REMEDIATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE THIS THURSDAY

RAC will meet this Thursday at 4 pm. for the first time in six months. That is disgraceful yet you won't hear Chemtura/Lanxess or the Ontario Ministry of Environment complaining about it. Media coverage is nil and the public turnout only a little bit better than that. Chemtura and the M.O.E. went crying to the new mayor and one councillor after the last election. They stepped in and gave those two everything they wanted. In order to do so Sandy and Mark sold the farm and the public interest along with it.

I will be a Delegation this Thursday. There have been issues with Lanxess's work plans from the beginning. They have either ignored or brushed aside suggestions and criticisms. The Investigation Report written by GHD avoids major areas of likely contamination. It is typical of their predecessors Conestoga Rovers in that you will never find that which you astutely avoid looking for.

Lanxess will present their Investigation Report after I give my Delegation. They will gild the lily as well as make inaccurate and deceptive statements knowing that with this format, manufactured by Woolwich Township, there will be no rebuttal by informed and honest citizens other than those appointed by Council. It is both a sweetheart deal and a dream come true for world class polluters everywhere.

TAG or the Technical Advisory Group will present their Recommendations in regards to this East Side Investigation Report, the Clams and Leeches Bio-Monitoring report and lastly the monthly Progress Report. I am confident that TAG will advise as to a number of problems and weaknesses in these reports. They could use the assistance however of other Woolwich residents with decades of first hand experience regarding Elmira's pollution problems.

This is a public meeting in Woolwich Council Chambers. The irregularity of these Chemtura/Lanxess meetings combined with the office hours timing of RAC (4 pm.) does not encourage public turnout. That is not by accident. The former Chair prior to Dr. Dan Holt and her sidekick preferred 9 am. meetings for UPAC and the then CPAC. This too eliminated most of the public as well as even interested APTE and EH-Team members. Also not by accident. At least in those days however we had the Elmira Independent newspaper faithfully attending and reporting at each and every meeting.