of the Peace and say nothing to me for six months I find appalling. At any point in time I could have relaid the Information and gone back to the J.P. if I had known. My next question is did he advise the charged Councillor or her lawyer during this time? Did she know that the charges would not proceed, even the four that Fraser Kelly admitted in Provincial Court this past spring were laid properly? Exactly what kind of scheme is going on here and will it occur again with the Scott Hahn charges? Has it ocurred already with his charges?

Our courts are not designed and run for the benefit of citizens and taxpayers. They are intentionally designed to be of benefit to lawyers, judges, administrators and bureaucrats all making their living off of the taxpayers' dime. Something similar to career politicians in my opinion. While Mr. Hahn needs to be honestly held accountable by a fair process of law so too does our judicial system. They are intentionally citizen unfriendly and disrespectful and their gamesmanship, their unduly complicated processes, rules and regulations and their biases against those paying the costs of their bloated and overpaid system need to be addressed and not by those most personally benefiting by them.

One last comment here. Prosecuter Fraser Kelly claimed in Provincial Court this past spring that it was not in the public's interest to proceed with the remaining properly laid four charges against Mayor Shantz. Zero explanation followed to back up that statement. Let me ask this question. Are not all our laws passed by duly elected legislatures not in the public interest in the first place? Why pass a law if it isn't supposed to help or protect our citizens and democracy? Therefore if a citizen has apparently broken a law that was passed to protect the public's interests how is it that that citizen should not be prosecuted? At the very least both local and out of town Prosecuters have the duty and obligation to explain that clearly to the public paying their salaries.

Friday, July 15, 2016

WEDNESDAY EVENING'S TAG MEETING



Following are a few comments made Wednesday evening mostly by Dr. Richard Jackson, Chair of TAG. Some of these were said at the private, "technical experts" meeting. Ramin Ansari of Chemtura in regards to the 2028 deadline stated "We aren't going to get there", according to Dr. Jackson. Professor Neil Thompson of the University of Waterloo stated "Pump and treat won't make Ontario Drinking Water Standards by 2028". "2028 will be extremely difficult to do" was said by Dr. Jackson at last evening's TAG meeting. Dr. Jackson also suggested that various off-site hot spots needed to be hit with ISCO (In Situ Chemical Oxidation). Finally Dr. Jackson on this subject advised us that these previous statements were "an eye opener for the M.O.E.".

Dr. Neil Thompson of the University of Waterloo has been retained as a consultant by Chemtura, Canada. Considering the level of groundwater experience so close to Elmira it's been shocking how little that resource has been tapped over the last three or four decades. Further regarding ISCO Dr. Jackson stated that "back diffusion (from aquitards into aquifers) probably will defeat whatever new steps are taken.".

TAG passed a Motion recommending that Chemtura produce a robust Conceptual Site Model and it's contaminants by the end of September. Susan had suggested that the January 2007 meeting with Professors Cherry and Parker dealt with this issue. Hardly; it was about DNAPLS on the Chemtura site and how they needed to be removed.

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment continue to disrespectfully and dishonestly withold data from both TAG and the public. These are floodplain samples downstream in the "Gig" from nearly a year ago. This witholding makes both myself and Dr. Jackson suspicious of their results.

Environment Canada have responded to information sent them by M.P. Harold Albrecht requesting their assistance here in Elmira. Environment Canada have declined assistance or as Dr. Jackson stated it is "a buck passing". Dr. Jackson took several shots at the M.O.E. including "the M.O.E. is negligent regarding monitoring and considering the implications of the GLWQA (Great Lakes Water Quality Agreemnet). Another shot was in regards to Terri Buhlman of the M.O.E.. He stated that "if she was concerned she wouldn't have put up a fuss about the signs (fish) going up.". This is in regards to Woolwich Township appropriately putting fish consumption warning signs along the Canagagigue Creek.

All in all it was an interesting meeting. I believe that TAG members overall are quickly learning and understanding the political forces waged against them. Dr. Jackson has given no public hints as to his longterm future with TAG but it is obvious they are a force with him involved.

Thursday, July 14, 2016

CHEMTURA & THEIR CONSULTANTS AFTER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY FINALLY TELL THE TRUTH - M.O.E. STUNNED



FOUR YEARS AGO THEY ADMITTED THEIR CURRENT COURSE WAS DOOMED TO FAIL. THEY PROMISED TO TRIPLE THE PUMPING OF GROUNDWATER IN THE ELMIRA AQUIFERS AND DO SOURCE REMOVAL OF HOT SPOTS. LAST EVENING THE PUBLIC WERE ADVISED THAT EVEN WITH THEIR ENHANCEMENTS ELMIRA'S DRINKING WATER WILL NOT BE RESTORED BY 2028.


Since the early 1990s Chemtura (Uniroyal Chemical) and their consultants, Conestoga Rovers (CRA), have been categorically stating that they would restore Elmira's Aquifers to drinking water standards by 2028. No ifs, no ands and no buts. When challenged by citizens and experts they have assurred all that they knew exactly what they were doing. We have been told year in and year out that so many kilograms of contaminants such as Ammonia, NDMA and Chlorobenzene have been removed from the aquifers under Elmira. We have been told that the numerous contaminant plumes are all shrinking and that pump and treat technology is the only way to go.

CPAC along with both external and internal experts confronted both Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment in the spring of 2012. We told them that their pump & treat (ie. hydraulic containment) technology was not good enough on its own. They along with Conestoga Rovers repeatedly and emphatically said we were wrong yet six months later suddenly reversed themselves in November 2012 with their new cleanup program for the Elmira Aquifers. For nearly four years they have been upgrading treatment systems, adding new pumping wells and messing up tests for source removal (In Situ Chemical Oxidation). They actually haven't pumped one extra gallon of contaminated water to date.

THEY HAVE BEEN BLOWING SMOKE, LYING AND DECEIVING ELMIRA CITIZENS FROM THE START.

They will now continue to do what they do best. With enabling from the M.O.E.C.C. and Woolwich Township Council they will put spin on this. They will give a new date and once again promise, honest Injun, to do their very best. They will moan about their "state of the art" cleanup being comprimised by new technical information that nobody ever heard of before. Their cleanup has never remotely been state of the art. The "new" technical information relates to back diffusion from aquitards leaking into the aquifers. It's been known for decades. CRA with political help from the province and most especially from Woolwich Township for most of the last thirty years, have done the cheapest and least possible, all for the financial benfit of their client Uniroyal/Chemtura.

Informed citizens such as myself and others have been ignored, belittled and slandered by professional liars, both private and government. This intentional program has been done to lessen our credibility and to allow money, power and influence to have their way. We have advised honestly and from a strong knowledge base as to what needed to be done here. With the exception of the 2010-2014 Woolwich Council we have been stymied primarily by our own local politicians. This includes three on our current Council namely Murray Martin, Sandy Shantz and Mark Bauman. The last two especially have coddled Chemtura and bent over backwards to do their bidding. This is the direct result.


Wednesday, July 13, 2016

TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP (TAG) MEETING THIS EVENING




Well there certainly hasn't been much to be happy about environmentally over the last year with one notable exception and that is TAG. Several of their members while brand new have been attending, paying attention and learning. Of course they thank god haven't been learning at the feet of the two conflict of interest specialists; they've been learning at the feet of the Chairman, Dr. Dick Jackson. TAG may have little or no authority or power compared to the pack of pretend stakeholders known as RAC (Remediation Advisory Group) but they do have moral authority based upon the extraordinary knowledge, experience and honesty of their Chairman.

Speaking of the two conflict of interest queens has anyone noticed how quiet they are, even when they decide to attend meetings? They are out of their depths and totally overshadowed by the presence and authority of Dr. Jackson. What a pleasure listening to someone who knows what he's talking about versus someone who was constantly faking it. Ten years as CPAC Chair and Pat Mclean was still totally dependant on Susan for technical assistance.

TAG will meet at 6:30 pm. today in Woolwich Council Chambers. There will be discussion around the so called technical experts meeting as well as regarding the proposed East Side Offsite Work Plan ie. Stroh farm. Furthermore there is to be a response by Health Canada to a Federal Briefing Note. I'm not sure if this is in regards to the request for assistance by Woolwich to the Federal government through our local M.P. Harold Albrecht, or not. Lastly TAG will give their Recommendations regarding Elmira's groundwater cleanup as well as Canagagigue cleanup to RAC. They may well be excellent Recommendations but the ill informed, uninterested bureaucrats and politicians on RAC will most likely do their usual ie. talk and no action.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

FURTHER EVIDENCE OF M.O.E. & CHEMTURA ILLEGAL BYPASS OF CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER?



Do not ever forget which two Woolwich residents and Councillors rescued Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment from the grilling they were getting from myself, CPAC and SWAT during the fall of 2014. The Stroh Drain was redirecting Chemtura ground and surface water off their site and into the Canagagigue Creek further downstream. Evidence was first exposed by myself and then studied and reported on by MTE Consultants that the east side pits had sent both groundwater and surface flow off-site onto the neighbour's property. Even the excavations at GP1 and capping of GP2 were brought into question as being the wrong locations. Mark Bauman and Sandy Shantz rescued Chemtura and the M.O.E. from the credibility beating they were taking by dissolving the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee. Neither guilty party had any reasonable explanations for the discoveries listed above.

The piece de resistance was the discovery via Google Earth and Waterloo GIS satellite photos that there were manmade earthworks of some sort running from Chemtura's north-east side southwards and finally eastwards off-site to their eastern neighbour's property. It is likely that they hooked into the culvert exposed at ground surface and running north/south on the Stroh property which discharges into the manmade Stroh Drainage ditch.

The best estimate I have for the construction of the Stroh Drain is 1985 just prior to the Elmira water crisis. The manmade earthworks, I have previously suggested were some sort of Interceptor Trench or even a Barrier Wall. Interestingly recent information I have received indicates that Chemtura's longtime consultants, Conestoga Rovers installed "a barrier drain and leachate collection system" as part of their "cleanup" of the infamous Love Canal around 1980. My best time estimate for the Chemtura earthworks as seen on Google Earth and Waterloo GIS is between 1985 and 1993. They could easily have been done in the mid 80s along with other ongoing on-site (east & west side) extensive excavations prior to public scrutiny caused by the 1989 drinking wells shutdown. Or prior to and during the east side excavations of RPE4 & 5 in 1993 they could have done the same. Following is an exerpt (pg. 234-235) from the 2016 book by Richard S. Newman titled "Love Canal...".

"...workers created a massive barrier drain system that funneled leachate to a pumping station. Consisting of a three foot wide trench-made of "7000 feet of extra strength perforated vitrified clay tile"-the drain encircled much of the dump. Installed at depths of between 12 and 20 feet and gently "bedded in and covered with a minimum of one foot of crushed stone," the drain system funneled wandering wastes "to wet wells where the liquids were pumped out of the ground."

O.K. so we know that Conestoga Rovers certainly had experience with Interceptor Trenches/ Barrier Drains a few years prior to the earthworks done at Uniroyal/Chemtura. We also know that the Ontario M.O.E. went along with the ridiculous hydraulic containment of only the south-west quadrant of the Uniroyal shallow aquifer in 1997. Neither party ever gave a cogent explanation as to why the east side shallow aquifer was not contained. I think that now we know the reason why. While not "contained" it was most likely diverted onto their neighbour's property where it eventually through the Stroh Drain discharged fiurther downstream into the Canagagigue Creek. This much further downstream discharge would have avoided much embarassing surface and groundwater monitoring either on-site or immediately at Chemtura's property line.

Monday, July 11, 2016

LOVE CANAL: A STUDY OF IRRESPONSIBILITY, STUPIDITY, GREED & POLITICS




Mirex, P.C.B.s, Dioxins, Benzene, Toluene, Trichloroethylene and Lindane. These are but a small sample of the chemical wastes in and around homes in the Love Canal. Oh and of course in and around the 99th Street School where children spent their days. Elmira has also been blessed with most of these chemicals and certainly not just on the Uniroyal/Chemtura site.

I have long wondered about the "cleanup" that was done at Love Canal. I've heard that there was a certain amount of hydraulic containment (pump & treat) as well as a tile drainage system installed by Conestoga Rovers. It turns out that there was at least some limited excavation and physical removal of toxic wastes. Unfortunately at least part of the physical removal entailed reburying of the toxic wastes at another landfill about four miles away from Love Canal. Oh and again beside a residential subdivision.

Meanwhile after finally evacuating the entire neighbourhood can you believe that in order to recoup some of the costs involved, resettlement occurred? The actual former dump remained fenced off but abandoned homes were refurbished and renamed as Black Creek Village in the 1990s. You guesed it residents there are now experiencing health issues and are suing. The lawsuits allege that Love Canal was never properly remediated and toxins continue to leach onto residents' properties.

After all the negative publicity received by chemical companies, government bureaucrats and politicians is it possible that once the Love Canal residents were moved out that they cheaped out on the cleanup? Well if Elmira, Ontario is any example that is most likely exactly what happened.

Saturday, July 9, 2016

LOVE CANAL STORIES




45 gallon drums would occasionally pop up "through the grass in area backyards". "Chemical leachate dripped down basement walls". Children would come home "with a variety of ailments from coughs to chemical burns". The chemical burns could come from playing and rolling in the schoolyard as chemicals oozed out at the surface.

I am not aware of our local hazardous waste site having drums popping out of the ground years after they were buried on site. Yes there have been reports both verbal and documented of drums splitting open during burial but once "safely" buried and covered over they've tended to remain so until excavated decades later. The same thing goes for Varnicolor Chemical's Lot 91. This is making me wonder about Love Canal characteristics. Apparently after the Canal was dug and prior to drum disposal it was filled with water. Children swam in it during the summer and skated on it during the winter. Realizing that the purpose of the canal was to divert water from the Niagara River and produce hydrolectric power with it I am unsure as to whether the water in the canal was groundwater, river water or both. Regardless this may well be the reason for drums "popping up" in backyards. In other words rather than do the dirty deed of burying these drums on dry land they were disposed of in a highly water saturated environment. Partially filled rusty drums for example whose liquid contents have leaked out and been replaced with some air may well become buoyant.

Miscarriages, cancers, rashes and skin problems were rampant in the area. Generally young children are less tolerant of chemical wastes than adults and their health suffers quickly. Tumours in adults take much longer to become apparent and many cancers take decades after exposure before they they threaten health.

In Kitchener there were similar although hopefully less severe issues at Ralgreen Cresent. The Ottawa St. landfill in Kitchener and Bishop St. community in Cambridge had vapour intrusion issues. It was methane gas at the Ottawa St. landfill and Trichloroethylene (TCE) in Cambridge. Here in Elmira it was both disgusting air emissions as well as contaminated drinking water from our local wellfields. To the best of my knowledge there were no health surveys ever done in any of these local environmental crises.

Friday, July 8, 2016

THOSE WHO DO NOT STUDY HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT




As expected Mr. Hooker is becoming someewhat less of an admired character as the book "Love Canal" by Richard S. Newman unfolds. That said what I view as one of the biggest sins, that of lying, to date does not seem to apply to Mr. Hooker. He was pro conservation, pro development, pro industry but it appears as if he was up front with both the school board and the City of Niagara Falls in regards to the perils of the chemical dumpsite in the former Love Canal. Also I must conclude that there was quite a branching out of products from the original chloride of lime and sodium hydroxide (caustic soda). One does not end up with Mirex, Dioxins and P.C.B.s in the Hooker chemical dump otherwise.

To date I have read but one reference to Conestoga Rovers namely: "And so, after hiring the respected Canadian firm of Conestoga-Rovers to install a tile drainage system, local authorities felt they were done with the relatively minor Love Canal problem.". That's it so far. There have been a couple of references to toxic wastes creeping through the sewer systems. The impression I had as per yesterday's post was that this mobilization of wastes (leachate?) occurred later on in the process. At least that is the recollection I have from Mr. Quigley of CRA albeit he did not seem particularily happy to be asked questions about Love Canal at a public CPAC meeting.

One of the biggest differences between the Love Canal subdivision and Elmira, Ontario was that a health survey was done very early in the process. Miscarriages and birth defects were front and centre. People, especially children were constantly sick from diseases that were mystifying local doctors. Another difference was the quantity of toxic wastes buried in the Love Canal. They were far less than they are here in Elmira, Ontario on the Uniroyal/Chemtura property.

The Region of Waterloo are far from immune to these environmental crises. While Elmira and the Bishop St. community in Cambridge sufferred due to contaminated groundwater both the homeowners around the Ottawa St. Landfill in Kitchener and those on Ralgreen Cres. were harmed by toxic dumps. Houses were abandoned around the Ottawa St. Landfill and some cleanup as well as relocation occurred at Ralgreen Cres. In my opinion the biggest health disaster by far occurred with the Bishop St. community in Cambridge, Ontario. The Regional Health Department, the City of Cambridge and the Ontario Ministry of Environment all did a spectacular public relations job. Everything else was too little and too late with citizens and residents paying a severe health price to the point that some did not recover.

Thursday, July 7, 2016

LOVE CANAL LESSONS HERE?



Firstly I'm not finished reading the book titled "Love Canal". The sub-title is "A Toxic History From Colonial Times To The Present" and is written by Richard S. Newman. The sub-title is certainly being explained in detail through the early parts of the book. Indeed a French explorer first laid eyes on the Niagara Falls area in 1669. In essence we are advised that the entire area from Lake Erie along the Niagara River downstream to Lake Ontario has been viewed as nothing more than a huge economic, business and industrial opportunity since the 17th century.

Currently I am enjoying the primarily positive things being written about Elon Hooker the founder of Hooker Chemicals of Love Canal fame/infamy. I suspect that as the book continues there may be a touch of criticism regarding his waste disposal decisions as well as his branching out from his original products and marketing plan.

I also expect to read about Conestoga Rovers work done here whether on behalf of the residents or more likely on behalf of either Hooker Chemicals or of various governments. Of course the so called resettlement of Love Canal will also be of great interest to me. A few short years back we had Steve Quigley of CRA advise us at a CPAC meeting that the later problems at Love Canal had to do with creeping toxic wastes via the sewer system. Interesting. He did seem a tad defensive on that one.

What I am particularily noticing is the overall social attitudes. It appears that everyday citizens from early on wanted to preserve the falls, the environment and the natural beauty of the area. On the other hand entrepreneurs, business men and industrialists all had great, magnificent plans of all shapes and sizes all intended to magnify their status, fame, wealth and power. Ahh the constant human condition. Not so strangely it appears that all the rules, regulations and laws favoured the latter primarily at the expense of the former. It is no different here with the unholy alliance between those with money and those democratically elected to govern on behalf of everybody, not just the influential.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

HAS ONTARIO ABANDONED ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUPS ?




The Council of Canadians have sent out e-mail Notices advising that the Ontario government had turned down recommendations to clean up the mercury in the English-Wabigoon River System back in 1984. The recommendations came from both a scientific Steering Committee as well as from the then Minister of the Environment. Dr. John Rudd a key research scientist on the Steering Committee stated that "In 1984 my colleagues and I reported to the government that Grassy Narrows' fish would remain contaminated for generations if the river was not cleaned up. Our recommendations to clean the river were not followed and our troubling prediction has proven correct.".

The proposed remediation was tested and it was determined that it would reduce mercury levels in fish by tenfold. Despite this a remediation of the river system has not occurred and nearby residents are sufferring health effects due to mercury poisoning. Canada and Ontario are continuing their historical abuse of native peoples and all the apologies in the world can not undo the damage still being done to them.

Our fish in the Canagagigue Creek currently carry Dioxins, DDT, P.C.B.s and mercury in their flesh. It would appear that Ontario and their pathetic Ministry of the Environment value our downstream Old Order Mennonite population almost as much as they value native Canadians.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

ALL WATER CRISES ARE PREVENTABLE



The Saturday June 25, 2016 Waterloo Region Record carried a story titled "Flint water crisis was preventable". Indeed it was just as the Elmira Water Crisis was as well as the Walkerton Water Crisis. All three were a direct result of apathy, corruption, profit motive, incompetence and in the case of Elmira and Flint, environmental injustice.

In Flint the water supply was switched from Detroit's water system to the Flint River. The water was cheaper from the Flint River however it wasn't treated to control corrosion inside the lead pipes in older homes in Flint, Michigan. A state task force has concluded that the Flint crisis was a "case of environmental injustice in a poor, majority black city".

Here in Elmira, back in the 1940s the proportion of both Old and new Order Mennonites was higher than it is now. In fact those living directly downstream, along the Canagagigue Creek are still primarily Old Order Mennonites. They do not complain, raise a fuss, initiate lawsuits or otherwise speak out about political or environmental injustices inflicted upon them.

These conditions were ideal for a corporation who located in Elmira looking for a population unlikely to object to their casual and entirely self-serving methods of hazardous waste disposal. In fact make that several corporations as the east side of Elmira was referred to at one time as a mini chemical valley what with Uniroyal, Varnicolor, Nutrite, Sulco and Borg all located up and down Union St..

Monday, July 4, 2016

INDEMNITIES, SWEETHEART DEALS AND FIXES ALL CONTRARY TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST



Incestuous political relations between levels of government are a must for pro corporate, pro business deals contrary to the public interest to be sucessful. Past Indemnities such as Uniroyal, Varnicolor and Safety-Kleen have been joint measures between Regional and Provincial governments or at least provincial ministries (M.O.E.). Not one of these has been in either the public's or the environment's best interests. Fortunately for the guilty parties involved neither the public nor the environment had a vote in those decisions. Also fortunately for the guilty parties knowledge of these Indemnities only came about well after the fact.

The past Indemnity to Phillips Environmental allowed them to ignore the initial, jointly discussed Control Order laid upon Varnicolor Chemical. It was discussed with the involved public who dragged the corrupt Ministry of the Environment along by the scruff of their necks until they accepted their environmental obligations. Then surrepticiously the M.O.E. backstabbed that very same public by selling out deep investigation of the Varnicolor grossly contaminated property. How bad was Varnicolor's contamination? Quoting Jim Germann of Elmira Pump, the current owners; the concentrations of contaminants in the water table weren't in parts per billion or million they were in ounces per gallon. Do the math and you will understand what Mr. Germann was saying.

The Uniroyal site was and still is horribly contaminated but the M.O.E. gave them an Indemnity only making them responsible for new, unknown contamination as of October 1991. All that was known was forgiven provided they "cleaned up" the Elmira Aquifers and removed the wastes from two east side pits (RPE 4 & 5). Oddly when thousands of gallons of free phase LNAPLS (toluene) were found floating on the water table in 1995 only initial efforts were required and when they were unsucessful the M.O.E. turned a blind eye. Similarily the "newly" discovered likelihood of contamination on the Stroh farm east of Chemtura has caused "investigations" by Chemtura and the M.O.E. but excuses, doubletalk and stickhandling are the order of the day. With CPAC muted by Sandy Shantz only Dr. Dick Jackson has been able to speak with authority on the matter. The same thing goes for the recently discovered ongoing deposition of Dioxins/Furans and DDT in the Canagagigue Creek.

While politicians refuse to acknowledge the truth, dilution remains as their favoutite "cleanup" methodology. This is true between Safety-Kleen and the Grand River, 750 metres downgradient from Safety-Kleen's forerunner (Breslube) as well as on Lot 91 in Elmira. Lot 91 was grossly contaminated with solvents and as well P.C.B.s were found buried in a drum(s).

The latest proposal regarding development on the east side is essentially going to do the same thing. The contaminated Martin and Stroh farms will be buried under a north-south Arterial road, the "Gig" will be at least partially in a culvert and dilution as it always has will slowly over decades or centuries continue to take Uniroyal/Chemtura contaminants downstrem into the Grand River and eventually into Lake Erie.

All of these actions are intended to divert financial responsibility for cleanup from corporations and inflict the consequences of non cleanup upon the public and the environment. And our municipal, regional and provincial authorities are all aware of it and a big part of it.

Saturday, July 2, 2016

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION ON THE STEPS OF THE ONTARIO LEGISLATURE



The Friday June 24,2016 Waterloo Region Record carried a story titled "Grassy Narrows supporters dump mysterious liquid outside Ontario legislature". How appropriate under the circumstances. A protest spokesperson stated "It definitely looks a lot like mercury, but I can't tell you,". "If this was Grassy Narrows, the government would take 40 years to identify it and clean it up.".

Does anyone see a pattern here? Would mercury in the Don or Humber River in Toronto be allowed to contaminate the watershed as well as into lake Ontario? Would locals or tourists fishing in those rivers and the lake who consumed fish they caught be far enough out of sight and mind that their illnesses and deaths could be conveniently ignored? Not likely. The media and opposition politicians would be all over the Ontario government and their corrupt Ministry of Environment.

Aboriginal communities off the beaten track are allowed to suffer disproportionate environmental consequences while corporations enabled by our governments run circles around the system. Here in Elmira Ontario the Old Order Mennonite community downstream of Chemtura Canada suffer the same consequences of uncaring, hypocritical and corrupt government. There have been health consequences of Dioxins/Furans, DDT and more still being discharged into the Canagagigue Creek yet we get nothing but platitudes, lies and excuses from the M.O.E.C.C.. We the residents of Elmira and Woolwich Township have fought the company, the M.O.E. and local Councils literally for decades trying to get a real cleanup. Never ending studies literally taking decades are the usual result followed by more studies all telling us what we already know.

This merry go round will eventually end. The residents of Grassy Narrows are both desperate and out of patience. Remarkable how the local liars and co-optees even yet still preach patience and process. Neither one have ever achieved results.

Friday, July 1, 2016

CHEMTURA/M.O.E. EXIT STRATEGY DELAYED BY CPAC'S MOVES TWENTY MONTHS AGO



In war there are two things you can count on. Firstly it's always better to be on the offensive and secondly you can count on your adversaries making mistakes. Both have occured here in Elmira. In spades.

The Ministry of Environment's major blunder was in reopening the can of worms known as the Canagagigue Creek. Thank You George Karlos, formerly a senior M.O.E. bureaucrat. His statement was that they were testing soils and sediments to reassure citizens that everything was fine. What an idiot. Thank You again Gorgeous George.

Sandy and Mark can backstab and undermine individuals both privately and publicly who are in their way. They too however have overeached with their attacks upon CPAC members appointed by the previous Council. Each and every member on CPAC have more integrity in their little fingers than Mark and Sandy combined, ever have, or ever will. The knowledge base on CPAC (now Citizens Public Advisory Committee) puts all previous CPACs to shame even when they had two excellent air emissions persons.

Then we have Sandy and Mark's strange one year contract with Dr. Richard (Dick) Jackson of Geofirma. Dr. Jackson has turned out to be the real deal in spades plus he's no wallflower or pushover. He has clearly and concisely set out his case for major chamges and improvements necessary to get the cleanup of the aquifers on track as well as to investigate the Stroh farm soils and groundwater. In no uncertain terms he's also advised as to what needs to be done in the Canagagigue Creek downstream of Chemtura.

A common strategy among politicians wishing to rid themselves of either volunteers or employees doing too good of a job is to disrespect them either privately or publicly. This disrespect can be either tacit or explicit. This was similar to Mark and Sandy's strategy with CPAC. They probably hope that they can get Dr. Jackson to refuse to have his contract as TAG Chair renewed, one way or the other. His experience, presence, credentials and ethical professionalism make Chemtura, their consultants and the M.O.E. all look barely third rate.

Back in the late summer and fall of 2014 CPAC took some major moves that have borne fruit. Two years earlier they had hired Dr. Gail Krantzberg (McMaster) as a consultant and she did a fabulous job in putting Chemtura/CRA's inadequate pump and treat strategy for remediating the Elmira Aquifers, into proper prespective. In 2014 they hired MTE Consultants to examine the off-site properties on Chemtura's eastern and southern borders. The results were extraordinary and Chemtura, M.O.E. and their fellow travellors have been on the defensive ever since.

It is my belief that but for CPAC's efforts and moves that the partners in pollution combined with their political pets would have essentially shut down all public consultation whatsoever, even their perverted interpretation of it. Chemtura and the M.O.E. desperately want a way out, preferably with at least a pyrric victory. They are looking for a face saving exit strategy even one as desperate as paving over and covering up the contaminated east side lands. Next they'll want to encapsulate the Canagagigue Creek in a corrugated steel culvert the whole five miles down to the Grand River. What they will never do is admit their lies to the public from the early 1980s to the present day.