I MUST BE AN OPTIMIST TO STILL SEE ANY LIGHT WHATSOEVER IN THE DECADES LONG ELMIRA COVERUP - THURSDAY'S TAG MEETING

I've said it before and I'll say it again. There were in my opinion and others, dishonest schemers and manipulators present at Thursday night's TAG meeting. I need not name them right now. At the same time there were lots of both good and smart human beings present. Some of those I will name such as Katarina Richter, (Dustin was absent), Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach, David Hofbauer, probably (hopefully) newest member Wilson Lau. Geez now I'm up against it. I've admired and appreciated Eric Hodgins knowledge and experience for a very long time but dang if he isn't employed by the Region of Waterloo who have done both wonderful things environmentally over the decades and at the same time had to take direction from a bunch of neandrathals pretending to be regional councillors. Alright Eric you get the nod. Oh crap I almost forgot Linda Dickson. She's one of the good "guys". ............................................................................................. Agenda Item 3.2.1 discussed the Bibliography that Sebastian has given to TAG members. There are two additions to it which I trust Sebastian will pass along. This Bibliography is of technical reports from the 1980s and 90s which unequivocally advise that Uniroyal Chemical's wastewaters flowed onto the Stroh farm both via ground and surface water. These numerous reports include Figures showing the groundwater contours being higher underneath the pits (not surprising) and flowing to lower groundwater elevations on the Stroh property. Lisa Schaefer (Woolwich Township) advised that she has passed the Bibliography on to the Township but has as yet not received any reports back. Both she and TAG Chair Tiffany Svensson indicated that they will keep trying and will pass them on to TAG members as soon as they have them. I have earlier indicated my confidence in the Township providing these reports from their Archives as at least as good as zero to nil. Please Woolwich Twn. feel free to prove me wrong. ........................................................................................... Joe Ricker of Earthcon made an interesting presentation to TAG. Unfortunately his company does have a history with Lanxess which down the road might prove problematic for them. Hard to say. He showed various statistics and analytics regarding mostly the off-site Municipal Upper and Lower Aquifer concentrations of NDMA and Chlorobenzene over the last thirty years. The claims of reductions in 1) contaminated aquifer area 2) mass of contaminants present and 3) concentrations of the two compounds were certainly impressive. 1) if they are true 2) if they are even half true. My question is does Lanxess or the Ont. Min. of Environment really think (or care) that the older, experienced citizens believe a single word that they say anymore? ........................................................................................................... A point of clarification. Would you drink water contaminated with NDMA at 1,000 times higher than the Ontario Drinking Water Standards (ODWS)? Likely not. What if the water was only contaminated with NDMA ("a potent carcinogen") at thirty times the O.D.W.S.? Those are the alleged results that Earthcon, Lanxess and GHD are bragging about. Even if they are true the water is still poisoned for human consumption. That noise they are currently hearing is me clapping one handed for their results. .................................................................. The chlorobenzene percentage of mass removed is less than that of NDMA. It also travels slower in groundwater than NDMA. Thus while the NDMA plume has always been larger it has also been easier to remove from the groundwater than chlorobenzene and likely most of the other hundreds of contaminants in Elmira's groundwater. This concerns me as the entire inadequate pump & treat system may have secretly been predicated on removing NDMA first and foremost and to hell with some of the rest. By the way kudos to Ramin Ansari of Lanxess. He again has confirmed that Uniroyal Chemical was not the only source of chlorobenzene to the Elmira Aquifers. Hallelujah! I've been saying that for years. If the source was Borg Textile who are very near to free phase DNAPL found near the Elmira water tower, then shame on the Ontario M.O.E. for not finding it. If the source was Varnicolor Chemical (also very close to the water tower) then both shame on the M.O.E. and there should be serious charges laid for their falsifying results showing chlorobenzene as non-detect on the Varnicolor site. .......................................................................................................... Eric Hodgins (RMOW) advised TAG members that the Region of Waterloo will not get water from Elmira. Possibly for decades, possibly forever. Sort of makes at a minimum, Uniroyal, Crompton, Chemtura, CRA and the Ontario Ministry of Environment look like a pack of liars doesn't it? Between provincial regulations, known risks involved and unknown risks the Region will continue to monitor from afar. This reminds me of back in the 1990s when the Region warned UPAC (Uniroyal Public Advisory Committee) that if they kept ignoring the Region's position and advice then they would leave UPAC, which in fact they did. ............................................................................................................ Tiffany suggested that a 1/2 day or full day workshop might be an idea in order to explore the question of new goals, new understandings, new approaches to the Elmira Aquifers restoration. Several members seemed interested and presumably this idea may go forward. The biannual Biomonitoring Report was discussed and agreement was reached that while clam studies will continue, leeches will be discontinued due to ND. levels of chlorphenols for some time now in their tissues. .................................................................. TAG member Wilson Lau and Linda Dickson each presented different reports. Wilson discussed the Annual Environmental Report and that it was recommended that Sump s #2 and #38 should be repaired ASAP. This is necessary because otherwise they leak contaminated wastewaters into the ground. Linda discussed the August and September 2020 Progress Reports. Off-Site pumping well W9 still (after years of failure) is not operating nor is On-Site pumping well PW5. Linda advised that it has been shut down since June with a plugged line. Hmm I may have to doublecheck that. I know its' pumping rate has been reduced by a plugged line but I thought it was going at a reduced rate. Hmm. ..................................................................................... All in all a very civilized meeting which is the very low standard for success within Woolwich Township meetings. Lying, deceit, gilding the lily, delay etc. are all part of the package but heaven forbid anyone ever call a spade a spade and offend a polluter, bureaucrat, government employee or worse.