KUDOS TO RAC WITH A DASH OF HYPOCRISY ON THE SIDE

I've had many nice things to say about TAG (Technical Advisory Group) here in the Advocate but not so much for RAC. Well yesterday afternoon and early evening is going to change that. They passed a couple of Motions unanimously in an attempt to put pressure on the Ministry of Environment as well as on Chemtura Canada. Some of the more aggressive RAC members towards Chemtura and the M.O.E., hypocritically were Pat Mclean, Susan Bryant and he of the forked tongue, Mark Bauman. Wow how their tune has changed from the April 9, 2015 pretend stakeholders meeting. It's as if after nearly thirty years they've discovered what slimy, dishonest actors Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of Environment really are. Turns out that CPAC aren't the only ones fed up with the lying, deceit, misrepresentation and manipulation surrounding the remediation efforts in and downstream of Elmira.

First non-shocker. Turns out the claim that Chemtura and their consultants GHD would get access to the Stroh property this fall after the crop was off was untrue. Firstly there are no crops in the southern area including the "Gap", the Stroh Drain and the "Sink". Secondly in the more northerly direction the crops are off yet allegedly Mr. Stroh has refused access to date. This will set back soil testing and groundwater well installations and testing close to six months. Winter is a much more difficult time to be traversing wetlands, creeks and Drains. Mark Bauman suggested that Chemtura may have to rent the land from Stroh in order to ensure access next spring and summer.

This stakeholder has as yet not received the most updated East Side Work Plan. RAC, TAG and allegedly Council have. Nice public consultation there Sandy and Chemtura when a nearly thirty year active stakeholder is being denied technical documents. Susan Bryant advised that the updated plan is only going to be soil testing a little bit of the northern part of the "Gap". Chemtura and GHD continue to hide from the truth.

Two interesting comments from she who has supported Chemtura's winning *Responsible Care verification in the past (and who knows maybe again recently-local reps names have been kept hush hush). Firstly Pat McLean advised Louis Almeida of GHD that he and they don't have their ducks in a row regarding access to the Stroh property for testing. Even more surprising she publicly stated that she agreed with everything in Mr. Marshall's (moi) Delegation regarding the downstream Canagagigue Creek. Yes my comments were decisive, definitive and accurate but after pulling Pat's knife out of my back several years ago (2007-08) I tend not to turn my back on either her or Susan Bryant. I'm not sure how to interpret her remarks. Perhaps a truce while we battle Chemtura's downstream gamesmanship?

Jason Rice of the M.O.E. categorically stated that they would not revise or reissue the Bulletin that they gave residents along the downstream Canagagigue Creek last May. He did hold forth an olive branch however by suggesting that the next Bulletin would be sent to RAC & TAG first for their input. Pat Mclean blasted him on that and indicated the Motion that TAG had passed advising that the M.O.E.'s May Bulletin was inaccurate regarding allegedly lower Dioxin concentrations in recent times. Dr. Dick Jackson also strongly criticized the Ministry's Bulletin by stating that "The Bulletin wasn't correct in May and it certainly isn't correct after the 2014/2015 data. The M.O.E. Bulletin is misleading.".

Dr. Jackson laid it out starkly for RAC and the public regarding the Ontario Ministry of Environment's absolute failures in cleaning up grossly contaminated sites affecting both wildlife and human life. He pointed out the Mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows, part of the English-Wabigoon River systems. He mentioned the recent Globe & Mail Editorial and the failure to do the right thing. He suggested that our Ontario M.O.E. are still guided by the old industry line that dredging of sediments makes things worse by mobilizing contaminants. The U.S. EPA finally got tough with General Electric and has forced them to dredge the Upper Hudson River to remove their contaminants. Dick stated that Jason Rice's (M.O.E.) opinion that hard sediment criteria isn't appropriate is completely wrong. The M.O.E.'s plan is a Risk Assessment (HHRA) to which Dr. Jackson stated "Risk Assessment's have lead nowhere in the past.".
No doubt this is why Industry and Chemtura favour them.

While Jason and the M.O.E. believe that sediment chemistry results are merely screening tools, Dr. Jackson has also pointed out that they are fully accepted at face value in both Vietnam and the U.S.. They stop the gamesmanship and long term stickhandling by industries to avoid doing necessary cleanups. They eliminate a plethora of unnecessary, time consuming, speculative and subjective risk assessments done by client driven toxicologists and worse.

Nancy Davy of the GRCA responded to a question regarding GRCA approvals necessary for work in the creek. She advised that the GRCA would be supportive of such remediation work with only routine conditions necessary for their approvals.

The meeting switched from the creek to the Elmira Aquifers. Dr. Jackson (Dick) further elaborated on his earlier comments regarding back diffusion from the relatively impermeable Aquitards (clay & silt) into the more permeable Aquifers (sand & gravel). He advised that there are No proven remediation strategies for Aquitards. The rate limiting effect is the Aquitards as they can only diffuse slowly back into the Aquifers as the aquifer concentrations are greatly reduced. He also advised that he has never come across an Aquifer where the Drinking Water Standard was in parts per trillion. This is a thousand times lower than most organic chemical Drinking Water Standards such as Chlorobenzene at 80 parts per billion (ppb) versus NDMA at 9 parts per trillion (ppt). Dr. Jackson believes that NDMA was diffused into the Aquitards from the Aquifers over a period of fifty years approximately 1943-1993 and that it may well take fifty years to fully reverse that (ie. 1993-2043) or longer.

Anybody have any confidence left in Conestoga Rovers or Chemtura after that revelation?

The new Chair of TAG was named and introduced in person last evening. Her first name certainly is Tiffany and the best my ears could catch for a last name was Swenson/Svenson??? She was introduced I believe as a hydrologist working at Bluemetric in Kitchener. Obviously a little Google search will be underway very shortly. Dr. Jackson again mentioned that he expects that she will be naming two different TAG members to be on RAC shortly. Perhaps this has something to do with Pat & Susan's hardnosed, aggressive stance with Chemtura and the M.O.E. last night.

Sandy Shantz indicated that Woolwich Township staff were involved in planning a media strategy regarding moving things along. This strategy might include Media Releases being issued after RAC and TAG meetings which I believe is an excellent idea.

Helder Botello of Chemtura gave an update on the proposed buyout of Chemtura by a German firm namely Lanxess. It is still in the works and subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. Interestingly Lanxess have been dropping by the Elmira Advocate to learn a few things about Chemtura, their cleanup and residents' views of that.

The next tentative date for RAC is March 9/17 although that needs to be confirmed.