MORE ON CHEMTURA's (LANXESS) LATEST CREEK INVESTIGATION

Well I've seen worse and more blatantly bad Work Plans from them. This one as mentioned yesterday may turn up data that isn't helpful to their and the M.O.E. interests but rest assured that's been happening for decades with few repercussions to their credibility or pocketbooks.

They will be testing shallow sediments up and downstream of the New Jerusalem Rd.. Downstream is long overdue. Sediment sampling downstream of Northfield Dr. is also long overdue. Have these buggers actually been paying attention to criticism both here and as Delegations to RAC over the last year? Amazing!

They are also collecting one surficial soil sample each from approximately four floodplain areas both up and downstream of Northfield Dr. (Reg. Rd. #22). As their text numbering doesn't match their Figure numbering it's hard to say exactly where. Regardless these samples and more are also long overdue.

We have the Work Plan. Par for the course will be talk all summer followed by actual sampling next year. Winter you know. They've been playing that card forever. Urgency died with both the Settlement Agreement in 1991 followed by the pipeline up from Waterloo a couple of years later.

ALTERNATIVE FACTS

We have a new Chemtura Work Plan for Canagagigue Creek. It is unnecessary and essentially useless because whatever the results from either sediment or soil testing they will not affect the already predetermined "cleanup" of the creek. That plan has been discussed, debated and negotiated behind closed doors with only Chemtura, GHD and the Ontario Ministry of Environment present. Everything else is for appearances. It is whitewash or in this case greenwash. Chemtura and the Ontario M.O.E. sincerely do want to hear from the "stakeholders". Of course they do so that down the road they can yet again say we consulted, we compromised and here is the result.

The M.O.E. have been testing sediments and soils in the Canagagigue Creek between 2012 and 2015. They have also tested forage fish and so called game fish in the creek for tissue accumulation of toxic chemicals. Their testing has not been scientifically rigorous. Why should it be? They have no intention of properly cleaning up the creek to meet any of the provincial or national criteria or guidelines in any case. That having already been decided why would they do a good job or spend any more than is necessary to say we looked, we tested, we found this.

In the early 2000's a few contaminated creekbanks and low lying areas along the Canagagigue were either removed or stabilized with rip rap, rocks etc.. Undoubtedly the soils in these areas had been eroding into the creek and enriching it with Chemtura's usual DDT, Dioxins and other chemicals which preferentially adhere to soils. These areas were all of course on the west side of the creek because don't you know the east side of the creek doesn't really exist. It's a figment of everybody's imagination. The inconvenient fact that massive quantities of 2,4-d, 2,4,5-t, Dioxins, DDT, DDE, DDD, solvents, NDMA other pesticides etc. were all pumped across the creek into the east side pits has been carefully ignored and their transportaion and resting place covered up.

While they're back. Half of Uniroyal's historic waste legacy and indiscriminate dumping was hidden from sight because the east side didn't directly dump its' toxic contents into the Canagagigue Creek. No those contents have been field filtered. They've been filtered by corn fields and soybean fields. They've been filtered by grass, trees, shrubs all along the way. Yes they've slowly made their way both downwards into our drinking water aquifers but they've also followed swales, ditches, furrows and the Stroh Drain all back to the creek albeit further downstream mostly out of sight, into Mennonite country.

Those toxins have adversely affected, wildlife in and around the creek. They've adversely affected human beings living along the creek. All of that is exactly of zero concern to those responsible then or now. It is of no concern to our authorities and politicians currently. What concerns them is the here and now. Chemtura Canada (now Lanxess) are a big player in Woolwich Township and further. They are playing nice (sort of) right now including providing jobs and paying taxes. Laws and rules on the books are for the little people, certainly not for the wealthy and powerful. All the facts, proof and laws in the world are of no real consequence to the elite. They are in charge and everything can be massaged, manipulated, covered up and explained away. Afterall who is powerful enough to really challenge them? The public? The media? Simply ignore them and wait them out. It's been working for decades.

WHY I BELIEVE SANDY SHANTZ IS HOLDING OFFICE ILLEGITIMATELY

Our current Mayor in my opinion is not holding office legitimately. Now keep in mind professional liars and weasel worders just love to twist words and definitions to attack citizens who are speaking the plain truth. I am not a lawyer therefore as I also am not a professional (or amateur) liar it is quite possible that my understanding of legal terms and definitions is only slightly better than that of the general public who understandably avoid courts and lawyers as much as humanly possible. I have dabbled in them and overall found them worthy of the contempt that most honest citizens have for them. Yes there have been a couple of lawyers who have impressed me with their personal integrity and straightforwardness and literally dozens of others who haven't the foggiest notion of morals, ethics or integrity. For them it's all about how they can interpret and or twist law to their client's immediate advantage and their longterm advantage.

Sandy Shantz was stripped of her Mayor's position by the Municipal Elections Act 1996. It's quite black and white. She failed to include an Auditor's Report with her Financial Statements as required by law. Coincidentally this Auditor's report is only required if the candidate's expenses exceed $10,000 and the one she submitted by the deadline did not. The previous one may have however that one seemed to disappear into the ether. Turns out that a little creative bookeeping by our then Mayor had reduced her expenses below $10,000. Interestingly she was the only candidate who even came close to the magic $10,000 mark. I have speculated that she was a little embarassed by this fact and wished to hide it for fear of people realizing that money counts in an election, even at the municipal level. Also coincidentally I'm sure, Sandy had decades of book keeping experience (allegedly) in her husband's planning/semi-architect firm.

Justice David Broad in July 2015 reinstated her to the Mayor's Chair CONDITIONALLY ! The conditions were reasonably simple yet she violated them. Among them was that her next Financial Statements were to include ALL her election expenses. This includes freebies/donations/gifts of services. They must be included at their normal professional rates as expenses. Her violation of this CONDITIONAL reinstatement is why I believe she is not holding office legitmately. Perhaps the proper term is legally versus legitimately. Perhaps there is a better wording or terminology. I do not know but my meaning is very clear.

I provided strong evidence to the Crown, when I went to court trying to prosecute Sandy Shantz for her Election Act contraventions, that she had not included all her expenses at her victory party held at the Elmira Curling Club. The costs of this party are subject to inclusion in her Election Act expenses. I provided the Crown with a photograph of the professional band plus their name and members while they were performing at that party. Oddly not a nickel for the band or some other expenses were ever included in Sandy's Financial Statements. These expenses did not take Sandy's total above the ultimate top value allowed for mayoralty candidates. That maximum limit is ridiculously high when you look at the totals the other three mayoralty candidates spent. Again I have to think that Sandy simply obfuscated throughout the entire process, including court, in order to falsely reduce the total money she spent to win the election. Regardless she is holding office contrary to the Conditions set by Justice David Broad in Kitchener's Superior Court. In plain English she is holding office improperly, illegitimately, illegally or whatever term is most appropriate.

LANXESS BULLSHIT & PUFFERY ARE WORLD CLASS - LET'S SEE HOW THEY DELIVER

The title above is based upon both their Website and the article in last Saturday's Waterloo Region Record titled "Lanxess pledges to carry on cleanup at Chemtura site". Their website was mentioned in the Record article as supposedly containing "...links to the community outreach and environmental remediation projects underway in Elmira.". Well I've just spent 1/2 an hour on their website and I can find no such thing.

We hope that Lanxess have done their due diligence in regards to Chemtura's cleanup liabilities and responsibilities. That said who am I kidding? Companies don't take risks when they've got politicians at their beck and call. Both our Region and the Ontario Ministry of Environment love to hand out free environmental passes better known as Indemnities. Uniroyal Chemical, Phillips Environmental (Varnicolor site), Safety-Kleen (Breslube site) and others have all been beneficiaries of politicians largesse, mostly at the expense of the public interest.

According to the Record article "We are committed to pursue the environmental projects going on at (the) Elmira site and to ensuring that work is carried out to the highest possible standards, so that future contamination is avoided,". Really? Gee isn't that nice. The current ongoing environmental projects are delayed, overdue and second rate so far. Regarding future contamination God help us. How about cleaning up the past contamination before giving us even more? If Lanxess are going to have an employment housecleaning in Elmira then maybe I might hold out some hope for a change in attitude. Otherwise it's business (monkey), deception, manipulation and obfuscation as usual in collaboration with the Ontario M.O.E. plus a pair of co-opted citizens.

CONCEPTUAL SITE MODEL (CSM)

I indicated yesterday that Dr. Thomson from the University of Waterloo referred to CRA's picture of the CSM as a cartoon. It is very possible that Dr. Thomson was not being derogatory or critical with that statement. In fact while I have long been aware of errors in CRA's "cartoon" in fact it has nevertheless been helpful to me in my understanding of the stratigraphy of the Elmira area.

My understanding from the meeting was that Dr. Thomson is looking for comments and feedback from both TAG members and the general public regarding his CSM. Hence I have this morning sent him an e-mail with a few small corrections regarding statements in his text .

These corrections most likely are due to certain reports that Dr. Thomson had not been provided with by either Chemtura/GHD or the Ontario M.O.E.. There have been over the decades some really shabby data and reports and occasionally there have been some real gems that have assisted in understanding exactly what has happened at Uniroyal/Chemtura and throughout the Elmira Aquifers.

As a general indication I will advise that past DNAPL investigations while disgusting in their attempts to exclude informed and non co-opted citizens have produced some good maps showing things like "windows" through various aquitards. I am doubtful that this specific information was provided to Dr. Thomson.

I will also comment that the statement on page 12 of his report indicating that the source of the extra 1,900 kilograms of chlorobenzene released into the natural environment is unknown is probably hooey. It very likely is unknown to Dr. Thomson but both Uniroyal/Chemtura and the M.O.E. have known exactly who's responsible from the get go. The so called 5 man Investigation Team sent to Elmira in early 1990 by Jim Bradley, then provincial Environment Minister was a sham. Their "investigation" was superficial and they did not want to get conclusive evidence of other sources. I was an employee of Varnicolor Chemical at the time and believe me neither I nor other knowledgable employees were ever interviewed nor questioned. Furthermore the M.O.E. already had three years of groundwater testing telling them that Varnicolor were spilling and or dumping yet it was all glossed over.

Then of course there were our local textile industries of which Borg were known to have been sending high strength toxic wastes to the Elmira Sewage Treatment Plant. Not to mention chlorobenzene found in the Howard St. storm sewers heading for the creek in the early 80s. Thank you Dave Brenneman (Woolwich CAO) for your lack of cooperation a few years back when I was investigating that.

Sanyo Canada is still a mystery to me. NDMA concentrations in groundwater spike right beside them. Coincidence or not? The fact is that Sanyo deserve a decent, real investigation if they are innocent, just to so prove that.

MORE ON LAST THURSDAY'S TAG MEETING

TAG stands for Technical Advisory Group and it is composed of citizen volunteers, some of whom were handpicked by our illegitimate Mayor. Nevertheless it and they are a mile ahead of her on the scale of ethics and character.

There were a couple of takeaway ideas and understandings from last Thursday evening's meeting held in Woolwich Council Chambers. Firstly it was stated and repeated a number of times that sediments in the creek are dynamic and constantly moving. There are suspended sediments, deposited sediments and then eroded sediments which start off as deposited, erode and become suspended until they find a temporary home as deposited sediments again. You get the picture.

Susan Bryant stated that Chemtura and the M.O.E. are focusing on only two sites upstream. This is both true and is self-serving for them. She also oddly stated that there is a former pond with a channel allegedly that could drain the pond back into the creek just upstream of Station # 21. Actually that area was tested and the conclusion was that the pond was not the source of DDT or Dioxins to the creek sediments. Pat Mclean accurately stated that unknown and undiscovered areas to date downstream could be just as badly contaminated as the upstream Station # 20 and #21 areas. David Hofbauer also commented that the sediments are always moving. Again this indicates both an ongoing upstream source as well as the ridiculousness of cleaning up only one or two upstream sediment areas and pretending that you've solved anything.

As stated in an earlier post the highlight was the presentation by Dr. Neil Thompson of his Conceptual Site Model (CSM). He actually referred to Conestoga Rovers & GHD's CSMs as cartoons. Interesting discription! I am still reading his report and finding it very enlightening.

EVERY POSSIBLE ADVANTAGE & BREAK TO CHEMTURA CANADA

Last Thursday I mentioned that our local municipal politicians give every possible advantage and break to Chemtura in regards to the process and procedures surrounding TAG and RAC meetings. Well Thursday night was no exception. Two reports were presented, discussed and debated. The one was Chemtura's Stream Investigation Work Plan and the other was a report actually presented by Dr. Neil Thompson of the University of Waterloo. His presentation regarding a new, updated and professional Conceptual Site Model was excellent.

Firstly the good news. Lisa Schaefer, Woolwich Township Staff, was not present last evening. She was ably replaced by Julie Forth. After the presentation I requested a copy of the Chemtura report from Julie. The next morning (Friday) I sent her a reminder e-mail asking for copies of both reports. Turns out that Julie was away yesterday so she then arranged for another staffer, Adelina, to assist me. Long story short I was sent electronic copies of both reports before the day was out. That is both very good service and frankly what I would hope all citizens would receive in service rendered from our Township staff who work for us. Thank you Julie and Adelina.

Now the bad news. This particular battle has been fought and won fifteen years ago, ten years ago and even five years ago. I'll even go so far as to give some credit to that manipulative, dishonest, back stabbing, former politician Pat McLean. When she was CPAC Chair she set down the law to M.O.E. and Chemtura about supplying their reports and documentation ahead of time to the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC) membership. Think about it. In those days Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of Environment showed up at each public advisory committee meeting, unlike today when they show up four times per year to RAC meetings. As usual no sign of those professional liars last Thursday evening at TAG.

If Chemtura wished to introduce a Work Plan or a completed report whether eight pages or 300 pages; it was expected that they would get the report out ahead of time to CPAC members so that they could read it and have some questions ready. Springing thick, technical reports on citizens with literally zero opportunity to inform themselves at least a little bit ahead of time was exactly what Chemtura and the M.O.E. wanted. Afterall they could make their presentations, ask for questions from a bafflegabbed audience, claim they'd participated in public consultation and run for the door.

I have attended UPAC, CPAC, RAC and TAG meetings faithfully for twenty-five years plus. There were times I even had to lose a mornings wages to attend CPAC meetings. Thank you Pat and Susan for that in the early 2000s. Everybody involved knows that I'm the only citizen who both reads all technical documents cover to cover and understands the vast majority of what I'm reading. Susan Bryant would be second but it is a far distanced second to me. No brag just fact. Even the professional liars have been burned enough times over the past quarter century plus to rarely challenge my recollection of facts. Again as much as it hurts to compliment Jeff Merriman of Chemtura, he has often stated at CPAC meetings that he recognizes that my memory and recollection of facts is second to none.

So guess what. I was advised by a TAG member Thursday night that they had not received at least one of the two reports prior to the meeting. Yours truly received exactly zero of them in advance. TAG were asked whether they had any comments or questions on either one. The public gallery of citizens are of course excluded from asking questions courtesy of our current illegitimate mayor, Sandy Shantz. Regardless no one picked up on the usual amateurish mistakes CRA (now GHD) had in the text and in Figure 3. This has to do with various Floodplain Soil Sample locations. I have to date now read Chemtura's Stream Investigation Work Plan. Dr. Thompson's multipage report is next and I'm looking forward to it as I expect to learn a few things from him. Similar to Dr. Richard Jackson, the former TAG Chair, Dr. Thompson is a leader in his field. I was quite impressed favourably with him Thursday evening.

Even with myself, CPAC members and the public disgustingly excluded from asking questions we could still assist TAG if we had the reports ahead of time to study. Oh no we can't offend the thrice convicted polluter hence keep the unwashed masses away from these reports ahead of time. Afterall CPAC have learned that there are many honest members on TAG who with open minds want any heads up that honest citizens can provide them. Again every possible advantage and break is being given to Chemtura and the M.O.E.. Thank you Sandy and Mark Bauman for your continued support of this rogue company and their captured, partner in pollution, the M.O.E..

M.O.E./CHEMTURA ELMIRA COVERUP IS UNRAVELLING

************Uniroyal Told the Truth in 1989 When They Said There Are Other Sources



Uniroyal, Nutrite (Yara) and Varnicolor Chemical are the proven to date sources of toxic contamination to the Elmira Aquifers. Borg and Sanyo are the unproven ones. Based upon the small evidence available Borg are far more likely to have contributed than Sanyo. Sanyo Canada may simply have the misfortune to be located next to monitoring well CH38 which has had abnormally high NDMA and Chlorobenzene readings for many, many years.

I have over the years posted evidence regarding Borg Textiles and other possible sources of contamination to the Elmira Aquifers. Three examples are my February 7, 2011; June 21, 2012; and January 2, 2014 postings. These postings likely give the reason and incentive for the Ontario M.O.E. to lie and coverup about numerous other sources contaminating our aquifers.

Last night's TAG (Technical Advisory Group) meeting was a revelation. This is why I continue to attend these meetings despite the baggage and disgusting process which includes co-opted citizens and excludes honest, informed citizens unsatisfactory to the co-destroyers of our local drinking water (Chemtura).

Dr. Neil Thompson spoke about his development of a Conceptual Site Model (CSM) of the Chemtura site and the Elmira Aquifers. He also indicated that the off-site pumping wells were indeed still removing significant quantities of Chlorobenzene but that they were not doing nearly so well with NDMA. Of course there is a lot more Chlorobenzene to work with. The problem is the extremely low Ontario Drinking Water Standard (ODWS) for NDMA of .009 parts per billion.

Dr. Thompson also showed a Table indicating an appropriate match between estimates of NDMA both initially dissolved in the aquifers as well as sorbed onto soil particles as compared to the number of kilograms of extracted (via pumping wells) NDMA currently.

A similar Table for Chlorobenzene is however problematic. 300 kg. of dissolved Chlorobenzene plus 1,000 kg. of sorbed CB does not remotely match 3,300 kg. of extracted Chlorobenzene (CB). Dr. Thompson suggests there are at least two or three possible explanations such as other phases present than dissolved or sorbed. I suggested free phase (as in free phase DNAPL) but he would not speculate. Another option would be inaccurate initial estimates perhaps not for Uniroyal Chemical's contribution but perhaps contributions from other sources.

Dr. Thompson was careful publicly to limit himself to provable facts. Hence publicly he was unwilling to speculate, guess or even offer likely or probable scenarios. That said once again we have a glaring example of the problem with private, by invitation only technical experts meetings. At the last one there was a clear admission by a Chemtura employee that yes there was another corporate source of Chlorobenzene to the Elmira Aquifers and that is why their numbers do not currently add up. This information was shared with me and while no corporate name was identified I am willing to speculate based upon evidence that it is Borg Textiles, formerly located on the south side of Howard Ave. (Varnicolor Chemical on the north side) right by Union St.. See my former postings mentioned in the second paragraph of today's posting.

This latest revelation sheds light on the M.O.E./Uniroyal 1991 Settlement Agreement as well as the Indemnity given to Uniroyal by the Ontario M.O.E. In exchange for Uniroyal accepting 100% of the blame and then getting an Indemnity; the Ontario M.O.E. got off the hook for their gross negligence and incompetence in allowing four or five individual polluters to destroy Elmira's drinking water aquifers. In other words the Indemnity and taxpayer 50% funded off-site cleanup was all about face saving for the Ministry of Environment.

M.O.E.'S BIOMONITORING REPORT DISCUSSION THIS EVENING AT TAG MEETING

First off I will be taking along my Tables and text from my Delegation to RAC early last month. Those Tables, copies of which were left with RAC members, clearly indicate the M.O.E.'s deception. Almost every fish tested in every location downstream of Chemtura exceeded fish Tissue Residue Guidelines (TRG). Some exceeded tissue guidelines for Dioxins, some for DDT, some for PCBs and some for Mercury. Many exceeded guidelines for three out of four of the tested contaminants, others for "only" one or two contaminants. Some Carp samples actually exceeded the criteria (by a wide margin) for all four contaminants tested. Impressive!

Then we come to the M.O.E.'s deceptive support for Chemtura Canada via minimizing the so called number of "hot spots". Just more and thicker you know what from them. Even fish that do not travel and move around a lot clearly are being contaminated all the way down the Canagagigue Creek all the way to the Grand River. Shiners clearly showed high to highest concentrations at the last sampling point (Jigs Hollow Rd.) just before the Grand River both for Dioxins and PCBs.

I am also interested in Item # 3.4 which is Chemtura's "Stream Investigation Work Plan". As the M.O.E. have studied sediment concentrations (albeit biasedly) as well as Tissue Residues I wonder exactly what Chemtura are planning to do and why.

Item 3.5 is Dr. Neil Thompson's Conceptual Site Model (CSM). Conestoga Rovers have been doing them for years albeit poorly and hard to believe, seemingly to Chemtura Canada's benefit, particularily in ignoring aquifers on the east side of their plant.

Remember folks it's not about a number of honest citizens on TAG tonite trying their hardest. It's all about local politicians abusing their authority and setting up a process, procedure and membership ahead of time, giving every possible advantage and break to Chemtura Canada. Rarely can that be overcome and usually the intent is to simply waste more years in spending and doing little while talking lots. That said I am attending because often vital information does surface. Dr. Jackson as Chair of TAG held incredibly informative meetings. The jury is still out on his replacement although my fingers are still crossed that Ms. Svensson will turn out to also be helpful to local citizens and the environment.

MORE INFO REGARDING TAG TOMORROW EVENING

Well we now have the Minutes of the last two Tag meetings namely February 2 and 16, 2017. While including the year might seem redundant when you are dealing with the likes of Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of Environment (M.O.E.); it is not. Recently we received comments from the M.O.E. regarding the last two Annual Monitoring Reports because they just didn't have time apparently to comment on the report from two years ago in a timely manner. Isn't public consultation just grand?

The Feb. 2/17 Minutes mention upcoming (while they were upcoming last Feb. 2 at least) Technical Experts meetings in late March. These meetings are disgusting and contemptible as they include bought and paid for "experts" representing the interests of both Chemtura Canada and the Ont. M.O.E. but the interests of the Elmira/Woolwich public are NOT being represented. Furthermore there are Elmira citizens capable of intelligently and honestly representing Woolwich residents.

The TAG Feb. 16/17 Minutes cover a number of significant items including the need for a geomorphological study of Canagagigue Creek. This study would give us a better idea of the locations for deposition of contaminants both in the streambed (sediments) as well as along the creekbanks themselves.

There are also comments and questions regarding DNAPLs in the off-site aquifers and how their depth may be
affected by grain size composition hence causing stratification or layering of contaminant concentrations. In other words chlorobenzene for example may in some places have much higher concentrations at the same well only at different depths. DNAPLs can readily get hung up on slightly less permeable zones in an aquifer for example.

To date I've been holding my opinion upon the "Dashboard" efforts by Chair Tiffany Svensson. Even to date I'm concerned about over reliance or weight being given to it if the comments or filling in of various issues is just the same old, decades long bullshit we've been receiving from Chemtura, their consultants and the M.O.E.. In other words yes I can appreciate the organization and clarification process but worry that in the end there will be the same lies from the guilty parties simply more clearly recorded and organized. That would be a waste of time from parties who are world class in doing that already.

UPCOMING PUBLIC TAG MEETING

The next Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meeting is this Thursday at 6:30 pm.. Among other items will be discussion of the proposed new boundaries on the east side of Elmira running essentially in a north-south direction. The very fact that they are on the TAG Agenda indicates the valid concerns that they are but one more attempt to by-pass a proper cleanup of the east side.

There will also be some discussion apparently of Chemtura's plans to "investigate" some cleanup of the Canagagigue Creek. Clearly to date the Ontario M.O.E. have been setting the stage with their mickey mouse multiple investigations. These have been intended to scope and narrow the problem areas to a more convenient (ie. inexpensive) size for Chemtura.

Finally we will probably be updated in regards to whether or not the Ministry of Environment have come to terms with Mr. Stroh regarding soil and water testing on his property on the east side of Chemtura. All testing to date right on the property line has indicated very serious contamination with Dioxins and DDT plus other solvents and various nasties.

The more the public present the better because a lack of citizens present only encourages the professional liars to do what they do best. The meeting is in Woolwich Council Chambers on Arthur St. Elmira.

THE CREEK, THE EAST SIDE (THE BYPASS), THE AQUIFERS & THE CO-OPTED

The M.O.E. and Chemtura are continuing their coverup for the purpose of saving Chemtura millions of dollars. Their apparent method after all applicable criteria have been exceeded in the creek sediments and fish tissues is to order some sort of mickey mouse human health risk assessment. They will claim there is no risk as there is no human exposure. A lack of the ability to feel shame combined with no real accountability makes this viable for them.

The delayed (2 years) testing on the off-site east side property (Stroh) may well be to assess the likelihood of building the Elmira by-pass around Elmira over the two contaminated farms. The Stroh farm is almost guaranteed contaminated whereas the Martin farm likely only has a small portion on the south side of Chemtura that has received "enrichment".

2050 is the latest new date to have the local drinking water restored. Don't hold your breathe though.

The co-opted in the title is about the ongoing saga of Chemtua & M.O.E. favoured local citizens sitting on the former CPAC and the current TAG committee of Council. Also Woolwich Council have contorted themselves to the point of taking direction from those two parties as to who is and is not acceptable to them on this municipal committee. Isn't that dandy...the polluter is wagging the dog's tail.

TELEPHONE & INTERNET VOTING

Woolwich Council just like Cambridge Council are totally out of touch. They just don't get it. Worse than not liking them we simply don't trust them. Hence when they are trying to introduce a new voting system it understandably makes us suspect the worst. It's like a pathological liar not understanding when we finally begin to assume that everything he says is a lie.

Woolwich Council have been repeatedly caught in the act lying, deceiving and abusing the public and the public trust. Now they are sayng trust us this voting system is better, fairer and simpler. Sorry I don't trust you buggers one single inch. You've burned all trust. Go to hell with your new system. My expectation is that yet again you've found a way to game the system.

I'm taking a bit of a mental holiday for the next few days. Sorry but I may skip a few more posts. No biggie it will be a very short holiday.

THE ART OF DECEITFUL COVERUP

Thank you the province of Ontario. Thank you Ministry of Environment. Thank you Woolwich Township politicians. Thank you Uniroyal Chemical, Crompton, Chemtura and soon to be Lanxess. Finally I thank all the little people along the way; Sylvia, Susan & Pat. Even the Region have assisted when necessary. Without your efforts, egos and stupidity the public would have had a much clearer picture of the ongoing extent of political control, corruption and collusion between various guilty parties.

APTE was a wonderful creation by three local ladies namely Susan Rupert, Sandra Bray and Esthur Thur. APTE had many wonderful and engaged members but the serious engagement lasted only for a relatively short period ie. a few years. After that the majority went back to their regular lives including careers and family. They kept in touch and socialized but not much more. APTE was ripe for the plucking. It was done carefully and subtly but it was done.

Susan Rupert, Richard Clausi, Esthur Thur, Henry Regier and myself, Alan Marshall. How many others walked away quietly in disappointment? How many active APTE members are left today? I can remember perhaps one APTE member, other than Susan or Darrol, attending any CPAC meeting in the last decade.

Big nasty Uniroyal Chemical were the obvious culprit and guilty party. All of us focused on them and the Ministry (M.O.E.) and were too naive and trusting of local supporters. We wanted to believe that it was 100% of the citizens against the big, bad, multi-national corporation. We human beings are weak and most of us are aware of our own interests. There are a few of us however who are able and willing to disguise our self interest and can look at the long game. They infected APTE and that is a shame.

The experts outside of Elmira know what has gone on here. They know that the system condoned by the Ontario M.O.E. allowing client driven consulting firms to lead the process of "cleanup" is inherently flawed. They know that citizen public advisory committees are mostly a joke and most especially when it is the local politicians (Council) doing the appointing of members. Each time CPAC were on the right track, Uniroyal/Chemtura bailed out. Each time Woolwich Council directly or indirectly changed the game in Uniroyal/Chemtura's favor, to bring them back. What a pathetic joke.

DIRECT QUOTES FROM WITNESSES STATEMENTS REGARDING SUSAN BRYANT & CONESTOGA ROVERS (CRA) COLLABORATION

"I will say though that I specifically remember the verbal exchange and Susan stating that she worked on eDat stuff...I remember being surprised and seeing your expression when you heard it."

"I remember being surprised that she was working with CRA on it, and, it seemed odd, given that this would have had to happen earlier than 2012. I was puzzled at her involvement."

"Steve Quigley (CRA) enlisted Susan Bryant from the audience to acknowledge her association with the e:Dat program. Susan Bryant accepted Mr. Quigley's reference statement of her involvement."

"The eDat conversation when Steve Q and Susan Bryant had a discussion it sounded like Susan B and Steve Q had some private conversations or meetings regarding the 3D contaminant modelling in the groundwater which caught everyone off guard. My jaw dropped when I heard this quite frankly as it seemed too friendly of a conversation between the two in the know. I remember all of us looking at each other with one of those WTF moments! Something did not appear right in that it seemed to be a special club of those in the know and the rest kept in the dark. I actually remember your look of shock as well!"

"I remember at the time being surprised as I knew Susan had been involved in the Elmira clean-up efforts since the beginning from 1989 and had been a previous CPAC member of long standing. If she had been officially representing the Township of Woolwich and its citizens in that role, why would she also be involved with Chemtura's technical remediation consultant? How could she be both advocate for Woolwich and simultaneously working with CRA who were retained by the firm which accepted responsibility for the pollution outside of its property? It seemed to me a conflict of interest."


These are exerpts from five witness statements of honest and reputable Woolwich residents, above and beyond my own presence at and recollection of these events. Woolwich Councillor Mark Bauman was present at that meeting as well. Our current Woolwich Council have full knowledge of these events. It appears as if they are happy with the status quo. So are Chemtura Canada. It smells very badly. Former Councillor Pat Mclean also has a lot to answer for with her involvement with the NAP and the Chemical Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) of which Chemtura are a member.

NATIONAL ADVISORY PANEL PACKAGE & FIVE WITNESS STATEMENTS

Today's posting is a bit of an overview. I am advising the public of the steps I have taken in regards to the evidence of a longterm Conflict of Interest on the past CPAC and on the current TAG (Technical Advisory Group) committees.

It is both my opinion and the opinion of many other informed Woolwich citizens that two current TAG members, appointed by Woolwich Council approximately twenty months ago, have had inappropriate associations with Chemtura Canada and their consultants, Conestoga Rovers (CRA) for many years. These relationships not only were not acknowledged to past CPAC members including myself nor is one of them even yet acknowledged despite overwhelming evidence, by Woolwich Council.

I have sent copies of the package dealing with the National Advisory Panel to Woolwich Council, M.P.P. Michael Harris, RAC (Remediation Advisory Committee) members namely the GRCA (Grand River Conservation Authority) and the Region of Waterloo. This package has also gone to the Chairperson of TAG as well as the media. The Ontario Ministry of Environment (M.O.E.C.C.) are also recipients.

Five Witness Statements (above & beyond my own) dealing with one TAG member's association with Conestoga Rovers has been sent to all of the above groups as well. Woolwich Council have had most of this evidence and documentation for over two years and have blatantly refused to do anything about it and in fact have only recently confirmed the one member's association with the National Advisory Panel. They still deny the association between Chemtura Canada's longtime consultant CRA and the other current TAG member. To date no appropriate authority figure have responded affirmatively stating that they view this behaviour as either potentially inappropriate or worthy of investigation. Hence the sending of it to the media who would not have received it if particularily Woolwich Council had stepped up and done their duty and due diligence. Instead they have obfuscated, deflected , delayed and denied.

Of acute interest to me was my offer to three parties regarding the witness statements. Prior to them going anywhere I advised Woolwich Council first and later the Ministry of Environment and the Chairperson of TAG that I had five witness statements available backing up my allegations and written evidence they already had in regards to one TAG member's association with Conestoga Rovers. All these parties had to do was express an interest in or request copies of these five witness statements and I would send them immediately to them. None of the three showed the slightest interest in receiving these incredibly powerful documents by five reputable and well known Woolwich residents and citizens. Eventually I sent them anyways. In my mind this does not speak well to their credibility.

Perhaps Monday or Tuesday it is time to start giving specifics of these witness statements.

SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY IN WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP, ONTARIO

No class and no decency. No regard for others physical suffering caused by Uniroyal Chemical. No regard for the history of this Township and the price its citizens and other lifeforms have paid in order for a local but multinational, multibillion dollar corporation to have cheap toxic waste disposal. Most disgusting it is our own Council whose behavior is so offensive.

One company stands out as the technical spokesperson and aggressive defender of all things Uniroyal and Chemtura. One company have used locally educated (on the public's dime) persons with various degrees including Masters of Science (MSc) and PEng to constantly block the public's knowledge, understanding and ability to influence a better cleanup for the community and the environment. Conestoga Rovers have long been criticized by honest citizen activists for their credentialed opinions which invariably resulted in the least amount of effort and money expended to address Uniroyal/Chemtura's environmental problems.

Now I find out that Woolwich Township's new website was produced by a company named eSolutuions. Guess who owns eSolutions? Conestoga Rovers initially and now the corporate merger between GHD and Conestoga Rovers also encompasses eSolutions. That is contemptible Woolwich Township but absolutely typical of you. Go back to the first paragraph especially Sandy who seems incapable of putting one and one together and coming up with two.

What other inter-relationships does our Township have, behind our backs, with local polluters? Do our Councillors own shares in Chemtura? How about Safety-Kleen over in Breslau? Do any of you receive political donations from developers? What special arrangements/deals/perks do you have on the go that we don't know about? Is it any wonder that Mayor Shantz and Council aren't outraged and disgusted with Susan Bryant's and Pat Mclean's dealings with Conestoga Rovers and the chemical industry?

Honest, knowledgable citizens are appalled that two citizens can benefit directly or indirectly from relationships with yes, bluntly stated, the enemy here in Woolwich Township. We do not have full knowledge of all the benefits they and or our Council have received. These may be legal, illegal, direct, indirect or even as ephemeral as status, awards, publicity and permanent public consultation access guaranteed to them.

There is an immoral, unethical and not in the public interest bond between this Council, Pat, Susan and Chemtura Canada. It is shameful. Woolwich Township I am ashamed of you.

IS IT FAIR TO CALL SANDY SHANTZ AN OUT & OUT LIAR?

She minces words. She stickhandles. She dissembles incredibly. She deflects direct questions and attempts to change your wording and or meaning in her answers. She is a politician.

Dissemble means to conceal or disguise and or to give a false impression. In layman's terms most of us would think that describes a liar. My admiration for her intellect has risen a few notches. That is if she's composing her own e-mails to me.

Sandy has advised me and Woolwich Council in writing that "None of that shows me that she was involved in developing eDat, only that she knew something about it." This was part of Sandy's response to five witness statements I sent her above and beyond my own. Those witness statements from local, well known citizens of excellent repute absolutely stated that they witnessed Susan Bryant's public admission that she assisted in, worked on, helped develop Conestoga Rovers E:Dat program for use on the Chemtura Canada site here in Elmira. Furthermore Susan's admission at two meetings was provoked by different Conestoga Rovers personnel asking her to acknowledge her input and assistance to their E:Dat (electronic access data tool) program.

WOW! That was a shocker.

So back to Sandy. Note her careful wording namely "None of that shows me..... . Ahh so Sandy is pretending (dissembling) either that she did not read carefully the five witness statements or that she is intellectually incapable of understanding their very clear meaning.

The third option is that Sandy is stating her disbelief that Susan was involved in "developing" E:Dat. Ahh again. Susan's background and professional training is in English literature and grammar. My understanding is that Susan dropped sciences and math before the end of high school. She then obtained a university degree(s?) in English. She literally could not help "develop" the E:Dat program. She could however use her English editing skills to assist in the writing of the text and or possibly other areas. So Sandy is stickhandling around the word "develop" versus "assist" or "worked on".

Sandy has further stated in her e-mail to me (last evening) "I and Council have no interest in pursuing this, and will not respond further on this issue."

Damn right you have no interest in pursuing this. It makes you look like idiots in appointing Susan (& Pat McLean) to TAG in the middle of 2015 after you had full knowledge of this pair's self-serving activities that were not in the interests of Elmira or Woolwich Township. A further clarification that besides in their own interest their activities were also in Chemtura Canada's interests. So Woolwich Council are your interests more aligned with the polluters or with the public's?

TO THE VICTOR THE SPOILS & TO HELL WITH THE PUBLIC INTEREST

Sociopathic behaviour is a good description of what this Council are doing regarding allowing two inappropriate citizens to represent the rest of us on the committee of Council known as TAG or Technical Advisory Group. Sociopaths do not feel normal human empathy and they like to lie a lot. Looking the facts in the eye and then bald facing lying about them is sociopathic behaviour. That is what Mayor Shantz has done to date. For her to dispute the written words of six first hand witnesses present who saw and heard Susan Bryant and Conestoga Rovers personnel state that Susan assisted in the development of CRA's E:Dat program is either insane (psychopathic) or sociopathic behaviour. Sandy Shantz was NOT present at either of two meetings in which this occurred.

If Sandy wants to question the witnesses to satisfy herself fine. If these six were anonymous she could be skeptical. Their names however are listed on the November 29/12 CPAC Minutes and as present at the Conestoga Rovers tutorial in January 2013. Plus she knows all six witnesses personally and despite her and others disgusting and false written comments of April 9?/15; these are all well known and respected individuals. Unlike sociopaths, psychopaths and politicians they are not liars.

Here is my conclusion:


Chemtura/ M.O.E.C.C./CRA/GHD/Pat M./Susan/Woolwich Council(most) represent their own interests.

TAG members(most)/CPAC/public represent the public interest.


Is Sandy no more than Trump light? Is lying second nature to her or is she simply an incredible lightweight intellectually? Is she so slow that she believes that all these parties looking out for their own interests are actually telling her the truth? I admit that Susan Bryant had me fooled for years. Even I however could not continue to ignore the mounting evidence. Far more than most of the public know. It goes as far back as 1993 when Sylvia Berg (APTE V.P.) privately sent a flattering letter about Uniroyal Chemical to the Canadian Chemical Producers Assoc'n.. I refused to believe then that Sylvia did anything more than make a mistake. I was wrong.

Six honest and intelligent Woolwich citizens have put what they saw and heard at two meetings into writing. They were shocked by the revelations of Susan Bryant's duplicity and private dealings with Chemtura Canada's longtime client driven consultant. Susan herself knew firsthand that Conestoga Rovers were not working in the public interest but solely in Uniroyal/Chemtura's interests. She and I and most likely others discussed it with her and she did not disagree.

Whose behaviour is worse, Susan's (& Pat Mclean's) or Woolwich Council for permitting that pair to represent honest Woolwich citizens?

HOW FAR (LOW) ARE WOOLWICH COUNCIL WILLING TO GO?

We have a total of six Woolwich citizens who attended and witnessed a disturbing incident over four years ago. It was an apparent collaboration between a longtime local environmental activist and the polluter's right hand man, Conestoga Rovers & Assoc.(CRA). At the time the activist, Susan Bryant, was not a member of CPAC and was not representing the public. She may have been representing private citizens who were members of the group APTE. At that time there was no apparent conflict of interest. If she wished to be put directly on Chemtura's payroll as a public relations consultant that would have been her business in 2012-2013.

The problem arises when she was a sitting member of CPAC certainly from 2000 - 2010 as well as currently sitting on TAG representing Woolwich citizens including myself. As per the words of CRA employees, stated publicly, Susan contributed her time and efforts to an E:Dat program or electronic access data tool. My guess is that her "contribution" was most likely in line with her professional credentials as an editor. This collaboration with the long time, extremely difficult to deal with and client driven consulting/engineering firm, was kept quiet from voting CPAC members including myself and others at the time.

The "witness statements" of the five others besides myself include five previously appointed by Council to CPAC and one SWAT member. One of these former CPAC members was also appointed to TAG (Technical Advisory Group) over a year and a half ago by our current Council. Woolwich Council have had ample time to investigate this information as I sent them details regarding both Susan and Pat Mclean over two years ago. They made virtually zero effort to interview or communicate with any of these six witnesses. Mayor Shantz has sent out an e-mail this morning hours AFTER receiving these five witness statements stating that "...Susan Bryant was not involved with the development of EDat...". As she sent this at 6:39 am. to myself and the rest of Woolwich Council maybe she did this on her own without consulting the rest of Council or anyone else.

To date I have received exactly zero response concerning my allegation of conflict of interest by Pat Mclean and her membership on the chemical industry's National Advisory Panel. Again as long as she isn't allegedly representing the interests of Woolwich citizens including myself, she can join absolutely anything she wants. Chemtura Canada are members of this chemical industry group known as the Chemical Industry Assoc'n. of Canada (CIAC) formerly known as the CCPA or Canadian Chemical Producers Assoc'n.. Ironically I have an award from APTE (early 90s) poking fun at the CCPA and their supposed public communications regarding chlorinated solvents.

At the bare minimum Susan and Pat are both in a conflict of interest position regarding CPAC/TAG/RAC. For those of us including both past and present APTE members, this behaviour is inappropriate and perhaps a downright betrayal of all the local citizens who stood together twenty-seven years ago against both Uniroyal Chemical and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. This battle continues and Dr. Richard Jackson (former TAG Chair) has clearly spelled out the inadequacies and failures of the M.O.E., Chemtura and CRA. Working on their behalf or their allies and supporters behalf is not acceptable while allegedly representing us the citizens of Elmira and Woolwich Township.

Woolwich Council appoint and remove committee of council members at will. Why are they still backing two members under these circumstances? Does it have anything to do with Chemtura's support for them as well? The longer this goes on the more a smell begins to percolate. This is a smell that this Council can do without.

STRANGE ST. KITCHENER WELLFIELD

The Strange St. Wellfield was originally located on Strange St. in Kitchener not far from the old Uniroyal Tire Plant. Currently it sort of consists of wells K10A, K11A, K13, K18 and K19. From memory I believe that the first two are actually located closer to Glasgow St. and the last three are the original wells by Strange St.. When I said the wellfield sort of consists of five wells that is because the last three wells were offline all of 2016. Funny thing is those same wells were all offline during 2015 as well. I could quickly advise you for how many years they've been offline except that the Region just this year pulled that data from their website. Up until this year you could go online and see back for at least seven or eight years. No more. Only the last two years.

Both Turbidity (murkiness) in the raw water and Chlorine levels in the treated water are on the high side. Turbidity is well above the recommended levels.

Glyphosate (Roundup) similar to other Region of Waterloo wells is at a far too high Method Detection Limit (MDL) of 25 parts per billion (ppb.). A few other pesticides (Diquat, Malathion, Picloram) are also at too high MDLs albeit nowhere as bad as Glyphosate.

Trihalomethanes (THMs), a carcinogenic disinfection by-product, are not posted despite a note on the Report stating that they are supposed to be. Chloramines, another disinfection by-product, are appropriately listed. They are in exceedance of half the drinking water standard on five occasions.

This report in my opinion is hiding both historical issues and possibly current ones.

A COUPLE OF KITCHENER WELLFIELDS

The lack of information continues. These Annual (drinking water) Reports continue to be feel good, positive spin reports. Hence they are of little use to citizens and this is exactly as the province and municipalities want them. Afterall economic growth required cheap toxic waste disposal and there's no point now in crying over spilled milk, is there?

The Parkway Well System consists of three wells named K31, K32 and K33. They are located near the corner of Fairway Rd. and Manitou Dr.. Unfortunately there used to be a Deilcraft plant nearby which required soil remediation for Trichloroethylene (TCE) maybe fifteen years ago. That legacy lives on in low levels of TCE in these wells. This Deilcraft plant is not the same one that has been in the news lately on Shanley St. in Kitchener. It also has TCE in the sub-surface.

The raw water had a total of two detections of Total Coliforms (zero E.Coli) during 2016. While not ideal it is nevertheless light years better than many other wells in Waterloo Region regarding bacteria in the raw water. Well K31 was offline for five weeks during 2016 without explanation. That lack of explanation is worrisome and unacceptable.

Turbidity was as high as 3.2 NTU which is much too high. High Turbidity (murkiness/discolouration etc.) can make disinfection more difficult as bacteria can "hide" from disinfecting chlorine.

Sodium is a bizarre 201 mg/l or parts per million. Any results over 20 mg/l must be reported to the Public Health Dep't and the Ministry of Environment every five years. This reading is a prizewinner and that is not a good thing.

Glyphosate similar to all the other Region of Waterloo wells is at a Method Detection Limit of 25 parts per billion (ppb.) and that is a ridiculously high detection limit. Trihalomethanes (THM) results are not recorded in this Report despite the report clearly stating that the annual average of THM will be shown.

Chloramines like THMs are a disinfection (of bacteria) by-product. They also have a criteria they must not exceed which is 3 mg/l (ppm). While they don't exceed that number they are however at high enough concentrations to be included in the listing of parameters that exceed half the standard prescribed. They did so on thirteen occasions during 2016.

Possibly this Monday I will describe the results of the Strange St. Well System. It too has problems.