CHEMTURA GOES ON THE OFFENSIVE

Starting in October 2012 Chemtura and Conestoga Rovers began announcing a new offensive intended to get the off-site Elmira Aquifers whipped into shape by the 2028 deadline. It was of course too little too late even if they had kept their initial promise of tripling the off-site groundwater pumping and treating. Perhaps if as they later amended their promise to a doubling of the off-site pumping and treating, they had actually done so, even that might have at least brought them closer to their mandated cleanup date. But of course they haven't. Not even close.

The Elmira Independent had a series of articles and Editorials in and around October 4, 18, 25 and November 8, 2012 describing both the past failures of Chemtura and their predecessors (Uniroyal & Crompton) as well as the hope that maybe, just maybe, they are serious this time. Events such as an Open House for Elmira residents combined with the company's vigorous response to the new CPAC's public announcement in May 29012 that the 2028 cleanup was a fantasy had stung both the company and the MOE. Time as always tells the tale. Their response and continued denials of what was obvious to both the public, lay persons and professionals on CPAC did the guilty parties credibility no good whatsoever. It is now in 2019 common knowledge throughout Elmira, Woolwich Township and Waterloo Region that our aquifers will not be restored to drinking water standards by 2028. With the long ago exit (both threatened and then done) of the Region of Waterloo from CPAC public meetings I wonder when exactly they began to understand that the cleanup has been a sham? I wonder how many people remember me putting a large banner on the roof of my car over fifteen years ago stating that the Elmira cleanup is a sham?

As always time tells the truth. The only question is how many people remember that it was citizens telling the truth while the self-serving, client driven professionals spoke gibberish, psuedo science and just plain horse manure?