The title above is due to Sandy's comments in today's Waterloo Region Record article written by Paige Desmond titled "Township mayoral races picking up". While all of us applaud the planting of more trees i.e. a greening initiative, somehow I feel that the abject failure to limit herbicide emissions from Uniroyal/Lanxess fails that goal. This includes components of Agent Orange that are in the soils and sediments downstream of the former Uniroyal Chemical plant including 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T, dioxins/furans etc. Obviously the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), insecticides (lindane, endrin, endosulfans, DDT) are also harmful but more likely to the benthic community, fish and animals moving up the food chain. And oh yes of course to human beings whether residents, farmers, fishermen etc.
Sandy also feels that the Elmira bypass is a good idea. Of course it is. Downtown Elmira is clogged with trucks and diesel fumes. Plus local and other developers just love the idea of having shifted the Elmira bypass to the east side of Elmira. Taxpayers as usual will foot the bill for more expensive infrastructure namely roads and bridges. The Canagagigue Creek and its' floodplain are larger and wider on the east side whereas a bypass on the west side would require less cost to the taxpayers. Then there is the hidden bonus. East side commercial and industrial development including a highway will literally gravel and pave over the legacy of no downstream cleanup in the Canagagigue Creek. Burying toxins will not protect anyone. It will simply continue the do little or nothing policies of Sandy and friends (Uniroyal, Crompton, Chemtura, Lanxess, MECP) that have been going on for a half century. "greening initiatives" my butkus!
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