LETS BE REALISTIC - ONTARIO AREN'T TURNING GREEN FOR A VERY LONG TIME

 

That said the love in with Premier Doug Ford is nauseating. Singlehandedly he has been sending business and industry signals for years that they can continue to invest in oil and gas, development including in green spaces and on farmland, less and less provincial investment in green industries such as wind and solar, and particularly in road building just about anywhere they want. Ford has also mastered politics via jumping on our southern idiot Trump's threats of 25% tariffs as well as making Canada the U.S.'s  51st state. Truly Trump is a remarkable asshol* and Ford is merely Trump lite.

So did the Liberals do a better job environmentally when they were in power? Of course they did but first of all the Ford/Conservative bar is very low and secondly the Liberals scandals gained a lot more traction than Ford's have to date. Anyone remember the gas plant scandal

Either the NDP or the Greens would be far better for the environment despite Bob Rae's unpopularity thirty plus years ago . I have voted NDP a lot and it never fails to amaze me how many people "remember" allegedly how bad the sole NDP government was. Teachers especially will never forgive so called "Rae days" which when you look at it was minor compared to the hostility that various Conservative governments have shown to education from time to time. Our current PC provincial government perhaps have been too focused on starving our universities and colleges but do you think that they won't get around to our public schools and high schools?

The saying goes that people get the governments that they deserve. If that is the case then Ontario and its' citizens are in very bad shape .

DO OUR AUTHORITIES KNOWINGLY & INTENTIONALLY GAMBLE WITH THE PUBLIC'S LIVES?

 

The older I get the more it seems that way. What do the following have in common:  Grassy Narrows, Uniroyal Chemical & Elmira, Ontario, the major collapse of the bridge in Baltimore, Md., Northstar Aerospace in Cambridge, Ont., Boeing jets crashing repeatedly, the recent crash of a military helicopter and  a civilian jet over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.?

Who actually makes safety decisions affecting the public?  How big a factor is cost and convenience when our authorities make decisions affecting public safety? Is there a pre-determined dollar value put on each citizen's life that determines the response or lack thereof  when a safety issue is determined? If a particular ethnic or religious group are primarily affected does the dollar value of their lives vary from other citizens?

Did you know that there had been a previous ship that lost power that damaged the very same bridge in Baltimore albeit as it was a much smaller ship, less damage was done. Did you know that the sudden loss of power that caused the accident one year ago had been preceded the day before by two sudden losses of power to that same ship? Six lives were lost.

The crash between a military helicopter and a civilian airliner had to do with an airspace violation allegedly by the helicopter? It seems that our authorities permitted two individual flights to fly within approximately one hundred feet of each other at the same time?

Boeing jets have been having mid air serious incidents for the last few years including parts falling off and allegations are that there is a safety culture deficit at Boeing.

Most of the civilians whose health and lives have been damaged at Grassy Narrows are native Canadians who relied on eating fish for sustenance. The fish were full of mercury courtesy of a local, dumping paper mill.

Most of the downstream Canagagigue Creek residents and farmers outside Elmira, Ontario are Old Order Mennonites who do not believe in using the courts to settle grievances.  That's mighty convenient for the upstream polluters don't you think?

Many accidents can be avoided perhaps unless the cost is higher than the perceived values of certain human lives.

NEVERENDING GAMESMANSHIP ON THE FORMER UNIROYAL CHEMICAL PROPERTY

 

Ahh science! You can't fool it. You can't use words to stickhandle around it. Plain, old everyday lies get caught up in the data and facts don't they?  Well not nearly so much as you might hope. Afterall do you think these decades long contracts and associations with professional consultants, hydrogeologists, chemists etc. are for the public's benefit or for the shareholders' benefit?

I would like to think that after thirty-five years that I've seen all the tricks of the trade. Not a chance. There are likely ones of such breathtaking arrogance and brazen chutzpah that I haven't even dreamed of their existence. So what have I seen over the decades?

DNAPL soil sampling intentionally done in the least likely elevation and location to find DNAPLS. Upstream "Background" Creek monitoring results allegedly clear of Uniroyal contaminants that are actually downstream of past Uniroyal disposal areas such as Bolender Park. Sediment sampling done with open shovels versus closed sampling tubes pushed into the sediment which retain all the sediments they extract versus the shovel method which allows fines to flow off the shovel as it is extracted from the water. Method Detection Limits from commercial labs which far exceed the health criteria for specific chemicals thus producing false or sketchy Non-Detect (N.D.) results. "Investigations" of large areas of contamination that consist of all of two samples such as on the Stroh property. Also numerous soil samples on the Stroh property just inside their property line with Uniroyal that however are taken at a depth of 15 cm. or 5.9 inches. Considering most of these soils have been tilled, aerated and rained upon for decades it is a wonder that any positive results are available at those shallow depths. A refusal, over and over again, to take deeper soil samples both on and off the Uniroyal site which would indicate that solvent contaminated liquids can mobilize hydrophobic compounds such as DDT and dioxins and carry them further bith laterally and vertically.

So are we seeing science or more likely junk science and psuedo science throughout the so called "cleanup" of the aquifers, the Creek (Canagagigue) and the site itself?

HOW MANY MORE TRAC MEMBERS ARE FROM OUT OF TOWN?

 

TRAC - totally rotten & corrupt  or    to rally around corruption  or  totally reprehensible and co-opted.  At one point I was aware of at least two from out of town namely Pat McLean and Susan Bryant. That has got me to wondering about all the rest. Yes Sebastian lives in Elmira but as for the rest of them who knows. At one point in time literally anybody with an interest was welcome as a UPAC or CPAC member. Boy did that change when Pat McLean became the Chair (99-2000) and then when Sandy Shantz became mayor (2015). All downhill and far less democratic.

Now it's all about credentials and loyalty. I view Sebastian as the sole visual activist on TRAC and Susan as the sole visual co-optee on TRAC.  If it weren't for her and Sylvia selling out on DNAPLS to Uniroyal Chemical back in 1993 then I would suggest that she started as a legitimate activist before going over to the dark side. Yes there are still possibly a couple of TRAC members that think that the group overall have honest intentions . Whatever the group's intentions they have been long nuetered as a serious pro public interest group. Lanxess and the Ministry of Environment are in love with them which speaks volumes. 

THANKFULLY SPRING IS ON THE WAY

 

Despite the humourous arrest warrant that the O.P.P. issued recently for Wiarton Willie for giving poor advice about an early spring, in fact the next few days should let us know that March, the month of spring, is just a few days away. Poor old Wiarton Willie, the northern Ontario groundhog, can't seem to catch a break. If he predicts a late spring people are mad at him and if he predicts an early one and it doesn't happen almost immediately then people are also mad at him.

My prediction is a long, slow spring based upon the quantity of snow that needs to melt. The only way around that would be chinook type of winds that apparently visit the prairies some years . 

Do harsh winter conditions affect our environment? I expect that they do.  Looking back on the pandemic, one of the few good news stories was how it slowed down the economy (generally not good news) while at the same time also slowed down air pollution significantly as the quantity of vehicles on our highways plummeted. Many people stopped commuting to work either through sickness or through being advised to work from home.  As the pandemic eased many drivers also returned to commuting to and from work thus putting air pollution levels back to where they had been (too high). I know here in Elmira there have been many days this winter when the traffic levels in and out of town have been greatly diminished. This helps the quality of our air as well as reduces hospital admissions due to respiratory distress.

Could permanent improvements in both health and the environment be possible if more people worked from home? I expect that that would and should be a goal of our governments. Perhaps modest incentives to both employers and employees, in certain jobs and industries, to work from home could benefit us all. 

HOW MUCH MORE IS THERE THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YET?

 

This is one of the big reasons that Chemtura and the MOE/MECP wanted me off of CPAC. It wasn't just what I knew and was willing to share with the public it was what I continued to learn the more data and information that I got. Things like NDMA 100 or 200 metres cross-gradient from Uniroyal Chemical being found in a deep aquifer below the Stroh property. Things like both dioxins and DDD being found in the sediments of the Stroh Drain where they absolutely should not be found especially many decades after Uniroyal stopped discharging their liquid wastes to the natural environment. Things like the extent of DDT, its' metabolytes, dioxins, PAHs, mercury and PCBs being found in soils and sediments miles downstream in the Canagagigue Creek also many decades after the dumping allegedly stopped. There has also never been an intelligent explanation as to where the PCBs came from. Things like a direct discharge of the Stroh Drain to the Martin swimming pond. OMG. 

I wish I knew more about the pit that was mentioned in a Comment to one of my Blogs recently. I have seen a colour picture or two which seems to show something between the old Stroh barn and the Uniroyal/Chemtura property line . It actually seems to cross the gravel road that runs from the old house and barn westerly towards the gravel pit area. Besides that possibility I am aware of two other low lying areas nearby, one on the Uniroyal property and one on the Stroh property but I don't think either of these are what the commenter is referring to.  

I expect that it is anyone's guess as to what other "surprises" have been covered up, lied about and or hidden. The commenter also wondered about exactly who and how the decisions were made in the late 50s and early 60s to provide the U.S. military with Agent Orange. Did the authority and permission only come from the Canadian Federal government or was the province (Ontario) involved . Wouldn't it also be nice to know if the Town of Elmira were ever asked beforehand about this?

HOW MUCH MORE EVIDENCE IS THERE REGARDING UNIROYAL CONTAMINATION ON THE STROH PROPERTY?

 

Hmm let's see: besides word of mouth first hand testimony there are maps, reports and other documentation. These include CRA, GHD, CH2MHILL, Terraqua, Dames & Moore and other professional reports. There are the early (1991) Environmental Audit Reports done by CRA as well. There are topographical maps indicating ground surface elevations produced by CRA, Region of Waterloo, Min. of Environment etc. Indeed some work is required to put it all together and determine the most likely outcomes of various bad decisions made over the years. One of the more potentially shocking ones is whether or not the Martin family were ever advised when the upstream source of "water" on the Stroh property to their swimming pond was enhanced in 1983 by the man made extension of Martin Creek. This man made extension has since been known as the Stroh Drain or the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB).

There are other interesting variations between official maps other than the true location of GP-1. Questions arise as to what percentage of liquid toxic wastes actually flowed directly or indirectly into the favoured GP-1 location.  Or is it just as likely that Uniroyal used pumps to get some of the offending liquid toxic wastes into the favoured GP-1 location? 

Quoting a famous saying "When one is up to one's as* in crocodiles it is difficult to remind oneself that the initial objective was to drain the swamp."  The swamp on both Uniroyal's eastern border and Stroh's western border was finally drained with the construction of the 1983 SDDB. The SDDB drained both surface water as well as contaminated groundwater from both sides of the property line. To this day the SDDB has 2,3,7,8 TCDD (dioxins) in its' sediments at least thirty times greater than the federal health criteria and quite frankly with more sampling likely far in excess of that.

Despite all this our authorities have all chosen to bury their heads in the sand and govern via the ostrich method..  

DECADES AGO WE WERE ADVISED THAT AN ENVELOPE WAS DELIVERED EVERY CHRISTMAS TO MR. EARL STROH BY UNIROYAL CHEMICAL

 

This was very early in the 1990s as community members began to meet regularly at public UPAC (Uniroyal Public Advisory Committee) meetings. Gad I was so naive then. I even believed that the sitting Woolwich councillors were there at UPAC out of concern for the public health. Ha! They were there to insulate and assist Uniroyal Chemical as well as to divert any discussion or evidence pointing to Township negligence or inappropriate behaviour regarding Uniroyal.

The alleged envelope mentioned in the title above was supposedly filled with cash and actually was for what I thought at the time was a legitimate reason.  We were told that it was compensation for crop damage that occurred from Uniroyal's most northern pits overflowing and damaging Stroh crops close to the property line. In fact literally for many years one could see that whether corn or soybeans, crops next to RPE-1 & 2 did not do well at all.  They were either stunted, shorter or simply did not grow all of which is hardly surprising as we knew that Uniroyal products included herbicides and pesticides.

Meanwhile the anonymous commenter has added more information suggesting that the Stroh gravel pit operation may have been somewhat for show or for less than appropriate purposes. I really can not confirm or deny that although I suppose the argument could be made that for at least a certain time period gravel may have been used for construction purposes (driveways etc.?) as I believe that one of the sons was involved in home construction possibly in Wellesley Township. How closely the pile(s) of gravel on site matched the home construction period I do not know.   

I do know that when a new home was built on the Stroh property it was moved several hundred metres to the east away from the Canagagigue Creek. I also am aware of serious health problems that afflicted a number of the Stroh family that might or might not be attributed to chemical contamination. I expect that running a small family farm back in the 1940s and 50s was financially difficult and it would be unlikely that the head of the family would turn down financial offerings from the next door neighbour, a huge multi-national, multi billion dollar enterprise.

So much has been covered up by friends and fellow travellors of Uniroyal Chemical. So much self-serving, public interests be damned attitudes flourished. Money truly is the root of all evil. 

MORE KNOWLEDGE IS OUT THERE. CERTAIN FOLKS AROUND TOWN STILL KNOW WHERE THE SKELETONS ARE BURIED

 

I found yesterday's 10:48 am. comment on yesterday's post very interesting.  The anonymous person suggested that the long term gravel pile(s) on the Stroh property west of their old barn may have been hiding chemical discharges from Uniroyal onto the Stroh (or even Martin?) property . I doublechecked some colour maps I have and indeed the gravel piles were almost due west of the old Stroh barn and would visually have hidden surface liquid discharges leaving the Uniroyal property and moving south or south-east towards the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm not far from the Martin swimming pond. 

The utter failure of our authorities (MOE/MECP) to ever seriously and publicly investigate these allegations is beyond bizarre. In fact I would suggest that the lack of interest and the refusal to even publicly discuss citizens' concerns constitutes negligence by our authorities; municipal, regional and provincial. It also may signify guilty hands or minds as the best way to avoid being ensnared in an investigation is by being in charge of whether or not there ever is an investigation.

We know that liquid discharges left the Uniroyal site all the way down (north to south) their east side property line with the Stroh farm. Soil testing has proven that. We also have a couple of high concentration samples of 2,3,7,8 TCDD (dioxin) in the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm sediments. There would not be any contaminated discharge from the high north-west to south-east ridge which crosses the Stroh property line very close to Uniroyal's southern property line. 

Uniroyal's entire length of their southern property line is next to the Martin property. It is likely that GP-2  (gravel pit #2) overflowed occasionally and sent some of it's chemicals onto the Martin property. There is also a small gap between the bottom (south end) of GP-1 and the east end of GP-2 which discharged water and chemicals south and south-east albeit hidden from the Stroh side by the conveniently located gravel pile(s).

The question is not whether, it is when these likely criminal, environmental acts will be properly investigated and by whom.

UNIROYAL TRIED TO SELL INTERCEPTOR TRENCHES TO THE ENV. APPEAL BOARD THIRTY-FOUR YEARS AGO

 

Seriously! That was part of their "plan" to avoid having to extend their shallow hydraulic containment to the east side contaminated groundwater. They actually had formal drawings of the east side pits with  downgradient,  sub-surface Interceptor Trenches installed to intercept the grossly contaminated groundwater migrating westwards towards the on-site Canagagigue Creek. These drawings were notarized and part of the actual evidence submitted by Uniroyal Chemical. I discovered these drawings years later and recall being shocked that they had never been made public by any of the media present at the hearings or by APT Environment who supposedly attended all the Environmental Appeal Board (EAB) meetings.  Alas perhaps just one more keep it between us secret shared by Uniroyal and Ms. Bryant.

There were two somewhat parallel Interceptor Trenches which could have been for the Surficial Aquifer and the Upper Aquifer whether UA1 or UA3. Hard to say. They ran for hundreds of metres from north to south down the west side of the east side pits namely RPE 1-5. They then crossed over onto the Stroh property and likely hooked into the sub-surface pipe that discharges into the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm at its' north end. These Interceptor Trenches were also far enough west of the pits that they did not interfere with overflowing surface water and toxins gravity flowing southeards via the large surface swale on the immediate west side of the pits and ponds. 

The totally unacceptable, feeble and pathetic excuses and nonsense we were told by Uniroyal/Chemtura should have set the media ablaze as well as the Ontario Ministry of Environment. Literally nothing, allowing both guilty parties to ignore these explosive issues to be covered up. To this day this apparent use of a neighbour's property to surrepticiously bypass the discharge of gross toxins into the on-site Creek in favour of more out of sight, further downstream discharge should have led to serious investigation along with likely charges being laid.  Sandy and Woolwich councillors your time is running out due to your intentional avoidance of these and other gross environmental behaviours that you have condoned.  

IS THE JANUARY 2025 PROGRESS REPORT A NEW LOW EVEN FOR LANXESS & THE MECP?

 

Give credit where credit is due. Month after month Lanxess have to make up excuses why they are failing to make their own consultants (GHD) recommended Target Rates (pumping). They are failing with both on-site pumping which is to prevent loss of former Uniroyal Chemical contaminants to the off-site Elmira Aquifers and with off-site pumping which was supposed to pump and treat already contaminated off-site groundwater under Elmira, Ontario.

The January Progress Report is stunningly bad. GHD has recommend for decades that Lanxess pump AT LEAST 4.7 litres per second in order to maintain hydraulic containment on the Uniroyal/Lanxess site . They pumped all of 1.6 litres per second during the month of January 2025. The company and their pathetic regulator, the Ontario MECP,  also are recommended by GHD to pump  65 litres per second of groundwater under the off-site Elmira Aquifers and they only managed a tiny 41.1 l/second. 

These reduced pumping rates have been going on for years although the pumping deficits have been increasing over the last few years almost coincidentally as Lanxess and the MECP have thrown in the towel regarding achieving drinking water standards in the Elmira Aquifers by 2028. Who the hell gave them permission to do that? They should be getting off their fat behinds and working harder to achieve thier decades long commitments to Elmira citizens, not less .

ELMIRA WATER CRISIS AND UNEXPLAINED ANOMOLIES ON OR BESIDE THE STROH PRPERTY

 

Three, yes three different locations marked on maps for GP-1 which stands for Gravel Pit 1. This is significant because we were told that GP-1 was the resting place for toxic liquid wastes that had overflowed the east side pits and ponds and gravity flowed southwards.

The thee locations were just north of the diagonal, high ridge of  land that runs north-east from the former Uniroyal Chemical's extreme south-east corner. The second location is right on top of the high ridge of land at the northern end of it. The third is the favoured one by all the dirty polluters which is on the southern side of the diagonal, ridge of high land. 

Then of course there is the actual sub-surface pipe running north to south on the Stroh property parallel to and perhaps ten metres from the Uniroyal/Stroh property line. Was that simply to drain groundwater from the very high ground to the north or was it to drain pesticides and herbicides from the overflowing  RPE 1-5  toxic waste pits over there? 

The actual depth of the Stroh Drain actually intercepts surface groundwater in the former swampy area  on the Uniroyal/Lanxess property. In other words the SDDB (Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm) isn't just to assist liquid flow from north to south but also contaminated groundwater from west to east and then further south into the Canagagigue Creek. 

We haven't even mentioned the Interceptor Trenches yet. There are excellent satellite and aerial photos showing their locations on the Uniroyal property also in a south-east direction and likely hooking into the SDDB. As long as Lanxess and the MECP refuse to investigate, the truth can somewhat remain hidden. As long as Woolwich Township agree we citizens will never learn the full extent of Ontario's overall culpability  in this environmental disaster and coverup.

JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED

 

That title above kind of suggests that delayed justice will be delayed forever i.e. DENIED. It sure looks that way for a number of environmental crises around Elmira, Ontario. Methane gas in Bolender Park. They've mostly gone through the motions for fourty-five years so why do it now (unless of course it goes bang!). The First St. Landfill was never properly fitted with leachate or methane controls. Why bother now? Varnicolor Chemical's Lot 91 in the floodplain of the Canagagigue Creek had a few barrels excavated and removed (including PCBs) yet no serious attempts made to remove either LNAPLS or DNAPLS from the site. The former Uniroyal Chemical site despite hydraulic containment allegedly in all aquifers has always leaked off-site whether west and south under Elmira or into the Creek. Again absolutely zero discussion regarding serious on-site source removal. Finally the Canagagigue Creek downstream from Uniroyal/Lanxess has yet to have a single shovel of dioxin, DDT, PAHs, NDMA, lindane, mercury, PCBs etc. removed from it's sediments or creek soils so why bother now?

The vast majority of people whether credentialed or otherwise simply no longer have any idea of the details and specifics of these issues. They are most unlikely now to suddenly develop environmental awareness and conscientiousness to the point of spending the money necessary to clean up properly. Evil and lying have won. Thanks to our past and present politicians for enabling that outcome.

SOME METHANE CHARACTERISTICS AFFECTING RESIDENTS' SAFETY

 

Methane migrates.  It goes from higher pressure areas to lower pressure areas. It also follows the path of least resistance. This can be via underground conduits, pipes, electrical lines, water and sewer lines etc. Methane also migrates upwards and discharges if possible at surface. Heavy snow can discourage this and promote greater lateral migration. The lack of a clay cap over the Bolender Landfill in Elmira, despite false claims to the contrary, should have encouraged the release of much of the sub-surface methane generated on this site. Possible reasons why this has not happened include the high water table and accompanying moisture which generates more methane gas. Also it is very possible that the actual size and volume of the landfill is much greater than acknowledged by our authorities.

Methane can enter buildings through cracks in the basement walls or even drilled holes allowing municipal services in and out of the building. Seals around these holes can shrink or break down over time.  There is both a Lower Explosive Limit and an Upper Explosive Limit.  Both of these have been present, exceeded and or not exceeded at multiple methane monitors over the decades. Hence if methane enters a residence that has a pilot light for a water heater, fireplace or furnace then again depending on the concentration of methane, an explosion can occur.

Portable methane monitors are available and should be used in homes and buildings anywhere near former or current landfills. At one time, years ago, CRA advised Woolwich to provide them for nearby homes possibly on High St. and George St. and maybe another of which I am not certain. Overall I feel that Woolwich have not been protective of local residents living near the Bolender Landfill.

ANOTHER HISTORY LESSON - i.e. METHANE

 

The Woolwich Observer have a generally pretty good Editorial dated August 4, 2017 and titled "History of the area puts microscope on methane". Yes there are a couple of errors as the Observer appear to go along with Woolwich's methane propaganda about the quality of studies and focus on safety . Actually almost none of that is present.

Overall the Editorial describes the length of time that methane has been present and the seriousness of it.  What it doesn't do is point out the many errors and gaps in sampling that make the area such a concern. Also this Editorial appears to sell the idea that the long standing hydrocarbon contamination is somehow urgent. It's been there for decades as well as leaking into the Canagagigue Creek for decades. Absolutely nobody including the Ontario Ministry of Environment seem remotely concerned about it.  Now suddenly it's an issue or are the Township simply trying to use it as a bargaining chip in their fight with Frank Rattasid, the current owner of  the property?

Seven or eight years later and little to nothing has been done. Par for the course for Woolwich Township. I still expect that there will be a bang at some point in time and can only hope that damage to a building is minimal and damage to human beings is not at all. Hope springs eternal.

OUR AUTHORITIES HAVE MORPHED OVER DECADES INTO PROTECTORS AND INSULATORS OF BAD CORPORATE BEHAVIOR

 Citizens are basically viewed as widgets of varying status whose purpose is to be compliant little worker bees. We are to work hard for an employer, follow all his/her rules as well as allegedly society's rules (laws) and maybe vote every several years to give the appearance of democracy.

When a new corporate owner takes over ownership of contaminated sites it is the Ontario Ministry of Environment who call the shots. Unless of course as with Phillips taking over Varnicolor Chemical, the new owner finds the requirements too onerous. Then they tell the MOE/MECP what they will agree to and the MOE hops to it and makes the changes the prospective new owner wants. Never are the local citizens who likely exposed the environmental violations in the first place invited to the table. Oh no it's the guilty as sin MOE/MECP who sit down and sell the farm. This has occurred here in Elmira with Uniroyal and Varnicolor and in Breslau with Safety-Kleen when they bought out Breslube. The long suffering citizens are given meaningless verbal assurances, never serious in writing and enforceable commitments.

Each new prospective owner of Uniroyal Chemical from Crompton, Chemtura and Lanxess have assured themselves prior to signing on the dotted line that they will only have to dress up, speak softly and  employ credentialed consultants to sell whatever the flavour of the bull of the day is to unsuspecting citizens. Most of the honest citizens who held the corporate polluter accountable decades ago are either deceased, senile, or just plain way past their prime. The current crop especially the handpicked crop by Woolwich Township were picked only partially for their technical proficiency. When the entire cleanup is a scam then what is most needed are quiet, deferential citizens who know their places. and do not rock the boat. 

IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE BIG LIES BEHIND US COMBINED WITH THE ONGOING LIES NOT HAVING BEEN RECENTLY OPPOSED

 

"Big lies" includes the DNAPL coverup as well as the refusal to do any remediation but pump & treat (hydraulic containment) for the last thirty-three years. Ongoing lies includes failed on and off site pumping for many years so how does TRAC now decide to get on their high horse and suddenly get aggressive over inadequate pumping when they and TAG have mostly ignored it since 2015. The one exception would be Sebastian's occasional stinging criticisms. 

Further ongoing lies include "asymptotic behavior" for NDMA and last fall's DNAPL nonsense tag teamed by Allan Deal and Luis Almeida.  They claim zero off-site DNAPL as well as only residual on-site. Such incredible horse manure being accepted by all the guilty parties.

To really understand the democracy disconnect between citizens/voters and politicians simply look at the idiots on both Wilmot and regional councils. Allegedly there are constraints on regional councillors and chair (Karen Redman) talking to the public about the Region to date spending $18 million of OUR money to assemble part of the 770 acres of land in Wilmot Township. Then to add insult to injury local Wilmot councillors also claim that they are constrained from talking to citizens /public about this matter as well.

For  frick's sake do you think that we live in Russia, China, the former Syria etc.? Man up councillors and whatever "consequences" allegedly are hanging over you; call their bluff. If it's not a bluff then either accept those consequences or change the goddamn laws that allow elected representatives to be muzzled by other elected representatives. Utter bulls*it! 

WE NEED A PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO THE STROH FARM COVERUP

 

This would include the alleged Interceptor Trench running from the east side of Uniroyal Chemical southwards and then eastwards just below RPE-5 over to the Stroh farm. At that point it most likely hooks into the sub-surface drain running north to south on the Stroh farm and discharging into the Stroh Drain.  The rest of the coverup involves the normal, gravity flow from overflowing east side pits and ponds (RPE 1-5) that presumably did not end until about 1970. Little to none of these hundreds of thousands of gallons of liquid toxic wastes were remediated. There was a token, Mickey Mouse cleanup in 2019 which consisted of a 15 centimetre  (5.9 inches)  deep removal of surface soils along the Stroh west property line with Uniroyal Chemical's east property line. Keep in mind that there had been previous alleged landscaping efforts years earlier on the Uniroyal side of the property line which would have reduced concentrations on the Uniroyal side. Also the Stroh farm is a working farm which has grown crops, tilled fields and exposed much of the soils along the property line to the air, the sun and to rain and snow all also helping to reduce surface concentrations.

There have been significant concentrations well above criteria of 2,3,7,8 TCDD (dioxin) in the sediments of the Drain in the couple of sediment samples taken. Again the sampling and "investigation" were pathetic and tokenism at best. The MECP and Lanxess Canada have been holding each others hands and the results to date do not inspire confidence in nuetral, informed and unbiased citizens.    

A TALE OF TWO PROSECUTERS: ONE TOO "FLEXIBLE" AND ONE JUST A PLAIN AS*HOLE

 

Fraser Kelly and Michael Carnegie. I assume it at least partially has to do with career ambition and hope for promotion. Both of which should have no place in decisions surrounding their jobs. If they don't then there are worse reasons for letting politicians/criminals off the hook while ordinary Joe's get the book thrown at them.

Elmira Councillor Scot Hahn demonstrated in many ways, both on and off the job, that he was immature and entitled.  Not particularly smart either but Daddy sure had the means and monies to help him get ahead and did so. Scot literally appeared to have spent maybe five to ten minutes in filling out his election finance forms. They weren't even close to appearing legit even upon the first glance. He had the most and biggest election signs of all the Ward 1 candidates for Council yet my recollection is that his total election expenses claimed something like $350. Basically his expense claims were a red flag screaming "Catch me, catch me!"  

Woolwich/Elmira mayor Sandy Shantz on the other hand was careful and subtle. She hid much of her reduced expenses and improper donations making it more difficult to understand what she was doing. She did not falsely reduce her expenses to ridiculous levels as Scot did, just enough to keep her below the threshold requiring a formal audit. Clever. Even so she had a motive greater than avoiding an additional $1,200 audit fee by keeping her expenses below the $10,000 mark. I expect that she was a little embarrassed (as she should be) by the fact that her legitimate expenses ended up being very close to TRIPLE those of her three competitors combined. Now keep in mind according to the rules that was legal but it could have given way to criticism that she "bought" the Mayor's job. If so it was a good investment in that the job pays six figures per year including regional councillor pay and other committee work stretched now over three terms.

 Out of town prosecuter Fraser Kelly wasn't satisfied with advising that yes there was enough evidence to get a Municipal Elections Act conviction on Sandy but that he didn't feel that it was in the "public interest". Such bulls*it. Oh no he felt it necessary to throw some dirt on the complainant , yours truly. Apparently my following all the legal procedures, steps, jumping through hoops and loops etc. somehow magically didn't  show a proper attitude, respect or whatever he dreamed up as an excuse. What a pathetic bugger.

Mr. Carnegie on the other hand as I recall probably also stated that there was enough evidence to get a conviction but also wrongly claimed that it wasn't in the "public interest" to do so.  Still bulls*it but at least he didn't feel the need to shoot the messenger or blame the victim. 

For those who don't believe that our judicial system is politicized just look at these cases carefully. 

WELL THANK GOODNESS FOR CONTAMINATED SITES

 

Why is that you ask? Well let's see a few recent examples.  Shanley St. in Kitchener was home to an abandoned factory for many decades which at one time was an Electrohome/Deilcraft furniture making facility. It is now being rebuilt as an apartment complex. Secondly here in Elmira the old apple orchard at the corner of Union and First St. owned by Ken Seiling's  mother-in-law has been torn down and levelled for a townhouse complex likely to be built this spring and summer. Thirdly an unsubstantiated rumour has suggested that Woolwich Township have issued a building permit for construction within 30 metres of a former landfill site. 

What do all three of these have in common? Well certainly two of them are either on or beside formerly contaminated soils and groundwater. The third on Union St. is across First St. from the former Varnicolor site which is still undergoing remediation and which certainly leaked off-site to the west (i.e. Motiveair). It is also across Union St. from the former and infamous Uniroyal Chemical .  Elmira has a plethora of former landfills here in town most likely with none of them having been remediated or even equipped with leachate or methane collection systems. Just another environmental crisis waiting to happen.

Hence Woolwich, similar to Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge are generally happy to build on or beside contaminated sites as long as they have paperwork from the Ministry of Errors & Excuses (MECP) suggesting that the properties, with or without conditions, are acceptable to build on. 

PUBLIC INQUIRIES & PUBLIC CORRUPTION

 

Right off the bat I can think of three crises that should have had public inquiries decades ago. That would be the 1989 Elmira Water Crisis, The Grassy Narrows mercury crisis and the Ron Archer student abuse scandal at the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). Now let's not be too naive here. Two of three of these are right here in Waterloo Region. Not for a minute do I think that each and every other Region and city in Ontario have not had their fair share of government coverups, scandals and low life behaviour. Over the decades I've been disappointed in literally from city to city how little information has been shared in local media particularly newspapers. For example the Bishop St. community in Cambridge suffered horribly from the Northstar Aerospace (& more) TCE groundwater contamination and yet so very little of it was transmitted outside of the City of Cambridge.

Who or what determines whether or not a public inquiry will be called? You guessed it, the dirty politicians get to pick and choose. From a distance I can only surmise that their criteria differ widely from those of honest citizens. In fact I strongly suspect that local politicians very early on decide how dangerous an inquiry could be to themselves. Afterall if political influence was involved  or political favourtism  or meddling then what self-serving politician is ever going to recommend a public inquiry.

Look at Elmira during two Environmental Appeal Board hearings in 1991. The second one only got as far as Uniroyal Chemical witnesses being examined and cross-examined and was adjourned for the summer only to be aborted in the fall immediately prior to the Ontario Ministry of Environment being put on the stand.  Someone in government may have gotten a bonus and early retirement over that move. Those EAB hearings were exposing government incompetence, favourtism and corruption only to be ended prematurely. This of course is the big problem with Public Inquiries . Unless you can totally control them it could cost a sitting government their mandate. Inquiries could cost Cabinet Ministers their jobs and careers. No politician is ever going to call a Public Inquiry that could result in a loss of public confidence regarding our institutions, personnel and overall democratic ethics and behaviour.    

MOTIVEAIR GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION - IS THERE EVIDENCE?

 Well as a matter of fact there is. Now keep in mind that I'm not alleging any wrongdoing on the part of Motiveair. I am however alleging wrongdoing on the part of our Ontario Ministry of Environment as well as any other hypocritical government bodies (Woolwich for example) who had knowledge of the spread of Varnicolor Chemical contamination off their site and did not advise UPAC, CPAC or the Varnicolor Liason Committee . Ridiculously and stupidly our authorities did their best to minimize and cover up the extent of both illegality and environmental degradation caused by that company.

There are satellite as well as aerial photos that show efforts being undertaken at the back end of Motiveair located on First Ave. in Elmira . There are photographs and other evidence of  sub surface plumbing efforts being undertaken to likely link Motiveair's shallow groundwater over to Varnicolor Chemical's on-site shallow groundwater treatment system. Finally there are groundwater contaminant plume maps of Varnicolor Chemical that clearly show a plume leaving the Varnicolor site on the west side. Of course at the time the plume map was prepared by professional consultants there were no data points on the Motiveair property to confirm either the aerial or vertical extent of that migrating groundwater contamination. Only later would that evidence have been available and clearly our authorities had no wish to add fuel to the Varnicolor ongoing corruption.

Again this is why I have such contempt for the MOE/MECP and their fellow travellors. Lying to the public is what they do best.

WHY DO SOME POLLUTERS IN ELMIRA, ONTARIO GET A FREE PASS FROM PUBLIC SCRUTINY?

 

Nutrite was the first attempt although as they did attend the Environmental Appeal Board (EAB) hearings back in the very early 1990s, that in hindsight might have been a little clue to the more observant citizens. Nevertheless nothing was ever alleged until around 2000 when Uniroyal could no longer sponge ammonia treatment capacity from the Region of Waterloo via the Sewage Treatment Plant. Hence Uniroyal insisted that Nutrite/yara pay some of the freight for their contributions of ammonia to the Municipal Aquifers.

Varnicolor Chemical was a real battle to get the Ministry (MOE/MECP) to even admit there was the slightest problem. But for my inside person (male/female?) at Varnicolor Chemical feeding me current incredible information regarding ongoing dumping, toxic burials and the like, combined with Richard, Ted and Susan Rupert (NOT Bryant) working tirelessly then Varnicolor would have skated exactly as they and the MOE wanted. 

Then of course we have Motiveair on First St. in Elmira. Nary a whisper in any local papers, nary a hint at UPAC, CPAC meetings etc. It was a first class coverup courtesy of the Ont. Min. of Environment and their fellow travellors including the political ones. Now do however keep something in mind. I do not believe that Motiveair were the source of any of the groundwater contamination on their site. If you either go and look or already know the position of their property and buildings well then you know that they share a property line with VARNICOLOR CHEMICAL! Yup Varnicolor's shallow groundwater contamination  at the very least migrated over to their neighbour's property. AND NOT A WORD TO THE LOCAL ACTIVISTS or the media about that. We who were on the Varnicolor Liason Committee and fighting both the company's  and the Ministry's lies sure could have used that info. Likely the MOE/MECP told Uniroyal/Lanxess and Woolwich Township plus any other dedicated and corrupt friends.

Ignoring for the moment a number of contaminated garages and gas stations such as Voisin's, Gord's etc. there was at least one more major contaminated site that was never made public. Yes it involved groundwater contamination and was relevant to the Elmira Water Crisis and our drinking water. Let's see if and when our local authorities ever come clean on that one. I'm betting that they don't as long as humanly possible.