DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries an article by Leah Gerber regarding tornadoes and their frequency in southern Ontario. It's a very interesting article describing local experts and storm chasers with direct severe weather experience. Of interest to me is the home turf of one of those storm chasers, namely Glen Allan, Ontario. That village is very close to Conestoga Lake and in fact my wife and I were married in the Glen Allen Mennonite Church 38 years ago. Of course there is concern, speculation and research trying to answer the question as to whether or not climate change/global warming have already affected the numbers and severity of local weather events. ................................................................................................................. Here is a little news/event update. The next TAG (Technical Advisory Group) is set for August 26/21 at 6:30 pm. These meetings have been on Zoom for a long time now but whether it will be going back to live meetings by the end of the month I really don't know. I can certainly say that they are not heavily attended when live and in fact if there were five attendees other than the members of TAG, I would consider that well attended. In my opinion this upcoming meeting will be a watershed meeting. ..................................................................................................................................... TAG, in my opinion, while having quality members, are still generally inexperienced with the local environmental history, power network, dirty politics and overall influence of the owners of the biggest polluter (Uniroyal Chemical/Lanxess) by far in Waterloo Region. This includes some dandies who have permanently affected our water supplies, Grand River, air and soils. They have made understandable mistakes in the last five plus years which quite frankly they were intended, by our authorities, to make. Recently they and their Chair especially have not been terribly receptive to experienced citizens and CPAC (Citizens Public Advisory Committee) members concerns about a "sink" of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) located on the Stroh farm on the east side of Uniroyal/Lanxess. It of course has not helped that the local power structure, Woolwich & Regional Council, have rezoned and included both the Stroh and Martin farms into proposed new commercial/light industrial development area. These proposals include the long awaited Elmira By-Pass as a sweetener to reduce public opposition. .................................................................................................. These POPs include dioxins/furans, DDT, Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons, possibly PCBs and so much more. Uniroyal/Lanxess have refused to acknowledge or even engage in proper debate with local stakeholders such as CPAC. Evidence produced by Uniroyal, Conestoga Rovers and the Ministry of Environment (MOE/MECP) pointing to this area having received substantial overflow of toxic liquid wastes is being minimized and downplayed, mostly in private to their recognized stakeholders only. TAG have however indicated that they are awaiting the results of some sediment samples taken in the Stroh Drain nearly a year ago. Those limited sample results are available and are highly indicative that indeed Uniroyal Chemical liquid wastes were deposited in this area as both DDD (DDT metabolyte) and dioxins are in excess of the federal criteria for sediments. One TAG member (Sebastian) will continue his push for proper, full and complete soil testing to the immediate east of the north end (and slightly southwards) of the Stroh Drain. This is TAG's chance to prove that they are representing the public's interests, not Woolwich Council's or their handpicked Chair and certainly not Lanxess Canada's interests. Lastly the Ontario Ministry of Environment have long been in a serious conflict of interest position in their dealings with this grossly contaminated site.