LILY LIVERED GUTLESS WONDERS - OR SOMETHING ELSE?

Yesterday I posted here about the lack of even basic courtesy to date in anyone from TAG Chair or otherwise, so much as acknowledging that they had recieved my e-mail/memo from last Friday. Not only did that memo/report to TAG formally advise them that responsible citizens had stepped up and done the necessary work but it followed public announcements here in the Elmira Advocate that citizens had taken soil samples and paid for analyses out of their own pockets. Those public announcements occurred two weeks ago on September 16/21! Amazingly the guilty parties actually were prepared to cover their ears, eyes and mouth and press onwards in their essentially unilateral/bilateral perversion of public consultation and of the public trust. ............................................................................................................... Well guess what. An inquiry has come, but not to me. I solely wrote the memo/report to TAG yet the TAG Chair, likely with assistance from others, is indeed making inquiries. Just not to me, the author of the memo/report. It's, in my opinion, a back door, circuitous route being taken. The TAG Chair has admitted that she/we do not know "...when and where these samples were collected, who collected them or the methodology of how they were collected." Tiffany Svensson also states that "If possible, I want to properly prepare for the upcoming RAC meeting." O.K. preparation is a good thing generally. I do however notice a couple of things. Forgive me readers if you are a little less aggressive in your interpretation of her written words. Once bitten twice shy I usually restate as one hundred times bitten two hudred times shy. ................................................................................................................................... Here's what I noticed. She doesn't ask what the soil concentrations of dioxins/furans in and around the Stroh Drain are? That's odd. What she seems to be looking for is some evidence that the samples were improperly collected possibly by non Qualified Persons and or that they maybe were not collected in the long proposed by me area to the immediate east of the north end of the Stroh Drain. Recall that six years ago CPAC collected soil samples and more with permission from the Martin property which is to the immediate south of the Stroh property. The second item I noticed was that her back door inquiry was not cc.d to all TAG members but merely to one. Hmm. .............................................................................................................................. Soooooo. As stated yesterday I have advised the TAG Support person (Lisa Schaefer) that I wish to attend the virtual RAC meeting (5 pm. Oct. 7/21) and as the rules allow, be a citizen Delegate. Lisa politely, courteously and expeditiously has responded and confirmed my e-mail to her. I ask in the title of today's blog Post if there is a different interpretation of the behaviour of Lanxess/GHD/MECP/Woolwich Twn. etc. I do know that back in late 2014 and 2015 that their motivation appeared to be fear of a bunch of well educated, honest senior citizens who were fed up with their weasel words, blatant bullsh.t, and never ending stalling and delaying. Their fear however was simple fear that this CPAC was uncorruptable and could not be managed, intimidated or pressured into submission. This was not acceptable to them hence they did what they had done once before which was to run and hide. This time however they had the support of a new incoming council who manufactured a crisis (MECP/Chemtura boycott) and knowingly and falsely blamed it on CPAC.

GUILTY PARTIES ARE NOT EVEN ATTEMPTING SUBTLTY ANYMORE

I felt that if any part of the perverted and overall self-serving (Lanxess) process deserved an opportunity to step up and let the citizens know that the public interest still mattered, it was the Technical Advisory Group (TAG). I didn't expect a multi-page thank you. I didn't expect a multi-page agreement or disagreement from the TAG Chair or even a lengthy note from a number of individual TAG members. To date the only communication has been with the one joint TAG and CPAC rep. I have not so much as received a confirmation that yes we or I have received your September 24/21 Memo/report and are seriously looking at it. That September 24/21 memo/report formally advised TAG members that other Elmira citizens had stepped up and 1) put their money where their mouths were 2) more importantly did the work of soil sampling that our negligent, corrupt authorities have blatantly refused to do. .................................................................................................................................... There is a RAC (Remediation Advisory Committee) meeting a week from this Thursday, on-line at 5 pm. I have e-mailed Lisa Schaefer (Woolwich) to ensure that I get to "attend" that virtual meeting and as well to be a Delegate. Yes at RAC, we the unwashed masses get to speak, perhaps all of only two or three times a year but that beats the zero speaking permission the public receives at TAG. Do not misunderstand however. Speaking to RAC is generally an exercise in futility which is exactly how Lanxess and the Ministry of Environment like it. Basically they are bureaucrats and government employees well versed in the fine art of never rocking the boat. They could also be viewed as cheerleaders for the status quo. The region of Waterloo if they attend are probably the best of a bad lot. ......................................................................................................................... The title of my Delegation will be "latest environmental developments regarding the Stroh Drain and area". Perhaps the authorities lack of subtlty could extend to some RAC members such that they could bring along pillows and a blanket for their listening comfort. I view this Delegation as well as past Delegations from myself as simply leaving evidence for future researchers/investigators to see that these bodies were given alternate evidence and realities from that being spoon fed to them. I will say that over past years TAG have occasionally spoken truth to power at these meetings.

SO TERRIBLY SAD. HAS PRIVATE CONSULTATION FULLY REPLACED PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN ELMIRA?

I did not think that this day would arrive. I used to e-mail back and forth with Joe Kelly of TAG before his resignation over a year ago as well as still of course with Sebastian. Well I am shocked but it's looking more and more as if Sandy (Woolwich Twn.) has clamped down on the TAG members. What is even more shocking is if they follow her demands. The paid Chair (Tiffany) doing what she is told to do is one thing but if the citizen volunteers providing free expertise, time and effort are also following grossly inappropriate orders/demands/requests then that is just plain beyond incredible. Unless of course they've been told. Told that they will be bounced forthwith and without reasonable cause from TAG if they do not follow orders. Some of them might feel that there could be negative repercussions with their employers if they were to unceremoniously get the boot. ...................................................................................................................................... The issue of the Stroh Drain and nearby area being a "sink" for dioxins/furans, DDT and more has been discussed at TAG, courtesy of TAG (& CPAC) member Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach, over the last couple of years at a minimum including the last TAG public meeting on August 26/21. Now here in the Elmira Advocate I have publicly stated that SOIL samples have been taken in and around the Stroh Drain and that two of them have been analyzed at the personal expense of Elmira citizens. This piece of information also was e-mailed directly to TAG members last Friday (Sept. 24/21). I too have spoken in the past to RAC (Remediation Advisory Committee) as a Delegate about this matter and have just e-mailed Lisa Schaefer (Woolwich Twn.) to be put on the next RAC meeting (Oct.7/21) as a Delegate to present new information to them. ............................................................................................................................ Lanxess, MECP, Woolwich Township, GHD can all bury their heads in the sand like ostriches and pretend that new sampling (Soil) has not taken place. They can even ignore the lab analyses which have partially been put on line by me here in this blog. There are many more soil samples from the Stroh Drain area in secure and proper storage awaiting analysis. The guilty parties can hide behind various weak excuses such as not Qualified Persons, not proper sampling procedures, sampling not approved by the MECP; basically whatever they want as they are in full control of the entire corrupt investigation and cleanup. BUT.... private citizens appointed to TAG, allegedly to look out for the public interest, can not do the same unless they are going to admit to being nothing more than shills for mayor Shantz and council. ......................................................................................................................... Personally I do not believe that TAG members are all shills. However this latest development regarding dioxin/furans and DDD in SEDIMENTS in the Stroh Drain combined with positive detections of dioxins/furans in very nearby SOILS can not be ignored, buried or bullshitt.. away by professionals working for Lanxess Canada and friends. TAG has to stand up for the public interest and be counted. THIS ALSO REQUIRES COMMUNICATING WITH STAKEHOLDERS (citizens) OUTSIDE OF THE STILTED AND AWKWARD TAG PROCESS INTENTIONALLY IMPLEMENTED TO STIFLE TRUE PUBLIC CONSULTATION. ............................................................................................................ The Ministry of Environment and Lanxess have as yet not requested a copy of the lab report (SOIL) partially displayed here on-line a week and a half ago. Nor has TAG although they've only had the personal notice from me for four days. Individual TAG members should not require anybody's approval in order to e-mail or phone me requesting clarification or more information. Continued silence of even a few more days will only prove what I am beginning to believe namely that TAG are fully muzzled!

ALL IS QUIET ON THE LANXESS/ELMIRA/CANAGAGIGUE CREEK/MECP/TAG FRONT

Let's see it was last Monday and Wednesday I believe that I posted the first and last pages of the lab report here in my Elmira Advocate blog. Between the information contained on those two pages as well as in the text, one would naturally assume that by now our formal, official protectors of the natural environment would be asking some questions. Nope, nada, nothing. The lab report pages state the name of the lab, address and phone number. Perhaps very discreet inquiries have already been made. The lab report states that the medium is SOIL which historically, certainly compared to groundwater testing, has been the environmental orphan in and around Uniroyal/Lanxess/Elmira. The lab report indicates that dioxins and furans (i.e. PCDD/F) are the compounds being sampled for. PCDD/F refers to Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins and Furans. I assume that our illustrious MECP knows at least that much. The date is also on the lab report hence our authorities know full well that this is very recent news. They are masters however of being deaf, blind and mute when it serves their purposes. ............................................................................................................... Besides that vital information the lab report also indicates the technical equipment used for the analyses as well as the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) lab method used. Lastly is the name of the person in charge, plus their contact information. I do not know categorically but it is possible that discreet inquiries have already been made and perhaps the lab involved feel a certain professional discretion towards their clients on the matter. ........................................................................................................................... Last Friday I both posted here and sent to TAG members a memo regarding the status of evidence of contamination on the Stroh property. Possibly I failed to include one of the smoking guns namely the topographical contours of the ground surface between the east side waste pits and the Stroh Drain area on the Stroh property. My bad. Hard to remember everything all the time. This however is one of the many methods whereby the guilty parties avoid facing the truth. They simply ignore strong evidence that undermines their position. This method only works however when those guilty parties fully control the process including the process of alleged public consultation. The lack of debate and discussion at TAG regarding the topographical contours has been deafening. The lack of PUBLIC debate around the ridiculously shallow soil sampling (15 cm/5.9 inches) on the Stroh property beside the border between Lanxess and Stroh was another example. And on and on. ........................................................................................................................ I also have to wonder if perhaps TAG members have been given explicit directions not to speak or communicate with TAG non-members whether myself, CPAC members, media etc. I do know that I have sent formal and informal memos/reports to TAG members and been surprised at the complete lack of followup. Followup as in asking straight forward questions to help them clarify or understand my message. Nothing. That lack of simple e-mails or phone calls or any other communication with stakeholders and members of the public is frankly, disgraceful. Most TAG members lack the decades of direct, Elmira based background and data that could be very helpful to them. It appears that they also lack a wide and diverse input from ALL stakeholders, not just those vetted by the guilty parties. I await some feedback on this situation.

THE WATERLOO REGION RECORD CONTINUES TO EXPOSE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL MYTHS

Well done again and again to the Record. Twice this week they have pricked the balloon of environmental superiority often displayed by our local authoities. On Monday it was a discription of toxic sediments (dioxins) 28 times higher than the federal criteria in a drain/creek discharging into the Canagagigue Creek which in turn discharges into our nationally designated Heritage River, the Grand. Today it is a reminder that simply stocking the Upper Grand with brown trout every year does not guarantee that the river water is clean enough to support these fish through their normal lifespans. There are ongoing issues requiring improved sewage treatment prior to discharge to the Grand River as well as keeping development away from the river hence lessening erosion and allowing both cooling and water absortion by trees and vegetation on the river banks and along the river. ................................................................................................................................... Money talks and always has, very loudly. Hence our political system has long been captured by the wealthy and powerful who then use that political power to reduce encumbrances on their ability to constantly make more money. These encumbrances specifically include environmental protections that may either slow or lessen the money spigot for developers, manufacturers and others. Deregulation is the favourite term of those on the right of the political spectrum. They would like a return to the good old days when local rivers stank, were discoloured and even filled with soapsuds (phosphates). The idea that they should be financially and morally responsible for their own waste waters and solids is foreign to them. ..................................................................................................... I advise readers and the general public to watch carefully how our authorities respond. I expect more lip service and throwing out of catchwords like "world class" fisheries. Wouldn't it be nice as well as healthier if instead of words they actually spent more both on improved cleanup research as well as on proven wastewater treatment?

APOLOGIES TO TAG MEMBERS - I'M DOING THIS OUT OF ORDER

Normally if I reproduce a letter or Delegation to TAG it is after the fact. In other words I've respectfully sent it to TAG members first which is appropriate in the vast majority of situations. Today I'm posting it here first, however that is not meant as a gesture of disrespect to most of the honest, sincere TAG members. I think my readers know me well enough to know that if I decide to disrespect somebody (eg. Lanxess, GHD, MECP) then I will do it bluntly and straight up. .......................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................... ..................................................................................Sept. 24/21 .................................................................................................................. I certainly expect that all TAG members have seen last Monday's article in the Waterloo Region Record titled "Chemicals found in drain to Elmira's creek" written by Leah Gerber. Yes that is the same Leah Gerber who virtually attends the public TAG meetings. For any who haven't read it on your own or received a copy via Woolwich Township or Lisa Schaefer then I hope you are asking yourself the question "Why haven't I?". ............................................................................................................... Leah's article is revealing for some of the excuses Lanxess and fellow travellors are and will be making as to why sediments found in the bottom of the Stroh Drain at 24.4 ppt. TEQ (dioxin) and at .027 ppm. DDD, both much higher than the criteria, are somehow not significant. The dioxin/furan highest result of three exceedances out of four detections actually exceeds 92% of the TEQ sediment detections in the 2020 Canagagigue Creek Sediment & Soil Investigation and exceeds a whopping 94% of the TEQ sediment detections in the 2017 Canagagigue Creek Sediment & Soil Investigations. .............................................................................................................. Those results are a smoking gun unto themselves. Combine them with soil exceedances of both dioxins and DDT compounds along the Stroh/Lanxess property line (but on the Stroh property) and the extent of encroachment of Uniroyal Chemical toxic compounds upon the Stroh farm becomes clearer. Then add in NDMA found in groundwater cross-gradient 240 metres to the east and suddenly major gravity flowing, leaking toxic waste pits and ponds becomes more like a flood. While NDMA was found cross-gradient by groundwater flow direction it was detected downgradient by surface water, gravity flow. Then realize that by 1969-70 these discharges ended and hence what you are looking at are dangerous concentrations still existing more than half a century later. ..................................................................................................................... The evidence of neglect at the minimum and negligence not being the maximum (there is worse) leads rational and honest people to question the intent, integrity, competence and credibility of the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE/MECP). ................................................................................................................... Lastly there seems to be a rumour going around that actually soil samples have been taken in and around the Stroh Drain albeit not by the appropriate authorities who should have done it between seven and thirty years ago. To date only two out of fiteen soil samples have been analyzed specifically for dioxin/furans and both samples detected them. I know about this rumour because I started it in my Elmira Advocate blog. ........................................................................................................................ To date the MOE/MECP have not requested the lab report from me. Perhaps they are embarassed regarding their behaviour in assisting Chemtura and Woolwich Township in scrapping CPAC in 2015. Perhaps they continue to not want to know the obvious. Just imagine the red faces, embarassment, shame and loss of credibility they will suffer if and when the true extent of toxic contamination on the Stroh property is found and confirmed. It would be almost as bad as when the long promised, allegedly fully protected Elmira wellfields were discovered contaminated by Uniroyal Chemical in November 1989. ............................................................................................................. Alan Marshall CPAC & EH-Team member

ENVIRONMENTAL SHAMS FROM OUR AUTHORITIES ARE THE NORM

Today's post will primarily mention another wonderful, environmental article in the Waterloo Region Record, written by Leah Gerber. The article and writing are wonderful however the news is not. The title is "Opiod levels in river harm fish breeding" and it starts on the front page of the Record. The other item I wish to mention revolves around yesterday's posting here in which I mention various reasons that I'm in no hurry to share privately obtained and privately funded data with our corrupt authorities. Now to date I have received one comment on that however it was from a well known (to me) retired simple servant who is both a troll and a strong (biased) supporter of the Ontario Ministry of Environment. He feels that I would "embarass" the Ontario MOE/MECP by releasing the data here and now on this Blog. A tad of hypocrisy going on there although that does not necessarily mean he is wrong on every opinion or matter. Further thought is required. ..................................................................................................................................... Back to Leah Gerber's story. Researchers at Trent University have found measureable (albeit low) levels of codeine, cocaine, amphetamines and fentanyl in the Grand River. WOW! Codeine, a prescription painkiller, interpheres with hormone levels in fish and reduces the number of eggs sucessfully produced by females. The takeaway from this is very clear. Despite large investments of taxpayers money into our many Wastewater Treatment Plants (i.e. Sewage Treatment Plants), those engineered methodologies do NOT remove all contaminants by a large shot. Pharmeceuticals and prescription and illegal opiods are just a couple of examples. ......................................................................................................................................... But it gets worse. I have long railed here about our drinking water (tap water) received from the Region of Waterloo. The deficiencies are glaring and each February/March when the Region of Waterloo Annual (Drinking Water) Reports come out I critique them here in this Blog. Well it seems that not surprisingly some of these contaminants found in the Grand River are making their way into our tap water despite treatment. Of course the Region do not want to weaken the public's confidence in their drinking water so they hide behind the Ministry of Environment and the province of Ontario as all good bureaucrats and local politicians are taught to do. The manager of engineering and wastewater programs states "Locally there are no regulations associated with these compounds just yet...". "these compounds" include cocaine, one derivative of amphetamine and several prescription opiods. WOW again! Further the Region suggest that they are doing their duty as they state "Until the regulatory agencies update and include these compounds in the regulations, the Region will continue to follow the resarch to ensure we are prepared for any new regulations...". Boy that sure is reassuring not. So much for the Region's decades of bragging about their high quality tap water and how healthy and safe it is. Besides these compounds there are dozens to hundreds of other chemical compounds that they do not but should be testing for and then figuring out how to remove them. Politically safer to hide behind the province and MOE/MECP as usual!

A SMALL, MIDDLE FINGER OF DISRESPECT TOWARDS WOOLWICH COUNCIL, LANXESS & MOE/MECP

........................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................... Earlier here in the Elmira Advocate I suggested that I was in no hurry to show Lanxess, GHD, Woolwich Township (council) and the Ministry of Environment (MOE/MECP) new soil data taken from samples in and around the Stroh Drain. You may have noticed both yesterday and today that I have posted the first and the last page from the lab report of two of the fifteen samples taken by citizen scientists, volunteers, and Woolwich stakeholders intentionally excluded by Chemtura/Lanxess and Woolwich Council from actively and fully participating in the public consultation process regarding the 1989 Elmira Water Crisis. While I still expect to submit any and all factual data to the Ontario MOE/MECP, I am in no hurry to do so. Why would I be? It's not as if they have any intention to use this data properly. If they did they would have ordered soil samples taken from this area years to decades ago. No, they've made their private deals with other stakeholders a long time ago. Just as hydraulic containment of the shallow aquifers was reduced to only one quarter of the site (south-west), just as DNAPL investigations on and off-site were rigged to do as little as possible, so to was the east side investigation/cleanup negotiated away in exchange for collegial relations with the polluter (i.e. don't rat us out and we'll go easy on you). ............................................................................................................................... Then there is yet another reason. Respect or the lack thereof. For me the highest disrespect is that of straight faced, blatant lying. Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura/Lanxess all believe that while chosen and select members of the public may have the right to ask them questions regarding their environmental cleanup efforts; the company has the absolute right to lie like dogs in response. Which they have done for decades with little or no consequences. I am well aware that Lanxess for example follow this Blog. One Chemtura/Lanxess employee (likely Dwighte Este) actually so admitted that to myself and CPAC on one occasion and even corrected me sitting in the gallery at a TAG meeting regarding my statement here that Bayer were part owners of Lanxess. ........................................................................................................... Back in the day we actually spotted Ministry of Environment employees entering the offices of the Elmira Independent each week on publication day. The MOE were dying to know what embarassing facts that Bob Verdun as well as his reporters were publishing. Hence I am quite confident that all the guilty parties know full well that soil samples have been taken and partially analysed, near the Stroh Drain, where the MOE/MECP have attempted to cover up for the benefit of Chemtura/Lanxess versus the benefit of the public and or the environment. ...................................................................................................... So just as the guilty parties have excluded myself, CPAC and the public from meaningful participation in the public consultation process, I have decided to see just exactly how much they enjoy being excluded. I will continue to divulge relevant, environmental information here that all stakeholders have a right to know. At the least the MOE/MECP should ask me for this data. Then judge me on my response to them.

RECORD LOW ON & OFF-SITE PUMPING OF UNIROYAL/LANXESS CONTAMINATED SITE

........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... I received the Lanxess Canada August 2021 Progress Report yesterday. What a disaster. The hydraulic containment of contaminated groundwater aka pump & dump hasn't been this low since 2008 when the Ammonia Treatment modifications were being made to the groundwater treatment systems. The longterm average up until 2012 was 53 litres per second (l/sec) for off-site groundwater (i.e. underneath Elmira) and about 5.1 l/sec on-site (i.e. underneath the Uniroyal site). Last month (Aug./21) had an on-site average of only 4.1 l/sec and an incredibly low 34.3 l/sec for the off-site Elmira Aquifers. Do not forget that in November 2012, with much fanfare, Chemtura (Uniroyal) advised the MOE, Woolwich Twn., CPAC (Chemtura Public Advisory Committee) and the public that they were going to TRIPLE the volume of off-site groundwater pumping. This huge increase was necessitated by Chemtura and Conestoga Rovers late admission that the current pumping volumes were inadequate to remediate the Elmira Aquifers to drinking water standards by the mandated 2028 deadline.Those Qualified Persons and other assorted professional liars have never even gotten close. In fact it's looking more and more that they never had any intention to do so. Currently TAG (Technical Advisory Group) continue to receive excuses, years long delays, horse manure, promises and the appearance of dejection and sadness from corporate executives who are saving cleanup money daily, weekly, monthly and annually. The company are laughing all the way to the bank. The local politicians and Ontario Ministry of Environment shelter and protect Lanxess from criticism and rebuke. Well meaning TAG volunteers shrug their shoulders and don't know what to do about it. ........................................................................................................................................ This is how one of, if not the worst, most contaminated sites in the country is being "cleaned up". It's been a sham from the start, the cleanup still is a sham and it will continue to be so. Our authorities, municipal (Woolwich), regional and provincial will eventually declare victory while human beings, wildlife and the environment continue to suffer until death courtesy of sustained corruption and lying.

WOOLWICH OBSERVER MIA, K-W RECORD ON THE JOB- MAJOR CHEMICAL POLLUTION STORY ABOUT CANAGAGIGUE CREEK

MIA - Missing In Action ............................................................................................................ Today's Waterloo Region Record carries an excellent story on page 3 titled "Chemicals found in drain to Elmira's creek", written by Leah Gerber. Accompanying the story are two colour pictures of the Canagagigue Creek. The story certainly pokes holes in the false narrative that the company (Lanxess), their client driven consultants (GHD) and the MOE/MECP have been striving to sell for the last several years. The site is not under control. It is not fully contained and the Canagagigue Creek is dangerous to both human beings and wildlife. ........................................................................................................ Lanxess fellow travellors such as TAG Chair, Tiffany Svensson, have come to the polluter's defence. Lanxess are not the original polluters: that dishomour goes to Uniroyal Chemical which has been bought out three times since the 1989 Elmira Water Crisis. I especially enjoy Tiffany's quote "That exceedance is on private property and we don't know where it came from." BULLSH.T ALERT! Exceedances included DDD and dioxins/furans and both of them came directly from the manufacturer (Uniroyal) next door. They came via air, groundwater and surface water flow from Uniroyal Chemical's toxic waste pits (RPE 1-5) conveniently located right on the property line with the Stroh farm. Only blind, deaf and bought and paid for mental midgits don't know where the highly toxic pollutants came from. Everybody else knows and if they don't know by now then get your butts the hell out of the picture! This especially goes for TAG (Technical Advisory Group) volunteer members appointed by Woolwich Township. You aren't getting paid $1,000 a meeting like Chair Svensson is which is one reason why I've been tolerant and patient so long. Time is up. Step up and speak out honestly or get the .... off of TAG. Woolwich citizens and the public need honesty on that committee even more than they need "expertise". ........................................................................................................................ Lanxess were quoted and directly lied in that quote as they falsely claimed that they will continue to work "...transparently with all involved stakeholders." That is a filthy blatant lie. I am and have been a stakeholder since 1989 and they have specifically excluded me, CPAC members and the public from asking questions at public meetings or offerring comment. That is because they are more willing liars than they are truth tellers. I have lived in Woolwich Township for 28 years and specifically in Elmira for 19 years. I was working in Elmira and drinking the NDMA contaminated water in the late 1980s. I have attended UPAC, CPAC, TAG & RAC for 29 years and continue to do so. What Lanxess should have said is that they will work with all stakeholders politically vetted by their friends on Woolwich Council. That at least would be honest. ............................................................................................................................. Two either biased or ignorant TAG members suggested that the sediment results in the Stroh Drain, 28 times higher than criteria, weren't so significant because of much higher TEQ (dioxin) results elsewhere. Susan B. and Wilson said this. Wilson at least has the defence that he's the newest, least experienced TAG member. Check my last two postings here (last Friday/Saturday) for the actual numbers of sediment readings EXCEEDED by the Stroh Drain reading. Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach led the charge regarding the new sediment data at TAG and while there are intelligent, honest members on TAG they need to stiffen their backbones and step up and clearly support him. Now! ............................................................................................................................ I have the utmost confidence in the professional liars, including local politicians, who will bullsh.t, bafflegab and intentionally muddy the waters hiding behind mathematical risk assessment models all developed and data inputed by equally dishonest but well paid to do so "Qualified Persons"(QP). They make me sick. The bottom line is that money, power and influence are all far more important to those in charge than is doing the right thing for all citizens and the environment. As it always has been. Do you think that Climate Change is an accident or that some few of us have become rich promoting a system that is unsustainable for human health and survival on this planet? ................................................................................................................................ Just imagine the yelling and screaming that will erupt from all the professional liars when the SOIL results from the Stroh Drain are publicly released! They will whine and cry about proper process, professional competence and oh my God how dare citizens take the beautiful, self-serving and incredibly helpful to polluters system and pervert it by doing the years overdue work of the Ontario Ministry of Environment. Do not forget: Right now science and facts strongly favour the likelihood that the Stroh farm, beside (east side) the northern end of the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB) particularly is a "sink" of POPS (Persistent Organic Pollutants) including DDT, DDD, DDE, dioxins/furans, lindane. and other compounds and pesticides. This science includes groundwater results, soil and sediment results on the Stroh property, now including in and around the SDDB. Simple agreed upon topographical contours of the area also tell the tale as to where overflowing toxic liquid wastes ended up. LET THE LANXESS & FRIENDS COVERUP CONTINUE!

DIFFERENT (2017) SPECIFICS REGARDING SEDIMENT RESULTS (NOT SOILS) IN STROH DRAIN

The following Table is a chart comparing the highest of four Sediment concentrations recently found in the bottom of the Stroh Drain by GHD on behalf of Lanxess Canada to their sediment concentrations found in their "2017 Canagagigue Creek Sediment and Soil Investigation". ................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................. .....................SEDIMENTS ................................................................................................................................. Location...........#.of.samples................................................. ................................................................................................................................ Northfield.Dr........29.....ALL.BELOW.2020.STROH.DRAIN.TEQ.(dioxin).of.(24.4.ppt) ................................................................................................................................ New.Jerusalem.Rd...92....Four.EXCEED.."...."....."...."....."....."....."..... ................................................................................................................................ Station.#21..........71.....Four.EXCEED.."...."....."...."....."....."....."..... ................................................................................................................................ Downstream.of......................................................................... Station.#20..........92.....Five.EXCEED.."...."....."...."....."....."....."..... ................................................................................................................................ Lanxess.Facility.....43.....Six.EXCEED..."...."....."...."....."....."....."..... ................................................................................................................................ ......................._____...______....................................................... ................................................................................................................................ Total...................327.....19................................................... ................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................ Therefore out of a total of 327 TEQ (dioxin) Sediment samples there are 19 Sediment results higher than the 2020 Stroh Drain highest result of 24.4 ppt. Hence the highest Stroh Drain TEQ (dioxin) Sediment result exceeds 94% of all the TEQ sediment results (including on-site Lanxess) from the 2017 Creek Investigation. This is a clear and indisputable, by honest reviewers, indication of the significance of the Sediment results found in the 2020 Creek Investigation done by GHD on behalf of Lanxess Canada.

SPECIFICS REGARDING SEDIMENT RESULTS (NOT SOILS!) IN STROH DRAIN

The following Table is a chart comparing the highest of four Sediment concentrations found in the bottom of the Stroh Drain by GHD on behalf of Lanxess Canada in their "2020 Canagagigue Creek Sediment and Soil Investigation". This data was released back in July 2021. ...................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... SEDIMENTS ..................................................................................................... Location..........#.of.samples..................................................................... ............................................................................................................. ..................................................................................................... Stroh.Dr.............4.............highest.conc..24.4.ppt..................................................... ..................................................................................................... Unknown.Ck...........3.............................................................................. ..................................................................................................... Bolender.Pk..........4..........ALL.FOUR.CREEKS............................................................ .....................................BELOW.STROH............................................ Shirt.Fact.Ck........6............CONCENTRATION.............................................................. ....................................of.24.4.ppt....................................................... Landfill.Ck..........13.............................................................................. ............................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................. Reach.4...............4............ALL.FOUR.EXCEED.24.4.......................................................... (Lanxess).................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................... Reach.3................7.............ALL.SEVEN.BELOW.24.4........................................................... ...................................................................................................... Reach.2...............10.............ALL.TEN.BELOW.24.4........................................................... ..................._______.......................................................................................... .............................................................................................................. Total................51............................................................................................. .............................................................................................................. 51 total samples including Stroh Drain. Only four samples (Reach 4) exceed Stroh Drain concentration of 24.4 ppt. Therefore 46/50 or 92% of SEDIMENT samples are below highest Stroh Drain concentration in this 2020 report done by GHD on behalf of Lanxess Canada. The term "Reach" refers to specific stretches of the Canagagigue Creek with Reach 4 being the area of the creek running through the chemical plant and Reach 2 much further downstream between Northfield Dr. and Jigs Hollow Rd. areas.

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT - WOOLWICH/ELMIRA CITIZENS PAY FOR LAB TESTING THE MINISTRY & LANXESS REFUSED

I made a promise here two days ago about a major announcement and here it is. Additional soil samples have been taken on the Stroh property. I personally have seen the lab report proving dioxin/furans existence much further south on the Stroh property in and around the Stroh Drain. I have also seen a map indicating where a total of fifteen soil samples were taken and I've been advised that the samples were removed, packaged and then stored according to appropriate and formal protocols. Professional expertise and advice were part of the process. We've all heard the expression putting your money where your mouth is. Well that's what happened. These are privately taken samples of Uniroyal contaminated soils on their eastside neighbouring farm. At the moment I can not give more specific details including whether or not Mr. Stroh had a hand in the taking of these soil samples. ........................................................................................................................... This is not the first time that this has happened during the generally inadequate and mostly dishonest process surrounding the so called "cleanup" of the Elmira Aquifers, soils both on and off the Uniroyal/Lanxess Canada site and "cleanup" of the Canagagigue Creek. Back in 2015 CPAC (Citizens Public Advisory Committee), the group appointed by Woolwich Council in 2011, were nastily and dishonestly given the bum's rush by the new 2014 elected council of then idiots. CPAC however with the permission of the Martin family had technical experts, myself and Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach (CPAC & TAG member) take numerous soil samples both along the Canagagigue Creek on the Martin property as well as along the Stroh Drain/Martin Creek on the same property. That data added further clarification to the extent of off-site Uniroyal Chemical contamination even many decades later. .......................................................................................................................... Recent sediment samples taken and analysed in the Stroh Drain by GHD were discussed at the last TAG (Technical Advisory Group) meeting on August 26/21. Three of the four sediment samples well exceeded the federal criteria for dioxins/furans in sediments. Most TAG members listened and did not comment however two TAG members did provide inaccurate comments regarding the size and significance of the sediment exceedances in the Stroh Drain. The fact is that the 24.4 parts per trillion concentration of dioxins (TEQ) exceeded 94% of all the sediment readings taken in the 2017 Canagagigue Creek Investigation by GHD and 92% of the dioxin readings taken in the 2020 Canagagigue Creek Investigation also by GHD on behalf of Lanxess. These sediment readings also included sediment readings from the Canagagigue Creek where it traverses the Uniroyal/Lanxess property. So much for petty criticism of the significance of these sediment results. ............................................................................................................ The soil samples taken on the east side of the north end of the Stroh Drain have as yet not all been analysed. They are being stored professionally and according to the proper and recognized protocols. The soil sample concentrations analysed to date do not exceed the rest of the soil sample concentrations taken in both the 2017 and 2020 Canagagigue Creek Investigations by as large a margin as the recent Stroh Drain sediment samples do (i.e. 94% & 92%). They do however exceed 56% of the soil samples taken in the 2020 Canagagigue Investigation and 44% of those taken in the 2017 Investigation, also including soil samples taken on the Uniroyal/Lanxess property. To find these concentrations in two out of two soil samples analysed to date beside the Stroh Drain and comparing them even to on-site Uniroyal/Lanxess soil samples leads me to believe that the other thirteen soil samples from the Stroh Drain area will have some very high concentrations. Keep in mind that soil samples unlike ground and surface water samples to not mix as evenly throughout the matrix. In other words toxin concentrations in water tend to be similar to nearby water samples whereas the chocolate chip theory of toxin distribution in soils is more likely. This theory states that high toxin concentrations in soils can readily be accompanied by very low or even zero (Non Detect) concentrations literally inches away. ...................................................................................................................... Despite the best coverup efforts possible by Lanxess, GHD, MOE/MECP, Woolwich Township; all the evidence together is now overwhelmingly in favour of mass flow of toxic liquids from Uniroyal Chemical's east side pits/ponds (RPE 1-5) over to the Stroh property including the Stroh Drain area. This evidence includes topographical maps (i.e. surface elevations), groundwater NDMA results, soil results both along the property line AND beside the Stroh Drain and finally sediment results taken by GHD in the Stroh Drain. GP-1 & 2's serious contamination on the Uniroyal/Lanxess property was a clever and intentional red herring to distract citizens from the bulk of the flow eastwards.

WHEN ALL WAS SAID & DONE, MORE WAS SAID THAN DONE

The Waterloo Region Record published an article by Paige Desmond titled "Chemtura boosts water cleanup" on November 2, 2015. Allegedly four new wells were installed and the infrastructure (piping etc.) was under construction. Now of course with the benefit of hindsight we know that overall the pumping and treating of groundwater off the Uniroyal/Chemtura site has essentially not increased as promised. A couple of these wells such as W8 and W6A/B have been pumping at a ridiculously tiny volume such as .44 litres per second and it appears as if they were installed simply to reduce a small local source of contamination all the while pretending that everything under Elmira comes from Uniroyal Chemical. Also well W9 which was supposed to be pumping a much larger volume of water still isn't up and running, many years later. The excuses however have been varied, interesting and never ending. .......................................................................................................... Ms. Desmond also pointed out that there are other cleanup challenges besides the groundwater. Dioxins/furans and DDT in Canagagigue Creek sediments are well above provincial and federal criteria. As well there is mention of the "now-disbanded" township committee (CPAC) and the fact that they raised the issue of Chemtura failing to achieve groundwater cleanup by 2028 as mandated by the Ministry of Environment. To this day the cleanup of the downstream Canagagigue Creek has not started. When it does it is most likely to be the result of a Risk Assessment of extremely dubious quality and accuracy on a par with much of the cleanup efforts over the last thirty plus years.

A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT IS COMING

Soils, sediments and groundwater. There are positive detections of Uniroyal Chemical toxins, many in exceedance of provincial/federal criterias...not just on the former Uniroyal (now Lanxess Canada) site but off of it...and not off it just on the south and western sides but on the EASTERN side! Yes on the Stroh and Martin farms. How is this possible after thirty plus years of telling citizen volunteers and the public that the various Uniroyal contaminants either flowed south-west by groundwater towards the south municipal wellfield or after being discharged to the Canagagigue Creek they flowed eastwards towards and into the Grand River? Simple. It's because they lied. They being both the polluting company and their supposed regulator, the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE/MECP). It is this lying that exposes the truth however. The MOE/MECP are comprimised and have been for decades. They are and have been in a conflict of interest position for many decades regarding Uniroyal Chemical. Their negligence and incompetence, albeit likely fueled by ongoing provincial mandates to go easy on the multi-national, multi billion dollar corporation have left them between a rock and a hard place. They rolled over and turned a blind eye to the destruction of an entire watershed as well as to the drinking water in Elmira. Only a fool would believe that lives, both human and wildlife, have not been lost due to environmental decisions made in Toronto. Rest easy however, this is Ontario and no one goes to jail for causing gross environmental and human health damages, especially in Elmira/Woolwich Twn., unless their name is Severin Argenton. Major corporations are exempt apparently from serious environmental consequences. ................................................................................................................ So what is the "major announcement"? Well... you will have to be patient as I have been. No the announcement will not come after the new information is provided to our corrupt authorities. Good God why would I entrust them with anything? I admit to a certain hypocrisy however in whom I am giving first dibs. If they either fail or refuse to take appropriate steps then it is up to me. As a courtesy I will make at least some of the news available to TAG members, albeit possibly not all. CPAC (Citizens Public Advisory Committee) of course already know because they can all be trusted. Everybody else, a little less so. As a gesture of my disrespect and contempt, Lanxess and GHD are highly unlikely to voluntarily get any news from me. The MOE/MECP I actually hold in even greater contempt than Lanxess and GHD however further thought and consideration is necessary as to when or if to inform them. ........................................................................................................ The significance of the new information is that it puts yet another nail into the guilty parties refusal to properly test soil samples in and around the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB) on the Stroh and Martin farms. Once again in Elmira/Woolwich it takes citizen scientists and volunteers to do the appropriate work of so called professionals and bureaucrats, also ridiculously referred to as Qualified Persons (QP).

"A GREAT DEAL OF INTELLIGENCE CAN BE INVESTED IN IGNORANCE WHEN THE NEED FOR ILLUSION IS DEEP"

The quote above was in last Saturday's Waterloo Region Record. The author is Saul Bellows. Talk about a moment when you felt that the author was speaking directly to you. I learned a long time ago that when intelligent and educated people appear incapable of following direct lines of evidence to an obvious conclusion that there is a reason for it. They actually are more willing to appear dense or stupid than to admit the obvious. Obvious, oddly enough, to anyone and everyone who does not have a financial stake in the quite clear conclusion. The expression that I have long used is INTENTIONALLY OBTUSE. ................................................................................................................. Water flows downhill. Sure seems both simple and obvious to CPAC members and honest TAG members. However seven full years after I and CPAC presented the staggering information, twenty-five years after the start of the 1989 Elmira Water Crisis, that there was an ongoing surface flow of water running parallel to the Uniroyal/Stroh property line and within ten metres of it, we still have blind (?) refusals to honestly and fully investigate. ..................................................................................................................... "A great deal of intelligence...". Not every single Woolwich Councillor is mentally challenged. Most unlikely that every single Lanxess Canada employee/spokespersons are stupid. Same thing goes for consultants GHD and for the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE/MECP). In fact I'm now going to insult many of those persons to the quick. I believe that many of them are of above average intelligence. How is that insulting? Because the alternative is that they are intentionally obtuse. They are corrupt. ......................................................................................................................................... "...invested in ignorance...". It is one thing to stick to a lie when you have carefully manipulated laws and rules to the point that no one else has a fraction of the information that you have. i.e. knowledge is power. But when your monopoly on information has been even partially broken whether through good luck or an error then it is time to readjust your lies and disinformation. At least for normal, professional liars. ............................................................................................................. "...when the need for illusion is deep.". Well this gets to the heart of it. It's now progressed way beyond money. Money and the normal corporate desire to externalize costs onto the public as much as possible may have been the initial reason. Externalizing costs can mean actual taxpayers subsidys via direct public expenditure on cleanup such as 50% of the pump and treat costs for the Elmira Aquifers. It can also mean ongoing mobilization of DDT and dioxins/furans originally from Uniroyal Chemical that cause both environmental and human health costs downstream. ..................................................................................................... Politicians are deeply involved. Careers and credibility are now on the line. Woolwich Township have generally been extremely supportive of Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura and Lanxess Canada even to the point of manipulating public consultation and promoting pro status quo citizens while intentionally undermining honest citizen volunteers more interested in the truth. Woolwich politicians may also have made immoral promises to local developers or others with a financial interest in developing the east side of Elmira, even above contaminated soils and waters that should be remediated first with the costs going directly to the appropriate corporate entity. This is Elmira and THE NEED FOR ILLUSION IS VERY DEEP.

INTELLIGENT & APPROPRIATE SUGGESTIONS GOING FORWARD

Some of these suggestions come from Sebastian in his recent (Aug. 26/21) memo to his TAG colleagues. Some come from other CPAC (Citizens Public Advisory Committee) members and some come from me. Sebastian suggests that "...not just sediment but also soil sampling to varying depths in and around the full length of the "Drain"-a full "hunting" expedition in other words." He further recommends that this sampling be done within one year and that discussions around revising the August 2028 deadline and certain remediation end-objectives be placed on hold until after the sampling is done and results released to the public. I wish to add that TAG members have been kept fully informed and that if their decision is to request/demand a fuller investigation of the Stroh property in and around the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB) that it is fully suppported by empirical evidence, common sense and reason. Any decision to the contrary will condemn all of them and reinforce my comments about corruption. .............................................................................................................. Another CPAC member has taken a strong stance and wants to see TAG step up and pay for soil sampling. Wow! Presumably that would be via the municipality paying the lab costs and I sure don't see that happening. The other problem relates to our environmental laws which allow a polluter who is in bed with his regulator (MOE/MECP) to refuse to permit soil, sediment or groundwater samples to be taken on his property. Unfortunately for Mr. Stroh that bridge was crossed a few years ago when the MOE/MECP insisted on soil sampling on the north-west corner of his property. Also groundwater and four sediment samples have also been taken on the Stroh property. It certainly seems bizarre (corrupt) now for the MECP to pretend that they can't or don't need to do more soil sampling near where high dioxin/furans and DDD were found in the sediments in the bottom of the Stroh Drain (i.e. 3 out of 4 samples). .................................................................................................... Sorry but after thirty years plus of lying, deception, manipulation and political obstruction by all the guilty parties I do not see why Lanxess/GHD should have any right to continue being in charge of the investigations/cleanups. They, their regulator and the local municipality (Woolwich) have been exposed as dishonest. It is long past time for some kind of truly independent investigations and cleanup of the soils on site ("hot spots"), the Elmira Aquifers and of the Canagagigue Creek. Anything less will forever go down in history as a massive coverup and conspiracy.

HOW MANY WOOLWICH COUNCILLORS ARE CORRUPT?

We could go back to the defintion of corrupt. Most people believe that corruption means accepting paper bags full of cash from less than honest brokers. In reality one of the dictionary definitions of corrupt is "riddled with errors". That of course lowers the bar dramatically for us to call out specific individuals as being corrupt. By that definition one only has to look at the world wide Covid-19 response and action to be able to confidently say that the entire world is corrupt. Corrupt as in the response and actions taken have been riddled with errors pretty much everywhere. Many were honest errors and others likely ideological and political, but errors nevertheless. The backtracking and reversals in the U.S., in Alberta, Brazil, Ontario, Britain pretty much confirm that position. .................................................................................................................... What about Woolwich Council? One is a dinosaur well past his "best before" date especially as his best was never that impressive. Another while generally having good intentions should never have attempted to mix unbiased media coverage with being a municipal councillor. If ever "conflict of interest" has long been ignored by municipal councillors this is but one prime example. Another newer councillor has undoubtedly high moral qualities exemplified throughout his life. Zero political experience possibly exacerbated with being too busy outside of the council chambers. Another has some former school board experience. In fact two of them do. This is not inherently a good thing. One kept his head up at the WRDSB and the other kept her head down. Our mayor is legally exposed to all her decisions for the past two terms being tossed due to her ability to ignore the obvious including conditions imposed by Justice David Broad of Superior Court in Kitchener. Not a good look. For me Larry is an enigma. I'm skeptical but honestly haven't got him fully pegged. ...................................................................................................................................... Of course errors have been made. "To err is human to forgive divine". Hence it isn't appropriate to label individual councillors as corrupt just because they've made some bad decisions. We do not know how much lobbying has been done behind the scenes, how many lies told to councillors by staff, other councillors and by self-serving local power brokers. I'm quoting a former one term Woolwich councillor who said that she had "...never been lied to so often as she has in the last four years." That is both sad and shocking. ..................................................................................................................................... I will return to one truly awful Woolwich Council decision namely approving a zone change and redevelopment plans for industrial/commercial development of the east side of Elmira. This also includes a road (Elmira By-Pass) to be built over contaminated lands as well as the Canagagigue Creek and floodplains. This should not have occurred until AFTER a full investigation of the Uniroyal Chemical sourced DDT, DDD, DDE, dioxins/furans, other pesticides and herbicides on the Stroh and Martin properties has been completed and acted accordingly upon. To date we have a thirty year plus polluter led series of Mickey Mouse investigations both on and off the former Uniroyal Chemical site. These include partial hydraulic containment only, on site, especially in the shallow aquifer, a DNAPL coverup going back to the early 1990s, shoddy Canagagigue Creek sampling for DDT compounds with ridiculously high Method Detection Limits drastically reducing DDT detections and a total coverup of the extent of intentional east side discharges of toxic liquid wastes onto the Stroh and Martin farms from the east side pits (RPE 1-5) and more. ....................................................................................................................... The evidence is available. This includes some soil samples, four whole sediment samples in the Stroh Drain and NDMA detections 240 metres EAST of the Lanxess property line (Stroh property). The soil and four sediment samples include dioxins/furans and DDT both above and just below the federal and provincial criteria. The evidence also includes topographical maps showing the direction of flow from admitted overflowing Uniroyal waste pits on the east side across to the Stroh property. Even plain, simple logic and reason have been shouted down, muted and excluded as much as possible from so called public TAG meetings where citizens are refused the right to either ask questions or provide missing information. Of course other than Sandy ensuring the coverup continues by her attending TAG & RAC meetings, no other councillors are directly involved. Perhaps Scott McMillan shows up two or three times a year to RAC meetings for what that's worth. Woolwich Councillors have abandoned their responsibility to protect all Woolwich citizens.

TRUTH IS THE FIRST VICTIM OF WAR AND OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUPS

I predict that some day there will be university level Environmental Science courses using the Uniroyal Chemical/Elmira 1989 Water Crisis as a blueprint. A blueprint or an example of how not to do environmental cleanups. All aspects of the "cleanup" will be examined from the decision to focus on pump and treat (i.e. hydraulic containment) in order to restore the Elmira Aquifers to drinking water standards (it didn't) to the hardening/capping of creekbanks and some soil removal on the Uniroyal site to remove downstream contaminated sediments and soils (also failed). ............................................................................................................ I expect these university courses will also look at the public consultation involved and how it was manipulated and controlled from the very beginning by Uniroyal, the Ontario Ministry of Environment and by Woolwich Township. The guilty parties (just mentioned) were more careful and less blatantly biased during the first decade (1992-2002) than they were later on including Woolwich Township under the "leadership" of Sandy Shantz and Mark Bauman. That "leadership" included the gutting of the citizen volunteers on the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC) appointed by the previous Council. ..................................................................................................................... All suggestions by local citizens of serious source removal both on and off-site were utterly rejected by Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura/Lanxess. This included citizens appointed to UPAC, CPAC and TAG. Remarkably APT Environment early on made a private deal with Uniroyal Chemical to let DNAPLS (Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquids) on site slide. This likely was in exchange for bad faith promises by Uniroyal to take care of concerns with the downstream Canagagigue Creek. Of course the two in charge of APTE made no such admissions to their fellow members. ........................................................................................................ The east side of Uniroyal/Lanxess has been part of a major coverup for decades which included the Ministry of Environment and Woolwich Township. Likely local developers and influential business persons also were involved in order to promote their financial agendas. At this point in time there is no longer any doubt that Uniroyal Chemical purposely allowed their toxic liquid wastes to flow from their east side pits (RPE 1-5) onto the neighbouring Stroh farm with both tacit and explicit consent. They even reburied toxic wastes (dioxins/furans, DDT, NDMA etc.) in drums into RB-1 & 2 literally touching the Stroh property boundary. ................................................................................................................................... Personally I expect self-serving, contemptible behaviour from proven, longterm polluters. The acceptance of that and assistance from both local Woolwich Township leadership as well as by provincial regulators (MOE/MECP) is however beyond the pale.

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE! BOTH PRIVATE PAYOFFS ARE INVOLVED AS LIKELY ARE POLITICAL ONES

Yesterday's Elmira Advocate posting has generated some buzz. This includes comments as well as other communications. The one comment is from "a neighbour" and the other from a concerned citizen. The first suggests local ""shrewd" business people and political hacks" are intimately involved with the coverup. Reference is also made to the "dump part of the Stroh farm". That is quite interesting. Perhaps the 1983 man made Stroh drain, ditch & berm (SDDB) is pointing right at the "dump" or maybe not. The second comment reflects upon the so called environmental industry that has flourished in the last thirty years. That comment does not paint a very nice picture of many of these companies. ........................................................................................................................ The "neighbour" above believes that private soil samples have been taken on the Stroh farm. That is very interesting and not only makes eminent good sense but also is in line with my beliefs. There is no good reason for Lanxess/GHD/MECP to be so "snakebitten" about the complete east side of the Stroh property unless: 1) they already know that Uniroyal Chemical dumped there with the permission of the owner at the time 2) soil samples and more have already been taken and the results have shocked them fifty years after the dumping stopped. ...................................................................................................... Someone is going to make a "deathbed" confession. I only hope that it is in time to hold the alleged criminals responsible.

MAYBE THE SNEAKY BUGGERS ALREADY HAVE SOIL SAMPLES FROM IN AND AROUND THE STROH DRAIN AREA?

It would explain a lot. It would explain Ramin Ansari's (Lanxess) "snakebitten" behaviour. It would explain the Ministry of Environment's (MECP) refusal to order soil samples if they have already occurred and the MECP know the results. After all does that particular government agency need to be publicly humiliated yet again in Elmira? Walkerton, Grassy Narrows and Cambridge (Northstar Aerospace) have been bad enough for their image. Elmira had both the Environmental Appeal Board hearings which publicly castigated both Uniroyal Chemical and the Ontario MOE as well as the Varnicolor Chemical scandal. Way too much public defence of Varnicolor Chemical then followed by a MOE employee being fired and charged with a criminal offence sure left the strong odour of corruption in the air. ............................................................................................................................. If GHD have taken soil samples especially in the low lying area to the immediate east of the north end of the Stroh Drain and the concentrations of dioxins/furans, DDT and metabolytes, lindane, Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and other herbicides are high, including exceedances of criteria, then it's no wonder the guilty parties are in denial. Not only would the Ontario government and the Ministry of Environment come under fire but can you imagine how incredibly stupid or corrupt Woolwich Township would appear? They have approved development on the east side including roads, light industrial and commercial on top of contaminated lands that they have been formally advised about for the last seven years. The previous Township Council of the day supported the findings of their citizen volunteers on the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC). The current Council and mayor publicly and nastily threw out that volunteer committee appointed by their predecessors. ................................................................................................................................ The last point has to do with the apparent cozy relationship between the Stroh family farm ownership and Lanxess as well as Woolwich Council. I have little doubt that the same public refusal to initially allow sampling on the Stroh property was negotiated away for certain considerations. This despite the Ontario MOE/MECP having an absolute right to order sampling when the facts clearly indicate contamination from Uniroyal Chemical entered the Stroh property and migrated via the Stroh Drain southwards through the Martin property where it discharged into the Canagagigue Creek. ...................................................................................................................... Once again public bodies are engaged in protecting private financial interests at the expense of the publics' interests including health.

THREE SEPARATE ISSUES REGARDING THE DOWNSTREAM (From Uniroyal/Lanxess) CANGAGIGUE CREEK

From my perspective there are three separate issues here. One is the health of the downstream Old Order Mennonite farmers who have knowingly been poisoned by Uniroyal and successive companies, as well as by the negligence of municipal and regional politicians ever since the original 1966 OWRC (Ontario Water Resources Commission) report, followed by the 1996 MOE (Bedard & Jaagumagi) report on the Canagagigue and finally the followup MOE/MECP 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2020 reports on the Canagagigue Creek. Readers may recall the written comments about the long term health issues of the downstream Old Order Mennonites, written by Susan Bryant of TAG. ................................................................................................................ The second issue is the health of the benthic invertebrates, the fish and wildlife in and around the Canagagigue Creek. We have MOE reports ( approx. 2015) indicating DDT, dioxin, mercury and PCB exceedances of Tissue Residue Guidelines (TRG) in the fish in the creek. These toxins are bio-accumulative and move up the food chain and will affect raccoons, foxes, coyotes, hawks, ospreys etc. ...................................................................................................... Thirdly is the issue of local political corruption. Both Woolwich council and Waterloo Region Council have approved rezoning and light industrial/commercial development on the immediate east side of Uniroyal/Lanxess. This includes the Ron Stroh and Edward & Selima Martin farms and more. This development will include construction of the long promised Elmira By-Pass up the east side of town and over top of grossly contaminated soils. This has been done with full knowledge of the contamination both in the creek since the 1940s and in the adjoining soils. Woolwich Council in particular have been fully informed for years (since 2014) about the Stroh property and have chosen to both ignore known evidence as well as assist in covering up and preventing proper investigation of the Stroh farm property. ............................................................................................................. The various guilty parties have demonstrated their dishonesty, deceit and bad faith for over thirty years now. Yes one can pretend that GHD and lanxess are "new" to these issues. Hardly. They both did their due diligence in acquiring Conestoga Rovers and Chemtura several years back and they made the decision that with the friendly local and provincial climate that they could maintain control of the extent, quality and cost of cleanup that they would be expected to do.

CPAC DISCUSS LANXESS, TIFFANY, TAG, DIOXIN RESULTS IN SEDIMENTS & SOILS IN AND AROUND ELMIRA

CPAC (Citizens Public Advisory Committee) met last evening and while actions and direction to be taken varied amongst speakers, there was solid concensus regarding the numerous failures of politicians and other fellow travellors bound to the Uniroyal/Lanxess wagon train. I was particularly pleased to hear the concensus regarding Tiffany Svensson of TAG as well as of our pretend mayor Sandy Shantz. Oh my but her intellectual capacities do seem to be on vacation much to often although that can to a certain degree be mitigated if moral values abound. I repeat if they abound. ................................................................................................................ We also discussed at length the significance of the recent sediment results in the Stroh Drain. Three out of four samples analysed exceeded the federal criteria (ISQG) of .85 ppt. One sample was taken at the north end of the Stroh Drain and the other at the south end not to far from the discharge into the Canagagigue Creek. Very, very bad news for Woolwich Township, Region of Waterloo, Lanxess, GHD, Tiffany, TAG, MECP and any others whether supporters of honesty or otherwise. ........................................................................................................................ There was also discussion regarding the need for (more?) soil samples to be taken in the appropriate areas of the SDDB (Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm). To date Lanxess have absolutely refused to do so although I have not heard or seen their reaction to the recent sediment results from the 2020 Canagagigue Creek Sediment and Soil Investigation produced by GHD on behalf of Lanxess. It is always amusing listening to their convoluted rebuttals, denials and imaginative interpretations of their own data when it doesn't suit them. Their failure to give intelligent rationales for some of their decisions may well be based upon an understanding of their almost impregnable financial, legal and public relations positions. That said perhaps they should recall the Ontario Ministry of Environment's strong support of Varnicolor Chemical until that support threatened to expose them to a public inquiry into their behaviour. Then the MOE threw the company to the wolves. Yes Lanxess have much more resources to fight than Varnicolor did but the public can be fickle. If the public understand what the company have done and the consequences of it they could push the MOE/MECP into doing their jobs properly.

UNIROYAL CHEMICAL WITH MIN. OF ENVIRONMENT SUPERVISION, CHEERFULLY CONTAMINATED ALL OF ELMIRA & DOWNSTREAM

Why did they behave in that fashion? Because they could. Our various pro business, pro economy, so called democratic governments needed their support and donations in order to win (buy) elections. Uniroyal Chemical saved hundreds of millions of dollars of toxic waste cleanup costs and detoxification costs by simply dumping their chemical wastes directly and indirectly into the Canagagigue Creek. The indirect dumping included dumping into open pits and ponds which both leached out the bottom as well as overflowed from the top. We have been advised that the overflowing pits and ponds then gravity flowed downhill hundreds of metres away allegedly into GP-1 & 2. In reality they followed the topographical surface contours to the lowest areas which included to the immediate east of where the Stroh Drain currently exists on the Stroh property. It is quite possible that much (or all) of what went into the currently known GP-1 was pumped there from the original position of GP-1 on the east side of the high, diagonal (NW to SE) ridge of land in Uniroyal/Lanxess's south-east corner of their property. .................................................................................................... Toxic wstes can migrate through soils via vapours if they are volatile (eg. VOCs or volatile organic compounds). Liquid toxic wastes can descend through soil until they reach the water table or shallow aquifers. If they are lighter than water they will both mix with the water as well as float on top of the water table such as toluene and other lighter compounds. Heavier compounds such as chlorobenzne, trichloroethylene etc. will both mix with the groundwater as well as sink through the saturated soil until they reach a lower permeability unit such as a clay aquitard. Then if the surface of the aquitard is sloped and their is enough volume of liquid wastes they will continue to gravity flow down the slope of the aquitard. The groundwater whether shallow or deep moves downgradient until finally it discharges into surface water bodies such as the Canagagigue Creek or even as far south as the Municipal Aquifer discharging into the Conestogo River in St. Jacobs. ....................................................................................................................... With hundreds of thousands of gallons of liquid toxic wastes per week being discharged over to the east side pits alone, the contents of the uncovered overflowing pits literally ran downhill across the surface of the ground. Some then discharged directly into the Canagagigue and others discharged into swales, ditches and drains leading to the Canagagigue Creek including the natural creek on the Stroh and mostly Martin farms. .............................................................................................................. There is also air mobility of VOCs as well as of dioxins and heavier compounds. For example much of the now admitted discharges across the Uniroyal property line onto the Stroh property ended up in the surface soils (& deeper) where they were tilled and turned over and subject to erosion and wind. Dioxin mobility in the wind is a ver well known fact. .................................................................................................................................. Hence after close to eighty years of initially blatant and gross pollution followed by mostly uncontrolled migration of contaminants, the soils and waters in and around Elmira and for several miles downstream are a mess. Yes some of the toxins have spread far enough, including into the Grand River, to have diluted their toxicity. It is that dilution that all the guilty parties, including the political ones, have been relying on and hoping for since day one. ...................................................................................................................... Zero health studies and minimal soil sampling throughout Elmira have been key to the coverup. So has the willingness and ability of our politicians to always try and sell good news whether in an election year or not. Bad news results in incumbents getting turfed. Remember the 2014 municipal election here in Elmira.

LITERALLY A COVERUP - CONTAMINATED FARMS BEING BURIED UNDER COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS THE ELMIRA BY-PASS

That's miles beyond a blatant coverup. Instead of determining first whether informed citizens with an excellent track record of environmental knowledge and accuracy are correct, our municipal and regional authorities have agreed to develop the Stroh, Martin and other properties to the immediate east of Uniroyal Chemical/Lanxess and to build the Elmira By-Pass highway on top of thiose contaminated lands. Of course there will be some discrete, very quiet soil sampling similar to what we have recently learned about "confirmatory" soil samples taken on the north-west Stroh property along the property line with Uniroyal/Lanxess. TAG and the public have been advised that those "confirmatory" soil samples were kept private because they were taken on private property. ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT you pack of bullsh.t artists. Uniroyal is private property. Varnicolor Chemical is private property and the moment that their contaminants leaked, flowed or were dumped onto their neighbours' property their soil and groundwater test results became PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. ........................................................................................................................... So for those idiots crying make believe "conspiracy theories", open your eyes, your ears and your brains. Or on the other hand admit that you have a conflict of interest. A vested interest in covering up the environmental truths of the coverup here in Elmira. To date we have known and proven soil contamination on the north-west side of the Stroh property. We have known sediment contamination in the Stroh Drain. We know that we have NDMA contaminated groundwater 240 metres EAST of the Lanxess/Stroh property line. The only thing missing is proven soil and groundwater contamination further south on the Stroh property (in and around the Stroh Drain) and that will come, with or without the efforts of the corrupt, professional liars in charge of the Elmira and "Gig" cleanup.