COVID-19 AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Well it's a mixed blessing. On one hand automobile (& petroleum) use is way down as is air emissions from cars and factories. Presumably surface water discharges of oil and gas from roadways into creeks and streams are also down. Unfortunately there is a political axiom known as "Never waste a good crisis". What this means is that filthy, lying, self-serving politicians will always use the cover of a crisis to sneak in unpopular and likely damaging legislation to the public interest. ................................................................................................ Now keep in mind this damaging to the public interest legislation will as always be very helpful to a very small part of our community. For example aggregate pit owners/operators just love less scrutiny for their proposed new pits and or expanded pits. Similarly developers just love it when Premier Ford and the Conservative Party cut back on environemnetal assessments, oversight by Conservation Authorities (even when often it's merely superficial oversight) and or any other previously mandated reviews. .............................................................................................. Lanxess are loving the current situation. They have been working diligently with Woolwich Township help to bring to a close all oversight on their Elmira property (formerly Uniroyal Chemical). This means phony studies, junk science, inexperienced citizens on the public advisory committee and simply constantly delaying public meetings whether of TAG, RAC or even public assessments of for example their plans to "remediate" the Canagagigue Creek downstream of their Elmira site. We are in the 32nd year of lies, junk science, politically motivated coverups, and overall contempt for the environment and of the public. None of their "cleanup" plans stand up to even the most cursory examination yet they simply push on with little to no resistance from our authorities whether municipal, regional, provincial or federal. .............................................................................................................. Yet another "public" meeting (TAG) was cancelled last Month (January 21/21) allegedly due to Covid-19 restrictions. It was a virtual meeting for God's sake and the excuse that a second person (AV technician) needs to be in council chambers with the Chair of TAG during this virtual meeting with citizen volunteers, smells. Two people in a room designed to hold 50-100 spectators during normal times is not an issue. This is especially so as regular Woolwich Council meetings are continuing with councillors hopefully sitting a little further apart but they and staff are present albeit zero members of the public are permitted other than again virtually. ...................................................................................................... It's always been way too easy for Uniroyal and their nasty corporate successors since they ruined Elmira's water supply, creek and health of many. With Covid-19 as the whipping boy now for all ills; polluters, developers and anti-social money makers are thriving thank you. Hmm, who says that those running/ruining the country can't benefit from the current emergency and crisis?