IS LUISA D'AMATO BLOWING SMOKE OR JUST PARROTING THE REGION'S LIES?

 

Before expounding upon the title above which is relevant to Luisa's article in today's Record ("Here's the way out of the region's water crisis") I would like to add that I do give Luisa credit for her last Friday article in which she strongly advises the Region not to leave some Wilmot citizens behind as they suffer from well interference issues caused by increased regional pumping of water for our major cities. She makes it clear that the quoted R.J. Burnside 2025 Water Report categorically states, contrary to the regional position, that increased pumping from the Wilmot Centre Wellfield (Shingletown K50/K51)  has lowered the water levels in those wells and in the specific aquifer involved (AFB2).

In today's article however Luisa appears to have swallowed various regional lies . One I would claim is what Luisa calls "Optimization". Here in Elmira we were sold that same big word as if it's official sounding nature immediately makes it true. It does not. In Elmira it eventually meant that rigorous conditions put on the cleanup were relaxed which merely reduced Uniroyal Chemical's cleanup costs and did nothing for the cleanup itself. In fact it may have actually hurt it. 

The second bigger issue is the use of the "river wells" as they used to be called. Luisa stated that these wells on the west side of the Grand River were removed from service because due to water conservation they were no longer needed. HORSE MANURE !  First of all the wells were on both sides of the river with some K80 wells on the west side and wells K70 and K71 on the east side. K by the way stands for Kitchener. The Region I believe lied then when they claimed they were shut down because algae in the very nearby Grand River was causing both odour and taste problems. The reality also consisted of gross soil and groundwater contamination immediately upgradient of these wells located between Forwell Sand & Gravel right next to the river and Safety-Kleen further upgradient (east). The contamination consisted of oils, fuels, solvents and PCBs likely released during the Forsythe or Breslube days prior to Safety-Kleen's purchase of the contaminated property.  

Luisa D'Amato and the Record already know this because I have told them so in writing months ago but perhaps they have a conflict of interest going on. 

REGION OF WATERLOO RACING TOWARDS MORE HUMILIATION & LOSS OF PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

 

Maybe they've already decided that there isn't anyone left in Wilmot who supports any of them hence they may as well throw a tiny group, population wise, to the wolves than to even suggest the tiniest cutbacks on water for the tri cities and the rest of the Townships. By throwing to the wolves I am suggesting that the Region really don't care if every single family in Wilmot Township have to remortgage their homes in order to either drill new, deeper wells or simply to extend their current wells to a greater depth. That might at least partially explain their ridiculous stance on well interference claims. This of course only applies to those rural properties on private water systems. 

The recent R.J. Burnside report is an eye opener in that it clearly states that municipal aquifer levels (AFB2) in Wilmot have been declining for the last six years and that this corresponds to climatic effects AND to increased pumping for use in the rest of the Region. In a nutshell the regional councillors are a bunch of cowardly bullies hiding behind the law, lawyers and Wilmot citizens good nature. That is a long term recipe for disaster and I only hope when the payback comes that it is focused on regional politicians.

The Region are also counting on citizens being preoccupied with families, jobs, climate change (heat domes etc.), health (cancer especially) etc. Distracted citizens work best for a perverted democracy such as we have that refuses to look after all their citizens and in fact plays one group off against another. How many of these Wilmot citizens remember the map that the Record published last January showing the various aquifers and aquitards? That Figure or cross-section is a subsurface conceptual geological model of the Wellesley and Waterloo Moraine and more which clearly indicates how wells need to be drilled deeper as the aquifer levels (AFB2) subside. 

Frankly only liars and sociopaths could continue denying the facts. No politician will ever vote in favour of criminal charges for politicians proven to be liars. Guess why.

ADJUSTMENTS/AMENDMENTS TO LAST WEDNESDAY'S (i.e. GIGO) POST

 

I do not have a Mathematics degree. I did graduate in Economics (B.A. 1974) from the University of Waterloo. Yes I did take a third year Statistics course and passed it with a lot of hard work. That said I can't remember the last time I actually refreshed my memory with Log scales, Logarithmics or for gosh sakes Calculus which I genuinely despised. It's been well over half a century ago approximately. 

Why did I suggest that the vertical scale ( i.e. y axis I believe) was a Logarithmic scale? First of all bear with me if my terminology is incorrect here. Most linear scales for example might be scaled such as 0, 2,4,6,8,10,12 etc. up the y axis. Or they could be 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, etc. 

I believe that I got fooled by the vertical scales in Jen Lyndall's (Integral) report because they were scaled as follows:  .01, .1, 1, 10, 100     Note that each higher number up the vertical scale is TEN times the number preceding it.  Hence the actual numerical difference between spaces of similar length isn't the same as it is with the two linear scales in the preceding paragraph. In this scale presented in this paragraph the numerical difference between marked points is   .1-.01= .09   The next numerical difference between marked points is 10-1= 9    The next numerical difference between marked points is 100-10=90 .

Ms. Lyndall's graphs actually have quite a variety of vertical scales on them including  .1, 10, 1000 as well as .1, 10, 1000, 100,000 and some that I find rather bizarre such as   .03, .1, .3  followed by .03, .1, .3, 1, 3 As weird as these last two are in that they are neither equal difference in values between them like paragraph 2, NOR is each higher up the scale number a similar multiple as in paragraph 3 (i.e. 10 times).

What is my conclusion? Both Log scales (paragraph 3 at first blush) and I hesitate what to call the scales in paragraphs 3 and 4 with either the exact same multiples (i.e. 10) used moving up the vertical scale or as in paragraph 4 the .03, .1, .3 and .03, .1, .3, 1, 3 with different multiples between marked points ( 3.3, 3, ) and (3.3, 3, 3.3, 3) now appear to me to be an aberration. 

To be clear I have been referring to Jen Lyndall's Figures 4-24 up to 4-57. which plot concentrations of DDT and Dioxin/Furans on the vertical y axis and either location as in Reaches 4, 3, 2, 1 downstream or a number of graphs have dates (years) on the horizontal x axis. Now all the graphs have concentrations on the vertical y axis either mg/kg (parts per million) or ng/kg (parts per trillion) depending on which of two contaminants (DDT or Dioxins/Furans) they are looking at.  Regardless these concentrations are marked whereas Logarithmic numerics are not, which has me now believing that these are all linear scales albeit some of them I still believe are bizarrely scaled and labelled.

Is there a purpose to this. Of course there is. All Log scales AND all linear scales using multiples of the previous marked value as they rise up the vertical scale reduce the visual aspect of exactly how high the highest values actually are. If they went up the vertical scale in a linear fashion such as 2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18  can you imagine how large the page would have to be to register say a 114 value? Therefore by using a scale such as 2, 10, 50, 250  (multiples of 5) you can readily fit in the 114 value PLUS  visually the 114 value sits much lower on the page and doesn't so drastically appear out of place with all the lower values.

The other advantage for unscrupulous polluters is simple confusion. You can pretend that you are transparent and putting all data on graphs when in fact you are intentionally making the graphs as confusing as possible. 

P.S. Speaking of NOT putting all data in reports shouldn't Table 3-3 of this report under Maximum Detected Concentration for Background (Creeks/Ditches) have a value of  24.4 ng/kg (ppt.) for Dioxins/Furans rather than the 9.0 ng/kg listed? This just happens to be the Stroh Drain which, coincidentally I'm sure, is one of the major coverups Lanxess are involved in.

   

 

AN INCREDIBLE BREAKTHROUGH IN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY? TRAC ASSISTING WITH VICTIM SURVEYS

In the United States the concept of a "captured" regulator is well understood. Whether this goes so far as to include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency I can not be certain. Up here in Dogpatch (Woolwich Twn.)  it has been readily apparent that for the majority of the decades since 1992 that Uniroyal Chemical and successors have "captured" the public consultation body. This is hardly surprising as even a long term TAG and TRAC member, Sebastian, has written about the deference TAG and TRAC members constantly show to Chemtura and then later Lanxess Canada. Sebastian has also explained in detail how this has occurred including the members simply being overwhelmed with various and numerous technical reports without them having their own technical experts to refute controversial positions and opinions of Lanxess and GHD.

 Regarding victim surveys I expect that Lanxess and the Min. of Environment want to spread the responsibility to include citizens on TRAC. This of course in no way indicates that these citizens have any influence or control whatsoever over the (dirty) polluter and regulator who have thoroughly enjoyed their forever holiday from serious oversight or accountability. By victim surveys I mean TRAC have been asked to come up with questions to presumably ask citizens and residents mostly of Elmira but maybe of Woolwich Township overall. Now here's the rub. There have been all of zero health studies done of human beings in Woolwich or Elmira exposed to Uniroyal's toxic emissions. There has however been testing on fish species in the Creek. Perhaps GHD in their infinite perfection have found a way to survey proven victims of Dioxin and DDT poisoning. Will TRAC therefore be speaking to the fishes?

At first blush I thought that Jen Lyndall (Integral) had carefully ignored tissue residues in fish. That would be understandable considering that they are even more significant than health exceedances found in Creek sediments, creekbank soils, creek waters and floodplain soils of Dioxins/Furans, DDT & metabolutes, PCBs, Mercury , PAHs and more. Fish are living organisms within the Canagagigue Creek and aside from their intrinsic value in the ecosystem they are also in the food chain of bass, the very occasional pike and more likely mink, raccoons, herons, hawks, coyotes etc. Unfortunately these predators up the food chain suffer even more as most of the contaminants mentioned bioaccumulate as they go up the food chain. 

Her two Figures (4-62, 4-63) show Total DDT and Dioxins/Furans concentrations in fish tissue. They do not show the Tissue Residue Guidelines (TRG) for any of the fish species which at least reinforces my negative feelings towards her report (i.e. Data Summary).  Not that I'm considering changing professions from environmental activist to that of a professional, intellectual prostitute, but if I was I too would not include the health criteria in these two Figures leaving as usual the public and TRAC in the dark (& covered in sh*#).  

GIGO - GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT JEN & HADLEY MAKE HORRIBLE MUSIC TOGETHER & CALL IT SCIENCE

 

I sure hope that Jen Lyndall was well paid for the garbage report that she presented to TRAC on Thursday June 18, 2026  titled "Data Summary Report Canagagigue Creek And Floodplain".  I am not bringing into disrepute Ms. Lyndall's qualifications or credentials. I watched the entire on-line video (Woolwich Website) and was quite impressed with her presentation manner, speaking clarity, thinking on her feet handling questions etc. It is the actual content of her report that I find dishonest, disingenuous and disgusting. I expect that a huge part of that is because her report should be more accurately titled  "Data Summary Report of a Polluter's Talented and Energetic, Decades Long Efforts To Minimize and Coverup Toxic Pollution".

I have spent much of the last thirty-six years debunking all the lies and distortions presented by Elmira's infamous polluter.  Sorry I need to be more specific when Woolwich Township have happily hosted Varnicolor Chemical, Rothsay Concentrates, Breslube/Safety-Kleen and Uniroyal Chemical. I am now referring to Uniroyal/Lanxess. I have spoken at UPAC, CPAC, RAC, TAG, Woolwich Council and even Regional Council. I have written reports to all those semi to fully corrupt bodies plus TRAC. The general rule is minimum to zero questions followed by NOTHING. No followup, no requests for clarification, no discussion and no debate. This is essentially how Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura and Lanxess have operated namely by denying occasionally but mostly simply ignoring legitimate, researched opposition. 

This latest report is full of omissions as well as red herrings. DDT breakdown products (DDD, DDE) are not well examined. Numerically lower Reaches (1, 2) in the Creek are given short shrift. Provincial and Federal health criteria are noticeably missing in action. One would think that they have some serious value in a report like this. Logarithmic concentration scales for many of the Figures are a little unusual compared to reports done by CRA/GHD. The charitable view might be that CRA/GHD have more accurately concluded the technical capabilities of most of the public consultation members. The uncharitable view might be that CRA/GHD are simply continuing their amateurish report writing efforts by avoiding logarithmic scales even when they are appropriate and advantageous.

More and better needs to be done with these logarithmic scales. Mostly the vertical scales (concentration) need to be better with more values written on the vertical scale. This would help elucidate the values of the raw data presented by Ms. Lyndall. Also short shrift again seems to have occurred with Lindane in Ms. Lyndall's report. Samples were taken and values determined in some earlier major reports (eg. 2020 GHD) . 

Overall Ms. Lyndall was handed a croc of an assignment. Personally I would be hard pressed to want to put my name on any report that only purports to be legitimate and scientific. Gussying up crap science from those before you is a stinky job with some of the odour bound to transfer your way. All my past objections to these Creek reports continue on here as they have NEVER been honestly or accurately publicly debated. This includes MDLs, shovels versus core samplers and locational sampling biases.

NEW WATER ALLOCATION ASSISTING WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP

 

Today's K-W Record has an article by Bill Jackson titled "Woolwich allocates water to Elmira projects". This of course is in relation to the Region of Waterloo Water Crisis which was first announced last December. There are three specific projects in Elmira which can now proceed with the best known likely being the former Trinity United Church on Arthur St.  The other two projects are the infamous Hawk Ridge Homes down on the corner of Union St. and First Ave.  It is infamous due to the lengthy delays occasioned by the presence of Sulco Chemical (CCC) and Lanxess Canada (Uniroyal) across the road.  Woolwich wisely attempted to not approve this subdivision based upon noise and odours at a minimum and toxic air emissions as a possibility. The third project is the residential construction scheduled for 22 Church St. which I believe is the now former Home Hardware site. 

I would suggest that all of these projects should make hay while the sun shines because just like the current power outages happening this morning in Elmira, the water supply is on a shaky foundation. The Region of Waterloo are so desperate that they are squeezing the 20% safety allocation as well as recommissioning both old well fields closed due to contamination and or other likely infrastructure issues. 

THE TRAVESTY & SHAME OF DECEPTIVE AND DECEITFUL MONITORING REPORTS BY LANXESS CANADA & GHD

 

My focus today is on the 2020 Canagagigue Creek Sediment and Soil Investigation although most of my comments refer to the bulk of what passes for scientific study and investigation surrounding the Creek over the last fifteen to twenty years. This report is one of those recently examined by Jen Lyndall of Integra Inc.. Keep clearly in mind that I'm not commenting on groundwater or other environmental issues today hence please do not make the mistake of thinking that my silence in any way imparts some kind of tacit approval. It does not!

The 2020 GHD report on Lindane, DDD, DDE, DDT and Dioxins/Furans in the Creek is essentially a whitewash or if you will a greenwash. Above and beyond so many massive deposits of these toxic chemicals found in creek sediments and creekbank soils is the use and abuse of Method Detection Limits in assigning Non Detects throughout this report.  The worst offenders are Non Detects with Sediment samples however there are some doozies with soils as well. Overall the number of non Detects with high to very high Method Detection Limits has ruptured the credibility and accuracy of this entire report. This goes for all four reaches of the Canagagigue Creek as well as of some of the Background sampling. 

  If as I have indicated above massive deposits of various toxic chemicals have been found then how is this report deceptive and deceitful ? Firstly all criteria exceedances are supposed to be highlighted. They simply are not. Too many have been missed and only discerning, competent readers will spot them  on the first time through. Most will not. That in and of itself is deceptive and misleading. Secondly some of the MDLs are out of this world as they are 10, 20 and or 100 times higher than the health criteria presented in the report for various chemicals whether located in sediment or soils. In my opinion some of these MDLs appear to be tailored towards certain reaches for example in order to minimize them and to give the appearance that other reaches are more contaminated.

I have over the years and decades presented this information before. Like everything else that does not follow the narrative put forth to the public; contradictory evidence, opinions and reports are given zero weight by the polluter, fellow travellors and friends. Inconvenient facts and truth are simply dropped and ignored and generally discussion avoided as much as possible.

JEN LYNDALL/INTEGRAL CANAGAGIGUE CREEK DATA SUMMARY REPORT: AN INTERESTING BUT MOSTLY USELESS PILE OF PUS

 

How could it possibly not be? It's a Data Summary of many, repeated, poorly done, amateurish and inaccurate other reports all done by bought and paid for consultants on behalf of their dirty polluting clients be they Uniroyal, Crompton, Chemtura or Lanxess.  I will concede that the level of "dirtiness" may be decreasing as the time distance from the gross daily dumping until now continues to expand. 

Background concentrations are extremely high near the start of the report as comparisons are made for example between Upstream Background concentrations of Dioxins/Furans and Total DDT in various media (soil, sediment, surface water) and further downstream Reaches in the Creek. I did not see any reference to various relevant criteria on any of these Figures and in fact I found it very difficult to find tiny subtly different coloured circles representing concentrations of contaminants relative to alleged Background values. If the Background levels are actually that high then I would suggest that upstream (& downstream) dumping (legal or not) is a significant cause. Like most of the inaccurate information and data concerning this site, inappropriate Background locations have all been properly and publicly presented at public meetings simply to be ignored for evermore if it does not suit the polluter's/regulator's narrative. 

I did not find fish tissue concentrations.in this report.  A skeptic might suggest that that is because the data is strong and very negative concerning the ongoing health threats to both wildlife and human life ingesting contaminated fish (mercury, PCBs, DDT, Dioxins/Furans). A kinder, gentler critic might suggest that Lanxess/MECP simply did not advise Ms. Lyndall that that data existed. This perhaps would be in-line with the nonsense and disingenuous claims of various remediation done around the site. I was there when most of these "remediations" allegedly took place and the Figure showing them is a crock. Further to this I just love it when Uniroyal/Lanxess "fellow travellors" expose their biases and dishonesty. Hadley did it with crap about the on-site pits and ponds being "...remediated thoroughly". Utter bull Hadley. You weren't there and none of them were excavated through the bottom of the pits and lagoons which is where the contaminants went on their way to both the Upper Aquifer and the Municipal Aquifer. Also Susan Bryant made some dumb remark about former municipal landfill M2, on the Uniroyal property, being closed before Uniroyal made Agent Orange. What kind of crap is this Susan? One I think your facts are wrong but even if your timing is on, so what? This landfill is on Uniroyal/Lanxess property and after the municipality quit putting garbage in the landfill it was still right there for more industrial disposal. Also Ken Reger (former employee) testified at the Environmental Appeal Board hearings that he saw Uniroyal drums buried  there and finally both 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T wastes were buried there and once leaking you had Agent Orange with the 2,3,7,8 TCDD probably already in the 2,4,5-T and the 2,4-D having it's own dioxins along for the toxic ride.

I can't help but notice that there has been some "thinning"  of data in Integral's Data Summary. For example including the various government health criteria  for dioxins/Furans and DDT in various media (soil, sediments, fish tissue) would give a far better understanding of the risk involved with the concentrations of these chemicals found in all media from fish tissue to soil, sediment and even surface water which is damn interesting when we've been advised for decades that these chemicals are hydrophobic and essentially insoluble in water. The fact is they are soluble but at a very low concentration plus they are more likely to exist in the Creek as DDT and Dioxins/F attached to particles as suspended sediments in the water. 

All in all a useless report but a fun read nevertheless. I do not blame the author (Lyndall) so much as Hadley and other Lanxess fact deniers and fantasy boosters.

THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND: ANOTHER SHAMEFUL & DEEPLY DISTURBING TRAC MEETING

 

A week ago yesterday the TRAC meeting was held in Woolwich Council Chambers. For the second time I had to get on the Township to post the video of that meeting on their Woolwich Township website. To their credit they did so quickly after I called.

There are smart people on that committee including Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach.  There are smart and credentialed people on that committee including a hydrogeologist, a municipal planner, a regional water department staffer, possibly even a biologist or an ecologist. There are technical people and some very untechnical and uncredentialed persons with other soft skills such as human psychology, human manipulation and other skills; such as Susan Bryant. There are honest people and blatant liars present. There are a few with knowledge of the site and far too many who know nothing prior to their appointment to the committee. Some have common sense others less. What there is a complete lack of is members with serious Elmira environmental knowledge going back to 1989 combined with honesty, common sense and at least a minimum of  hard, technical skills including maths and sciences.  NOT ONE, and it is  intentional, on that committee has all those requirements. I do which is precisely why mayor Shantz , Lanxess and the Min. of Environment (MECP)  do not want me on that committee nor able to speak to them directly.

I viewed the entire TRAC meeting (June 18/26) on the Woolwich website last evening and it was beyond painful. Misunderstandings, incorrect facts and guesswork were prevalent throughout the meeting and they were NEVER corrected or clarified by the few who did know the facts and the truth. At one point Sebastian (the brightest light of a very dim bunch) conflated numbers of samples taken with number of DETECTIONS of two toxic chemicals. Hence he asked if that particular Table spelled out that more attention should be paid to the upstream reaches of the Creek ( Reaches 3 & 4) closest to the Lanxess site than the further downstream ones of Reaches 2 and 1.  Not only did nobody correct him or clarify his obvious honest mistake but Hadley Stamm (*5 minute wonder) of Lanxess actually had the nerve and the  brass to answer him with "Right but I'm not going to take that jump yet.". She actually agreed with his incorrect conclusion but was careful to delay that conclusion until the next or a later meeting.

Jen Lyndall of Integral Inc. somewhat mystifies me. Apparently she is a former friend or colleague of Hadley Stamm (not good). She presented the first part of a Data Summary to TRAC at the meeting. In my opinion this is just one more in a long litany of Public Relations nonsense issued by the polluter and its' successors for the purpose of green washing. There is way more than enough data available between soil, sediment and fish tissue sampling to know how grossly contaminated the Canagagigue Creek still is, even after allegedly stopping dumping over fifty years ago. It would seem to me that five decades of flushing and flooding of the Creek should have long ago flushed all the mobile and even semi mobile deeper sediments down into the Grand River and further (Lake Erie) by now. Unless of course contaminated groundwater and soils/sediments are still via natural processes (or with help) being released from the grossly contaminated former Uniroyal Chemical site.

My final comment today :  Sebastian pointed out to Jen Lyndall (Integral) that Tables 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6 all indicated that dioxins/furans were DETECTED in surface sediments, sub-surface sediments, surface soils and sub-surface soils 100% of the time from a total of well over a thousand different samples. Oops I misspoke! Table 3.4 has the only dioxin/furan detections below 100%  for sub-surface sediments. It was 98%  . Ms. Lyndall responded "Yes even in background locations which is interesting" .   Credit goes to her for being accurate and honest on that point although either Hadley or some other DNAPL/ Dioxin  deniers suggested that dioxins are ubiquitous. They are not thank goodness ubiquitous at the concentrations also indicated in those four Tables.

The scam, the sham and the coverup continues. I still expect some token, tiny cleanup of part of the Creek with everybody's fan favourite Susan Bryant being handed some environmental award for her  acting skills over thirty plus years, aided and abetted by the guilty parties. 

 

SOP "REVIEW" OF ENVIRONMENTAL WATCHDOG (RAC/TAG) TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO

 

It was a typical Woolwich "review" which means that it was done for appearances sake not to reform or improve it. Afterall they has been working perfectly just  as planned by Chemtura and the Ont. Ministry of Environment . TRAC ended up replacing them  and stands for either Totally Rotten and Corrupt or what Woolwich calls it which is disingenuous. Regardless there was exactly zero improvement from the public's viewpoint and interest.

The Woolwich Observer published a story titled "Woolwich to review how its environmental watchdog functions" written by Leah Gerber on November 9, 2023. In it Sebastian was the only member to tell it like it is with multiple criticisms and concerns including the committee being routinely at a disadvantage technically and often bulldozed. Other members such as Eric Hodgins, Wilson Lau and Susan Bryant thought that that was just fine. They made excuses as well as deflected towards better communications with the public.

The bottom line is that the committee can suggest this or that and even criticize something strongly but  it goes nowhere if Lanxess and the MECP are not in favour of it.  One obvious example is RAC, TAG & TRAC's attempts to get a commitment to clean part of the Canagagigue Creek whether semi fake "hotspots" or actually any part of the downstream highly contaminated Creek. All they have commitment wise is delay, delay and more delay without any commitment whatsoever to do a damn thing. 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ETHOS OF WATERLOO REGION

 

The Wilmot Land Grab

The Waterloo Region Water Crisis

The Elmira Water Crisis

Failure to honestly advise the public re: Uniroyal 

Failure to honestly advise the public re: Ciba-Geigy, Cnd. General Tower

Failure to honestly advise the public re: Northstar Aerospace & the Bishop St. community

Failure to honestly advise the public re: TCE & the Middleton Wellfield

Failure to honestly advise the public re: Breslube and Safety-Kleen 

That's enough for now for you to understand the problem. They were very late to the party to protect our groundwater supplies in 1989-90 in Elmira and elsewhere. They didn't even have a single hydrogeologist on staff for Pete's sake. Since then they have consistently insulated, protected and covered up each and every dirty polluter within the Region of Waterloo. They are far too beholden to our local businesses and industries including those doing major harm to both our environment and to our residents. 

Their dishonesty includes Non-Disclosure Agreements in order to keep the tax paying public constantly in the dark. It also includes attending public consultation forums such as in Elmira but failing to speak out publicly to denounce corporate policies that they know are inadequate at best and just plain a coverup at worst.  Their quiet presence in a sense validates the entire totally inadequate process. Their refusal to stand up and say what needs to be said loud and clear simply emboldens arrogant polluters.

I have been advised that they have in the past done good things regarding hard urban/rural boundaries limiting where development can go. They do have smart people on board but I suspect the main problem is and always has been the career politicians who call themselves regional councillors. Most are mouthpieces for the status quo, the influential and the well off. 

WHY AM I SO CONFIDENT ABOUT THE GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION IN THE POMPEII & WOOLNER WELLFIELDS ?

 

Well there are a few reasons. Firstly I know how difficult it is to remove contamination from both soils and groundwater once it is there. I have been following very closely the unsuccessful efforts here in Elmira for the last 36 years. If talk and bull were cleanup they'd have been done many years ago. The so called cleanup efforts to the best of my knowledge in and around the Safety-Kleen site in Breslau have not been even 5% of the efforts, cleanup and pumping done both on the Uniroyal site as well as those done directly below ground in Elmira. 

I have seen and read past groundwater monitoring reports done on the east side of the Grand River, between Safety-Kleen's operations and the Grand River. A large part of this area was and maybe still is owned by Forwell Gravell. These monitoring wells are not solely shallow groundwater but also deeper groundwater in which the nearby pumping wells are screened. Lots of various solvents are present presumably from earlier efforts to bring in dirty oil for recycling that unfortunately contained these solvents whether unintentionally or intentionally in order to get rid of them.

With my own eyes I have seen colour photographs of various excavations done on and near the Safety-Kleen site. I have seen sub-surface soil excavations of contaminated sites before whether the two Varnicolor sites in Elmira or the Uniroyal site also in Elmira. They are not a pretty picture and just like at Uniroyal, I expect that without massive on-site source removal, the site and surrounding groundwater will never be clean much less achieve even our modest drinking water standards.

Two wells for sure are on the east side of the Grand River and the rest recently mentioned in the K-W Record are on the west side of the river. However their well screens are well beneath the river bottom and pumping will easily draw water from the contaminated side, under the river and into the wells.   

All of this combined with the likely Mickey Mouse upcoming Environmental Assessment will make for very bad quality drinking water. Bon appetit !

EIGHTY YEAR OLD TODDLERS ON THE WORLD STAGE

 

Why is anybody surprised anymore by Donald Trump's behaviour? He has an extremely recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Iran which firstly I'm sure he has a copy of in English and secondly so does the rest of the world and it says that hostilities must end in Lebanon.  Now maybe Trump's first stupidity was agreeing to something he maybe can't deliver namely Israel stepping back from it's hostile activities in Lebanon. Regardless the twit signed it.

Then as Israel continues pounding Lebanon, Iran as promised sends some missiles over to Israel to remind them about the MOU which granted they have not signed. Then Trump who at least used to have access to the best and brightest brains in America not only threatens the country of Iran with further attacks but he goes so far as to suggest  that the Iranian leaders and emissaries present at the negotiations in Switzerland should behave or they might not make it back home to Iran. Holy crap what an assh#ole Trump is. He only recently invaded a sovereign country (Venezuela) and kidnapped their President and under his command the U.S. has actually bombed Iran in the past DURING peace negotiations. He has also threatened the sovereignty of Cuba, Greenland (Denmark) and Canada.

Assuming that at one time he was sane and rational, it appears that  those days are long gone. There are mechanisms for America to remove a President who has become incapacitated whether by age, physical health, mental health or even by criminal behavior. That time is now due before he singlehandedly starts World War Three.    

FRANK STRONACH "NATIONAL TREASURE" MY AS* - CONVICTED FELON IS MORE LIKE IT

 

His dickhead lawyer actually called him a national treasure AFTER he was convicted. Perhaps convicted felon is better than the truth which is that he is also a convicted felon with allegations of being a serial rapist. These most recent charges and newer victims are coming up in 2027 and just the delay alone suggests to me that he is being given every opportunity to do the honourable thing and pass on before further tarnishing his formerly grandiose reputation. I have to wonder how long he's felt the need for private security. Maybe only since he was first charged but possibly ever since his first rape...oops I mean his first consensual sex with a female who later brought charges against him.   

Neither his lawyer nor himself were immediately yelling that they would appeal the decision. Strange. Any chance that it was a negotiated deal between Stronach and the prosecutors? Something along the lines of plead guilty (and no appeal) to the most minor charges and we'll give you a pass on the many rape charges. Maybe the idea was that Stronach literally would die before the next trial was started much less completed. Perhaps his sentencing on these two convictions will shed light on the matter. 

Hopefully he will quickly lose his Order of Canada status and medal . How many of our authorities knew that he had an indecent penchant  for younger women BEFORE he was recommended and then appointed to the Order of Canada? How many other Order of Canada recipients have behaved as Frank Stronach has? I wonder if even one right wing Conservative with a strong business reputation is now looking over his shoulder and wondering if his past criminalities may yet catch up to him. 

The $64,000 question is did his wealth, status, power and influence postpone justice coming and knocking at his door until so late in life? Would an ordinary Canadian have been able to behave so poorly for so long and then be allowed to age gracefully into our 90s before running afoul of the law? Specifically who and how many in our justice system make these decisions to let celebrities break the laws of the land ? Finally how do we purge our Justice System of the scum who allow this corruption? How many other judges are out there simply enforcing the status quo and protecting the entitled from the rules and laws that we are expected to follow?

CONSERVATIVE THINKING REGIONAL COUNCILLORS ARE RUINING THIS REGION ENVIRONMENTALLY & BY HOUSING, POLICING & OF COURSE WATER ISSUES

As Luisa D'Amato also stated in today's K-W Record (front page) people's rage against regional councillors is starting to show.  Fortunately for the councillors the vast majority of them do not seriously believe that homeless people, unemployed people or handicapped people in any way really are people.  Of course they are politically astute enough not to say so in words other than by their votes which even then some just love to gussy up and gild the lily when they vote to kick the already downtrodden in the teeth or worse.

Conservatives are always careful to shield industry and business from their own excesses whether they be toxic dumping, unsafe labour practices, nickel and diming employees and or shorting hours at every opportunity, hiring discrimination, at work gender harassment, promotions based more on popularity and less on job performance etc. etc.

Housing policies including development taxes, land costs and disincentives to lower cost housing have all managed to fuel our housing crisis whereby decent housing now is only available to those with jobs paying in the upper 25% of wages. By decent housing I'm including apartments and other rental housing in good shape. Of course these same regional councillors would rather spend taxpayers dollars on more legal fighting than actually donate a small piece of regional land for a tent encampment as suggested by Justice Michael Gibson. Again kicking the less fortunate in the teeth makes them feel like they are special. 

Our regional councillors grossly failed female police officers a few years back when these officers were attempting to end the ongoing and clearly tolerated sexual harassment within the ranks. Even the female regional councillors shut their mouths and kept their heads down not wanting to be seen as aligning with lowly employees in their dispute with illegal police employment behaviours. Now the complete group of #*$#holes from senior management to sitting regional councillors apparently can't understand why our local police force are having troubles attracting qualified female candidates. Idiots!

Regarding our water troubles I see a couple of problems. Firstly LRT has seriously hindered our finances throughout the Region from fewer regional services such as transfer stations, fewer police in local townships (Woolwich), reduced garbage collection and most certainly greatly reduced water infrastructure maintenance. The second problem is what I call the Israeli-Trump syndrome. In our case it is the Developer- Regional government syndrome. They are both identical in that when the Israeli right wing divot Netanyahu yells "Jump"  U.S. President Trump yells "How high?". 

There are a few decent ones on that regional council. Perhaps five or six out of 16 in total. Start paying close attention as for example Luisa D'Amato (K-W Record) sometimes lists how specific councillors have voted on specific matters. There is an election this October and we need to desperately get rid of most of the old guard who view their job as exactly that: guarding the privilege of the already entitled in Waterloo Region . 

POLYSESOUVIENT FUDGE THE STATS & WHY I HOLD BOTH SAFETY-KLEEN & WATERLOO REGION IN CONTEMPT

 

Recently (yesterday?) I mentioned Woolwich's Double Whammy against citizens of Waterloo Region. While Waterloo and Cambridge are no slouches in the industrial pollution department I believe that little Woolwich Township is the double prize winner as in # 1  for worst polluted site i.e. Uniroyal/Lanxess in Elmira and they are also # 2  i.e. Safety-Kleen in Breslau. Now do keep in mind that while Safety-Kleen are and have been legally liable for the environmental state of their site, incoming PCBs and all, nevertheless it is my expectation that the bulk of the environmental discharges, emissions and general pigginess can be attributed to the owners of the site before them as mentioned in yesterday's post here.

Regarding Polysesouvient, the very active anti private firearms ownership lobby, I have to point out that there is a very solid rebuttal in today's K-W Record under Letters To The Editor by a Mr. Dennis Watson of Waterloo titled "Report not what it looks like".  He points out that the relevant RCMP 2024 report ignored 60% of the Canadian statistics as neither Ontario nor Quebec numbers were included. This is because unlike many of the other provinces these two provinces have their own municipal police forces in almost all communities/cities and  I believe that the O.P.P. covers the rest. Also for the provinces and locations where the RCMP are the only police force present, Mr. Watson states that "...a third of the guns recovered could not be traced,". Personally I must also add that here in Ontario both our biggest and most crime troubled city (Toronto)  has had their municipal police force go on the public record as saying that removing firearms from registered and licensed owners will not lessen crime. The Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) have also publicly said the same thing as well as suggesting that indeed the large majority of illegal firearms involved in crime in Ontario are smuggled here from the United States.

Getting back to dirty polluters let me advise readers of the following. In my younger days I travelled on foot extensively and sometimes took self guided tours of various regional contaminated sites.  Somehow I do not recall if I had written or verbal permission all the time although I do recall to Mr. Ron Stroh's credit he personally did give me permission on one occasion to tour his property on the immediate east side of Uniroyal/Lanxess .  It is truly amazing what an observant person can learn by walking a contaminated site. Also way back when Rich Clausi coined the phrase the "Full Aerial Response Team" (FART) when the Ministry of Environment demanded to know how we obtained photographs or possibly environmental samples of this and that.

I have seen first hand gross pollution on the Safety-Kleen site. I and everybody else has certainly smelled it over the decades. I have also obtained hydrogeological reports from decades ago describing the gross sub-surface pollution obviously caused by either spillage or dumping or both. I have a few months back sent data and pictures to relevant environmental researchers. I know how serious the ground and groundwater contamination has been and likely still is between the operating area and the Grand River. Much of this property was and maybe still is part of I believe the Forwell (gravel) Pit. I also have work connections decades ago to employees at Forwells. There was limited attempts at hydraulic containment of a very small part of the site decades ago in an attempt to keep the PCBs floating on top of the shallow aquifer (also known as LNAPLS) from migrating downgradient en masse to the Grand River.  

I expect yet another phony sham of an Environmental Assessment to "prove" exactly what the Region and Safety-Kleen want which is something giving the guilty parties the good housekeeping seal of approval. 

  

HAVING JUST LEARNED OF HIS PASSING I HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO DISS ON HIS GRAVE: WATERLOO REGION ARE DESPERATE ENOUGH TO RECOMMISSION CONTAMINATED WELLS

 

No I am not referring to any politicians in the first part of the title above.  That would be rude and disrespectful. Having said that how many people currently feel that there is anything wrong with being rude to Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and other dead @*+#heads? Not very many. Having said that how many people feel that there is anything wrong with being rude to the following living people namely Putin, Netanyahu, Trump etc.? Probably a lot more than you think.

Exactly how desperate are they for more water in Waterloo Region? The fools are so desperate that as was hinted at months ago they are considering reactivating contaminated wells that were shut down decades ago along the Grand River  at the south end of Kitchener and just north of Cambridge. To be specific we are talking about wells that are known as GUDI which stands for Groundwater Under Direct Influence of surface water. The surface water is conveniently located downgradient from the former Forsythe Oil and Breslube and is currently known as Safety-Kleen in Breslau.  Yes Breslau is right across the Grand River from Kitchener and is a fine example of how we do our remediation of contaminated soils and waters here in Woolwich Township. Yes this can be attributed to a very strong Conservative work ethic and ideology that diminishes and suborns  the importance of clean air, water and soils to the far more important padding of private parties bank accounts often at the cost of the public interest. 

Interestingly the article in today's K-W Record on page A3 by Bill Jackson refers to wells only on the west side of the Grand River. Now of course the wells' names and numbers are listed although at least a couple are missing. In fact who but me and long term Breslau locals plus consultants and well paid suits have any idea of how many wells are missing and which side of the Grand River they are on? Coincidentally (not) I am sure that the missing wells named K70 and K71 are on the east side of the Grand River.

Yes the east side putting them even closer to Safety-Kleen and ground and groundwater contamination from the former pigpens located there. That contamination includes the former "Black Lagoon" which does not refer to black gold (oil) as it is sometimes referred to in Texas.  Well actually maybe it does because also nearby was/is ? a former sub-surface pool of oil floating on the water table enriched with industry's finest Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). Now keep in mind the Grand River itself may somewhat block further westward flow of contaminated shallow aquifer water but it does not deter contaminant flow in deeper aquifers westward underneath the river. I expect that these other wells are screened into those deeper aquifers. 

Do not fuss citizens of Waterloo Region. Good Conservative ideology believes that not just a few but the many can have their thirst quenched by toxic groundwater diluted by both dozens and more other wells as well as by the river water and its' accompanying algae and odours. By the way instead of being honest about the gross contamination left by Forsythe and Breslube; the Region who shut all these wells down  35 to 45 years ago blamed the shutdown on algae and accompanying odour issues.

ARE JUSTICE CRAIG PARRY & JUSTICE ROBERT REILLY BROTHERS? NEPOTISM IN OUR LOCAL JUSTICE SYSTEM??

 

I mean their names are different but that could be either shame at each other's last name or could they be brothers from a different father? It's very difficult to understand when one is dealing with similar types of ignorant behaviours much less different ones. For example without reference to any evidence whether documentation, examination or cross-examination Justice Reilly in his 86 page decision found all seven of my witnesses to be unreliable and inaccurate on the stand. Justice Craig Parry on the other hand dismissed over fourty witnesses for the prosecution (all women) in the Jeffery Sloka case advising that their testimony was unreliable and sometimes worse. 

Well you have to give the award for brass and nerve and stupidity to Justice Craig Parry I guess. Also in my case Justice Robert Reilly dismissed both men and women whereas Justice Parry was more consistent in his gender dismissals. Oh but maybe that's because he doesn't like examining male genitals as much as he does female ones hence there weren't any male complainants or witnesses to his behaviour. Regardless I accuse Justice Reilly of being a piker and only second best in the stupidity and corruption games played in our courts here in Waterloo Region. Both of them are a#@*holes and who nominates and appoints these @#*holes to judgeships in the first place? It's politicians if you can believe it. No surprise there.

Today's K-W Record article by Luisa D'Amato (Pg. A3) refers to the rally organizer as stating that our justice system is one of the "...broken systems that deny our humanity." Truer words were never spoken. I have long stated that our justice system is tainted, biased and grossly user unfriendly for normal citizens. It is however a playground for the wealthy and entitled to reinforce their positions of wealth and power. It is generally beloved by school boards (WRDSB) and municipalities including Woolwich Township. Those bodies have no qualms about spending money on legal fees to your and my (taxpayers) last nickel.

Let us not also forget how our local courts embraced two of our local politicians after they both were caught in a series of errors, mistakes, on purposes? and behaviour contrary to the provincial legislation known as the Municipal Elections Act (MEA) back in 2015-2017.  In Mark Bauman's case the Motion restoring him to his council seat was given by a local judge "ex parte". Do you know what that means? The MEA ordered his removal from office for failing to file any Financial Reports after the 2014 municipal election much less about three elections prior to that. "Ex parte" means without any other party which means yours truly the complainant was not even advised by the courts or anyone that Mark was attending court to get his council seat back. As Rich Clausi later suggested, in sports, that would be akin to throwing the game by having the opposing team not allowed to attend the proceedings. Mayor Shantz also got off after among other tricks misstating to the Judge the timing of giving her "updated" Financial Report to me and some others.  I too was the complainant on that case. Her lawyer even threatened me prior to court that if I attended he would bring up the earlier Justice Robert Reilly decision against me. I attended on my own time and had to ask for permission to speak against Ms. Shantz's position which was grudgingly at best permitted albeit to no avail. Apparently, surprise surprise, sitting politicians (similar to police officers) are given huge leeway and the benefit of the doubt as a matter of course. Oh and her lawyer besides had actually tried to bluff and intimidate me to not attend court and give testimony. While I find that grossly unethical behaviour I don't know if it's illegal.    

 

NOW THE PROVINCE IS INVOLVED: I'M O.K. WITH A PROVINCIAL TAKEOVER OF OUR REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

 

That said let's not fool ourselves. The Doug Ford Conservative government has a proven track record of first class environmental degradation, exploitation and contempt all in favour of monied elites including developers and big money donors to the Conservative Party of Ontario. While there have been a number of "last straws" I guess the latest news in Saturday's K-W Record titled ""Fresh look " at water capacity required in Waterloo Region, province says" written by Bill Jackson has got my goat.

I believe that the province of Ontario should have long ago taken over the operation of the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) due to their long standing dishonesty to the public, incompetence, pettiness and corruption. Waterloo Region however have thrived generally speaking in the public's opinion because they are better at indoctrination and propaganda, not so much due to their actions. Generally they have proven better at selling bull*%it to the public than the WRDSB has. Also there have always been a few school Board trustees willing to speak out publicly whereas regional councillors generally have either been cowed or are fellow travellors with the majority. I do believe that there are some very good staff at the Region just as there are some very good teachers within the WRDSB. Unfortunately neither of those groups runs the show nor will ever be promoted to positions to do so. Corrupt organizations are very careful to promote their own like minded poofs.  

Regional councillor Mike Harris gives every indication of the worst attributes of a Conservative. It's all about benefiting the already wealthy at the expense of everyone and everything else.  Hard to believe that a true believer like himself was treated so shabbily years ago by the provincial Conservatives just in order to give a job to a procreating putz like Mike Harris Jr. Regardless regional councillor Mr. Harris wants to reduce the water supply resiliency factor from 20% to 10%. Of course he does so that local developers and builders can continue making obscene profits. Employment for the trades workers while an admirable goal is merely one of their excuses to hide behind. Meanwhile the Region (Ken Brothers)  have pompously advised the public that "The interim framework is a flexible, five year, risk-based approach ...and replaces the 20 per cent resiliency target, which could be as low as 12 per cent while system repairs and upgrades are underway, the region said."

Meanwhile staff advised that the new "framework" doesn't align with Mr. Harris's proposed resiliency target of 10 per cent. Wow talk about nit picking, rolling over while still pretending that the Region are making sure that there is enough water for the rest of us who have kept the Region financially afloat for many decades through our taxes. Just too bad if we, the vast majority of citizens run out of water as long as the big shot developers and builders continue to get richer. This decision is NOT in the public interest it is doing what both the Region and the province want which is to enrichen local, private interests who will continue to financially support Conservative politicians and ideology. 

WHICH IS WORSE - POLLUTING OUR LOCAL DRINKING WATER TO OBLIVION OR LYING TO THE PUBLIC AND SAYING IT CAN BE RESTORED?

 

Yesterday and today I've sent two e-mails out to a variety of twits, twats, shits and shats. I have mostly avoided calling them by those names out of an overabundance of the milk of human kindness. It's really not that hard to do but the practice is not a good one to rely on. I don't refer to people as I have in the first sentence just because they have an honest disagreement with me regarding the facts. It's those #$%*&^ who know perfectly well what the facts are but insist upon denying them not to persuade myself but others less informed. 

Sebastian has been trying to get some misconceptions, misrepresentations and logical inconsistencies straightened out at TRAC. His concerns and points are well thought out and appropriate and need to be more seriously addressed than past ones have been. Hence my response sent to a couple of Lanxess and TRAC spokespersons plus others. My response opens a can of worms that Lanxess and predecessor companies have long avoided. They include dissolved chlorobenzene in the Bedrock Aquifer alongside admitted NDMA . They also include free phase DNAPL in the Bedrock Aquifer whether chlorobenzene or other chlorinated solvents or compounds such as DDT and dioxins/Furans. 

All the guilty parties have known bad news about our various aquifers for decades that they have not shared with the public. I believe that if the true extent of the contamination had been honestly communicated that the second class cleanup by Uniroyal Chemical and successors would never have been allowed or permitted. Plain, old fashioned lying has been the rule for decades and we are now seeing the results of that. Uniroyal Chemical and Crompton, Chemtura and Lanxess have all knowingly misinformed the public as to the known facts. First they obliterated our drinking water then they lied to us repeatedly about it.    

LET'S GIVE OUR LOCAL, PROFESSIONAL LIARS A BREAK - UNIROYAL/LANXESS CLEANUP FAILURES ARE TOO MUCH FOR EVEN THEM

 

Next Thursday at 6 pm. is a social get together for the TRAC members. Their two page Agenda is out combined with a total of 764 pages which is grotesquely swollen even for these long winded, short on action pack of potential scapegoats and patsies. This 764 pages includes the Minutes of the last meeting, two monthly Progress Reports and allegedly a Data Summary for the Canagagigue Creek by some buddy of the five minute woman, Hadley Stamm (Lanxess). Finally there is the 2025 Lanxess Bio-Monitoring Report.

The following Agenda Items are those dealing with (sort of) the failed (by agreement of all) 2028 mandated deadline  to clean up the Elmira Aquifers. They include Items # 5, 5.1, 6, 7.2, 8.4  . Of course none of these Items will include the honest reasons for the total failure nor will they present any mea culpas (my bad), apologies or serious last ditch magic bullets to grasp victory from the jaws of defeat. In fact I would suggest that the old joke about pulling a Richard Nixon by grasping defeat from the jaws of victory (aka "Watergate") is more appropriate. 

In the case of the Elmira Water Crisis all parties publicly proclaimed during 1990-92 that there would a Cadillac cleanup of the Elmira Aquifers and of Elmira. They also suggested that the Creek would be properly addressed as well.  It was all lies but with any support whatsoever from any of our authorities it had enough public support and momentum to demand appropriate behaviour. Instead all our authorities including the Region of Waterloo were more concerned with getting their initial costs covered by either Uniroyal Chemical or the province of Ontario. Hence they rolled over like floor wetting puppies after they received money for lab costs, some legal costs and a water pipeline from Waterloo/St. Jacobs and a few other short term expenses.  Uniroyal already had the Ontario Ministry of Environment's credibility in a headlock due to their feeble and incompetent monitoring and supervision for decades. 

Currently Lanxess, Woolwich Township, MECP, Waterloo Region are working very hard to continue lying and deceiving the public regarding their failure to restore our drinking water. It is a multi pronged offensive that is doomed to failure albeit they will certainly extend the mandated deadline by twenty, thirty, fourty or fifty more years so that eventually they can claim victory. Of course this "victory" will end up after generations  of Elmira and Woolwich residents have passed on. I was fourty years old when this crisis hit and I'm now seventy-six. Literally my kids will be elderly before Lanxess and fellow travellors achieve what could have and should have been achieved by now or within a year or two.

Unless of course this next generation let these professional liars continue their games and gamesmanship at our and the environment's expense. Polluter Pays is a sad joke. Maybe the next generation will feel sorry for these twits . Their lies have doomed our local water supply and the Creek but maybe  this next generation will tell them forget it, it's O.K. Don't even bother continuing going through the motions. 

IS THERE ANY CHANCE OF WOOLWICH CHANGING COLOURS POST THE SHANTZ DEBACLE?

 

There has been one major reversal only in Woolwich Township's behaviour and attitudes towards the Elmira Water Crisis since the crisis began in November 1989. Even prior to the crisis Woolwich Township councils seemed more than willing and eager to leave everything in the hands of Uniroyal Chemical and the Ontario Ministry of Environment (M.O.E.). This neglect caused multiple health issues among local residents from air emissions, destroyed the Canagagigue Creek and polluted both the groundwater and drinking water for Elmira residents. It seems clear to me that drilling two new wells further away from Uniroyal Chemical (E7, E9) in the south end of Elmira was a feeble attempt to isolate our drinking water from Uniroyal's on-site dumped and buried toxic liquid wastes. The north wellfield consisting of at least E2, E3, E5, E6 was slightly upgradient and mostly cross gradient from the natural groundwater flow from Northeast to Southwest. Of course as any first year hydrogeology student can tell you  pumping wells (drinking water) can readily reverse natural groundwater flows. Hence the north wellfield was by no means isolated from Uniroyal's contamination. In fact by installing pumping wells south-west of Uniroyal our erudite councillors merely accelerated the contaminated natural groundwater flow into our drinking water system via the 1970 new south wellfield (E7, E9).

To date I believe that two councillors have thrown their hats into the ring for position of mayor. The possibly unfortunate result is that we are likely to lose one reasonably good councillor who loses his council seat at the same time as they lose the mayoral race. Unfortunately I do not know either candidate well enough at this point in time to have a favourite. For decades Woolwich residents have been dealt a series of crappy mayors and numerous councillors hell bent on pleasing local, influential big shots. The divine right of kings has long been transformed into the divine right of the monied class to rule the rest of us. The one mayoral exception I mentioned in the first sentence was Todd Cowan in October 2014. Sandy Shantz was incredibly lucky that he self-destructed and basically handed the mayor's job to her. Yes it also helped that she was an attractive female with a Mennonite last name and a background as a church volunteer.  Other than that she was hopelessly unqualified other than being appointed Chair of the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) around 1997 or 1998. I and many others are pleased that the moral and ethical behaviour of that school board has been exposed through various crises over the decades including the Caroline Burjowski public relations disaster for the Board as well as various attempts to silence trustees such as Mike Ramsey.

The Todd Cowan council (Oct. 2010-Oct. 2014) made serious moves to transform CPAC (Chemtura Public Advisory Committee) into a legitimate, citizens run committee both asking tough questions and demanding honest answers from those unwilling to do so. Ms. Shantz unravelled that committee by removing all but one member and bringing in initially some of her curling friends from the local curling club if you can believe it. Unfrigging unbelieveable but that was her solution albeit pressed upon her by likely the CAO as well as Uniroyal/Chemtura and the Ont. M.O.E. Todd Cowan's weaknesses and failures doomed his future prospects electorally and otherwise as well as killed the likely last chance to turn around the environmental "cleanup" into a real cleanup.

UNIROYAL, CROMPTON, CHEMTURA & LANXESS HAVE A 100% FAILURE RATE

 

NDMA has not been reduced to drinking water standards. Chlorobenzene has not been reduced to drinking water standards. Ammonia has not been reduced to drinking water standards. How many other dissolved solvents, pesticides, rubber additives and agricultural chemicals are still in our groundwater? How many of them are above their drinking water standards? These dissolved chemicals by the way are not in just one of our drinking water aquifers but in both the Municipal Upper (MU) and the Municipal Lower (ML) aquifers. Merely as an aside what is the drinking water standard for water with multiple toxins in it? Is it higher or lower than with only one toxin in it? What about water with two or three toxins above drinking water standards and with another dozen or more toxic chemicals that however are below their drinking water standards? As of this point in time science can not answer those questions. Common sense fortunately can despite all attempts to prohibit it by guilty parties and replace it with bought and paid for by the polluter opinionated suits. 

 Then of course there is the Canagagigue Creek. There has been decades of sampling and discovering DDT, dioxins/furans, PCBs, mercury and PAHs the entire length of the downstream Creek from Uniroyal/Lanxess. All of these over the years have exceeded various government health standards for decades yet not one shovelful has been permanently removed. We are talking health standards for benthic communities living in the sediments, creekbank soils, floodplain soils, the sediments in the bottom of the Creek as well as fish tissues that have bioaccumulated the toxins. The failure to date to clean up these toxins from the Creek has negatively affected wildlife, the environment and human beings living and farming along the Creek. I believe that some day Woolwich Township's abandonment of the Old Order Mennonite farmers along the Creek will be viewed as potentially criminal behaviour. 

Meanwhile TRAC will continue to be both the centerpiece of the cheerleading brigade as well as the scapegoat when it all hits the fan. I will enjoy watching Sandy Shantz, Susan Bryant, Nathan Cadeau, Tiffany Svensson and others twist in the wind as they are abandoned by Lanxess, Waterloo Region, the Ontario MECP and the other fellow travellors. 

THE COST OF IGNORING DNAPLS, DIOXINS, DDT (INCLUDING DDD & DDE), PCBs & MERCURY

 

Hindsight allegedly being 20/20 I believe the reason that our so called authorities have studiously ignored, minimized and silenced discussion around these highly toxic, persistent and mostly organic pollutants (POPs) is their tacit belief from the beginning that the Elmira Aquifers would not/could not ever be remediated to drinking water standards. At the very least all parties way back in the early 1990s after the EAB (Environmental Appeal Board) was bilaterally shut down were committed to NOT publicly criticizing and disparaging each other. They knew that the magnitude of their misbehaviour and negligence was such that it could permanently rupture public confidence in our entire political/judicial/economic systems.

Hence the big LIE began. Yes we can do it! Yes using the "cheapest and least effective" remediation method of Pump & Treat (hydraulic containment) we will restore the Elmira Aquifers to drinking water standards by 2028. This lie was LOUDLY proclaimed for twenty-five years by Uniroyal Chemical, Crompton & Knowles and Chemtura even years after CPAC, myself and numerous colleagues all said otherwise.in the spring of 2012.  

In reality I am an optimist who believes that with proper, professional and unbiased study, effort and expenditure of resources the groundwater resource could have been saved. That likelihood now, decades later, is greatly diminished thanks to the efforts of Sandy Shantz, Susan Bryant, the Ontario MECP, Woolwich Township, Lanxess (& predecessors) and Waterloo Region. Yes I believe that the dissolved NDMA, chlorobenzene, ammonia and so much more can eventually be reduced considerably more. It is the list of POPs plus mercury above that likely will be the toxic sticking point. As our authorities and others have lied to us for so many decades they have wasted opportunities to find and remove them throughout the past 36 years. However much they were diffused and entrenched into low permeability soils and aquitards, time has only increased the removal difficulties and costs.      

Penny wise and pound foolish is an old English saying. In this context if Uniroyal and our governments had spent less time and money on face saving, public relations and gamesmanship and done the right thing from the beginning as many citizens so advised, we would be so much closer to restoring our aquifers to clean, potable water. 

 

ANOTHER MOSTLY USELESS TRAC MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY JUNE 18/26

 

When I say "useless" I guess I had better be more specific. The TRAC meeting is "useless" from the point of view of the public interest. It is however highly useful from the point of view of Lanxess, the MECP, Woolwich Township and all the other "fellow travellors" who feel that it is in their best interests to keep the public in the dark and to support plans that have guaranteed groundwater remediation failure. Pump & Treat aka Pump & Dump has always been known as the "...cheapest, least effective" groundwater remediation methodology which apparently is why it was so embraced by Uniroyal Chemical way back in the early 1990s.

The other reason that it has been both embraced and supported by Woolwich, Waterloo Region, the MECP (Ministry of Environment, Conservation & Parks), GRCA etc. is because mud slinging between all the guilty parties just listed was ended and has remained so by agreements from the dirty polluter (Uniroyal), their successors (Crompton, Chemtura, Lanxess) as well as the political bodies listed. 

TRAC (Technical Remediation & Advisory Committee) aka Thoughtfully Rotten & Corrupt has been extremely helpful in selling the sham "cleanup" to the public. Even now it has  a place in the propaganda put out by our mayor and the MECP claiming some kind of moral victory over NDMA, chlorobenzene, ammonia and all the other long unnamed and ignored contaminants including DNAPLS, dioxins and DDT.  

Now the guiltiest of the government bodies certainly is the MECP formerly MOE. Once again however municipal and regional woosies...oops I mean politicians know their place and are not going to want to ever be seen as at odds with the higher tier levels of government whether provincial or federal. It is the great weakness of democracy in that we do not generally attract the best and brightest so much as the laziest but most power hungry individuals to run for office. Sometimes we the public get lucky but not nearly often enough as the gross failures of the Elmira Water Crisis indicate locally and as Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle East indicate internationally. 

For the record I believe that it is more accurate to refer to the MECP  not as it has been in the second paragraph above but as the Ministry of Expanded Corporate Pollution. They are particularly large polluters best friends. Little polluters they will bash hard if it suits them.

Undemocratic twits and idiots like Donald Trump presiding over the most powerful nation on earth are so stupid that they actually lecture other countries about not being democracies like the ones that they are currently ruining. 

PRECISELY WHO AT WATERLOO REGION DELAYED THE OBVIOUS FIX FOR WILMOT RESIDENTS?

 

Who exactly? Was it staff or was it elected councillors?  If councillors, who were the ringleaders who made Wilmot residents wait six months and longer for emergency water supplies? Record reporter Luisa D'Amato in today's paper seems pleased and satisfied that the Region are now offering immediate hookups to large tanks of water placed outside homes with water shortages in Wilmot Township. Yes that solution which was also used decades ago when the Region first started pumping water from Wilmot to serve the thirsty and growing cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, appears to be a good one. Who were the twits and twerps in any way at all blocking, forgetting or dragging their feet on this emergency solution to serious water shortages for numerous Wilmot residents? They need to be identified and shown the door, elected or otherwise. Ms. D'Amato is correct when she states that it is no fun to balance powerful competing interests however I see the powerful interests all on one side and that is the developers and builders. Sure as hell the residents and voters in Wilmot have been studiously ignored and treated with disdain throughout by the other parties including Waterloo Region councillors.

Today's K-W Record has Ms. D'Amato's article titled "One bright spot in a sea of problems" on the front page.

TOO MANY REGIONAL COUNCILLORS WORK FOR WEALTHY BIGSHOTS AND NOT FOR ALL THE CITIZENS

 

Those councillors  do their best work behind the scenes. Generally speaking public council meetings are not places for the truth to emerge as much as for slogans and mom and apple pie statements to be made. Even when councillors vote against doing the right thing they never have the honesty or guts to say outright that they want their campaign donations to continue hence they sure as heck aren't going to offend builders or developers by publicly calling them leeches or parasites grossly profiting from people's desires to own their own home for themselves and to raise their children. If smaller, modestly priced homes in subdivisions are less profitable to develop and build then without sweeteners or government subsidies they will stick to the bigger, more profitable builds. 

At the regional council meeting two days ago councillors voted in favour of pumping another 15 litres per second of water from Wilmot Township wellfields. At the same time they verbally advise that they are in the process of updating and improving their well interference processes and protocols. Too little too late you twits. Being "in the process of updating" does not allow some residents to do their laundry today. It does not allow multiple family members to take showers and wash dishes for example on the same day. Flushing toilets is now on the "If it's yellow let it mellow and if it's brown flush it down" system. "  Seeing that sign at a cottage with a very shallow well in a dry August might be tolerable but in your full time home with multiple family members it's not. 

I know what I would like to advise Wilmot Council and residents but I think it would get me into trouble. Let's just say that some well thought out civil disobedience might get the Region's attention and loosen their wallets to permit immediate funds to be available for drilling either new private wells or deeper wells for residents long experiencing water shortages that will only get worse with the Region's increased pumping of their water. Holding back on tax payments might actually be merely the tip of the iceberg necessary to get action versus mere attention from them.

Today's K-W Record article is titled "Water rationing for new builds to begin" by Bill Jackson.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MISSTEPS NEED CORRECTION

 

I've been watching the ongoing online and elsewhere arguments and discussion regarding the federal government's proposed firearms confiscation program. I will not call it a "buyback" for two reasons. One the government never owned those firearms in the first place and secondly a proposed "buyback" that refuses to guarantee payment, whether full or partial value, is not a "buyback", it's a perverse lottery with one heck of a high ticket price that you are paying.  Some citizens receiving compensation (full value or partial)  and others not. I equate that with some kind of pyramid scheme and shame on our government for playing games with our legally purchased, legally possessed and legally used firearms.

There is also the issue of private property. Today the government wants to either forcibly physically  or by  threat  take rifles and even some shotguns that they deem "assault style".  I also do not agree or acknowledge that the majority of firearms on their #hit list are any such thing. In fact I am going to name them ..."asphalt style" because some of them are black in colour. Various different characteristics including colour, grip style, magazine type, caliber and method of operation  are used to justify lumping around 2,500 makes and models as "asphalt style". I mean hey I've got just as much right to make up names for guns that our politicians do and in fact so do you. The difference is that I admit my name is ridiculous whereas Liberal politicians with a straight face will not.

I acknowledge the trauma, the stress, the abhorrence of violence and the anger that survivors of shootings have. I too, just like 99.5%  of the rest of us, probably find it difficult to fully comprehend the depth of those understandable emotions. The issue I have is this. I have never shot anyone and hope to God that I never am put in the position to have to do so. That said literally half a century ago I worked part time as an armed Brink's guard and not to protect bags of money but to protect my partner actually had to unholster that gun (revolver) in public in the line of duty. It turned out to be a false alarm as two young and immature but adult males thought that intentionally faking a robbery would be funny. It was not and believe it or not they actually were shocked to be looking down the business end of a firearm. I too was shocked but followed my limited training and the situation was resolved without violence or injury.

 Many thousands to millions of Canadian citizens are now being cast as potential murderers by our own government who know full well that that is ridiculous. I could understand our government tightening both training and supervision of hunters, target shooters, collectors etc. Just like having older seniors take bi-annual exams to ensure their safety behind the wheel of a car it should not offend  them to be asked to prove safety competency and understanding on the firearms range. That makes sense but stealing Canadians' guns under the guise of public safety is insulting, disrespectful and dishonest. It may yet even prove to be unlawful.  

WOW I WOULD CHARACTERIZE THE REGION"S TREATMENT OF WILMOT TWN. AS PETTY, DISRESPECTFUL AND WORTHY OF CONDEMNATION

 

It's not just the fact that they've already lied to them, stolen their water contrary to a written agreement and passed a formal motion permitting new water taking from their Township which is already facing lower water elevations and private well dysfunctions. On top of that they have advised that despite more water being pumped from Wilmot for the benefit of other municipalities, Wilmot Township will not have any extra water allocated to themselves with Kitchener getting 51.1 %, Waterloo 24%, Woolwich 14.8% and Cambridge 10.1 %. It is the reason given for Wilmot getting nothing that I find shocking. It is stated in today's K-W Record article by Joe McGuinty that "...virtually no extra water will be allocated to the township as it declined an invitation to participate in a working group." Following that apparent punitive comment, insult is added to injury when the reporter then adds that "Wilmot will get 0.01 % of new water allocation, or enough for one person." It's Wilmot's water and the Region aren't satisfied with taking it without permission but they also have to throw insults at the Township that is carrying the rest of the Region on their backs through this water crisis?

On the front page of the Record in a different article by Luisa D'Amato there is a quote from a news release by the Waterloo Region Home Builders' Association which states "This is a catastrophic failure of mismanagement by the region at the worst possible time,".  That's a minor exaggeration as but for the federal government finally cracking down on the massive, infrastructurally unprepared for influx of foreign students, it could have been much worse. Last year Waterloo Region only grew by a miniscule 90 persons compared to thousands and thousands per year prior far outstripping housing, jobs, medical, water and wastewater abilities to handle. 

The Region have listed their suggested plans and timelines and I see nothing that will please anyone in them. Literally as I speak right now regional councillors are hearing from local citizens and builders and developers at regional council and I expect that it will get loud and raucous.

WOOLWICH WATER CRISIS EQUALS FANTASY LAND

 

This is the land where major cleanup issues are never resolved, they simply disappear and die. From DNAPLS to Stroh Drain, Optimization to refusal to hydraulically contain all aquifers on the Lanxess site to other industrial sources present in Elmira and ignored for decades to the gross coverup for decades of the Varnicolor Chemical site; it's been one series of lies and deceptions after another.

Another huge issue is why Varnicolor a recycler of used solvents supposedly never had any chlorobenzene on their site.  Who are they kidding? Chlorobenzene is a major solvent used both as an intermediary in many chemical reactions as well as a primary solvent involved with paints and dyes yet we are to believe that absolutely zero was found in and under the soils of Varnicolor's Union St. site. 

Other unanswered questions include why the groundwater cleanup at Motiveair on First St. was kept hidden from the public as well as from CPAC and UPAC. Yes the cleanup was caused by Varnicolor's negligence and poor solvent handling but clearly the MECP and others did not want the public or myself to find out about that.  There are also a number of unanswered questions to this day about Varnicolor's property on Union St. as well as the one (called TriUnion years agio) located on Howard Ave. Finally where did the only recently admitted free phase DNAPL located by the Howard St. Water Tower and OW57-32R come from? Who was the source: Varnicolor, Borg Textiles, Uniroyal Chemical?

These unanswered questions are why Woolwich Township, Lanxess, the MECP and others have frozen me out as much as possible from cleanup participation and discussions. Packs of liars congregate together. 

P.S. Tell us about other known spills in and around Elmira, Ontario over the decades and not just the garages and service stations.

WATER CRISIS IS COSTING THE WEALTHY MONEY: IT'S ALSO COSTING WILMOT RESIDENTS WORSE THAN THAT

 The title of one of the water articles in last Saturday's K-W Record is "Water crisis costing  major dollars ".  Both developers and municipalities allegedly are losing money with delays from the water crisis. Frankly I may feel badly for the construction workers who may or may not be currently losing employment but I'm less sure of feeling badly for the municipalities. They and their politicians are and always have been part of the problem. Also I thought our brain trusts had finally admitted that growth does not pay for itself and never has. That growth is subsidized year after year by higher taxes from long suffering residents . 

Parts of Waterloo Region can still build and develop as usual such as most of Cambridge , North Dumphries, Baden and New Hamburg.  Also developments and buildings that do not require additional water demand are exempt from the current hold on development.  Supposedly municipalities are losing out on Development Charges (DCs) as they are being greatly delayed. Again my understanding is that Development Charges may offset the costs of extending sewers or water lines etc. but that they do not cover 100% of the costs of growth which eventually include greater snow plowing, fire service and police service not to mention health care, hospitals etc. All in all I don't feel that citizens are remotely getting the full and honest versions of the negative sides of growth which of course also include environmental costs. Just ask residents of beautiful neighbourhoods whose vacant lots and wooded areas are under constant pressure from developers nibbling at the edges or worse. 

My advice to the Region of Waterloo is stay the course, get your water infrastructure improved and don't be harassed into premature lessening of the current development restrictions until everybody's water supply is stabilized and improved.

ARE REGIONAL COUNCILLORS STUPID, TONE DEAF OR ALL TRYING TO LOSE IN THIS FALLS MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS?

 

You almost have to think that when everybody are unhappy with the Region's water decisions that maybe they really are all trying to get the boot this fall. Don't they know that they can simply say "I've had enough of the good times and am uninterested in the bad times so goodbye. "? 

Firstly they are about to take 15 litres per second more water from Wilmot wells. This item should not even be on the table until AFTER they have committed to drilling old wells deeper or new wells for Wilmot residents whose wells are no longer reliably providing water. This "commitment" does not mean either verbally or in writing because they are proven liars and deceivers.  This "commitment" means the cheque or cash is in the hands of the residents desperately needing them for immediate construction of new or deeper wells.

How clear has it become that the developers and builders are the tail wagging the dog? Man we've recently seen Woolwich Township cut and run from a single wealthy individual whose wants, not needs, for an enclosed, full size, full amenities ice rink on his property buffaloed them. Now over and over again we publicly see developers and builders telling the Region what to do and the difference between us and them is that the Region says O.K. to them. 

Basically the developers and builders have given the Region of Waterloo a deadline and it is June 3/26. That is this coming Wednesday and presumably will occur at the regional council meeting. That is when those in charge will find out if their specific projects have been allocated enough water to go ahead and start building, essentially after the cities give them the building permits and or other required documentation. Make no doubt any failure by the Region to do so this Wednesday will likely result in legal action by those far more entitled than you or I to continue making millions of dollars building homes, apartments, townhouses etc. for the Region's no longer grossly expanding population. Federal government policies finally stopping mass unneeded immigration have been enacted. That said allegedly there were only 90 new residents in Waterloo Region last year which seems unbelievable in the opposite direction of what we've had for the last twenty to fourty years.  

Politicians as well as those in charge may have gone too far this time as many of us have lost all trust in those who run the Region of Waterloo. Today's K-W Record have several water articles keeping us informed as to the latest nonsense going on.

THE TALK AND THE ROUND & ROUND IN CIRCLES NEVER ENDS, IT JUST GOES ON FOREVER

 

The Woolwich Observer published a Letter To The Editor from Ms. Bryant that was commenting on an earlier article in the Observer (Oct. 12/23) titled "Lanxess study finds Canagagigue contaminants pose no unacceptable risk". Ms. Bryant's Letter To The Editor one week later is titled "Canagagigue hotspots should be addressed".  Well yes as a matter of fact they should and only a wealthy corporation with more money than ethics could think otherwise. 

There is of course no health study to back up the Risk Assessment claims of no unacceptable risk. There is however reams of paper involved in a number of Draft reports as well as in the possibly final report. As stated lots of contaminants were found some 1,000 times higher than regulated standards. These contaminants are long proven Persistent Organic Pollutants (Pops) including DDT, DDD, DDE, dioxins and furans, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), PCBs and mercury. They are found in the bottom of the Creek as sediments as well as along the Creek as creekbank soils plus further away from the Creek as Floodplain soils. Finally they are also found in members of the Benthic community that lives within the sediment and finally via bioaccumulation have moved up the food chain into fish tissues. These fish of course are also predated upon by birds of prey, raccoons, foxes, coyotes and more. Yes the fish tissue concentrations also exceed published health criteria  None of this seems to matter to the suits merely doing the job they were paid to do.

This situation is the result of money talking. The successor polluter has more money for legal battles than the Township, the Ministry of Environment (MECP) or anybody else involved. They are not afraid to spend it to save themselves millions in further cleanup costs. In my opinion both human health and environmental health for them are not nearly the priority that shareholders' profits are. Money talks!

THE BRASS, THE AUDACITY, THE NERVE & SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT IS BOTH SHOCKING AND DISGRACEFUL

 

This is not the first time that hockey of all things has determined the makeup of Woolwich Council. The irony is that Mayor Shantz's initial win (20 years ago?) as a councillor over Pat McLean was not due to any remote superior character, education or experience but due to Sandy Shantz publicly supporting a two ice rink recreation centre whereas Pat wanted but one. Now as Sandy is not running again in this falls municipal election she won't lose her seat over her decision to permit the new, private rink to stay. The same may not be said for other councillors whether in favour or against allowing the new rink near Bloomingdale to stay despite the property owner pretty much literally waving their middle finger at Woolwich Council.

It was a calculated, in your face slap to both councillors and planning staff as the very well to do property owner decided to simply ignore zoning and by-law issues by building his personal, fully enclosed and fully equipped ice rink supposedly for his family and friends only versus for commercial purposes. Time will tell as this person has demonstrated a willingness to publicly flip the middle finger at Woolwich Council.

There are many issues involved in this situation and frankly despite my harsh criticism of Woolwich Council environmentally, I almost feel sorry for them with this no win scenario.  Issues include individual's property rights versus the encroachment and expansion of government influence and authority. Issues also unfortunately include the Rule of Law whereby each and every citizen is to be treated equally before the law.  What we clearly see here is an individual with the money and influence simply confronting a municipal government and effectively telling them to #uck off or else I'll see you in court or at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) or both. No subtlety, no apology, no oops I goofed. Any other average citizen treating Council this way would have the Township's lawyers all over them and a very expensive, possibly bankrupt inducing legal battle before them. 

Part of my sympathy for the individual involved has to do with most municipal council's including Woolwich historically lying, deceiving and bullying citizens whenever it pleases them. Think of the Rattasids among others who for a while owned the former Paleshi garage and auto wrecking yard and how they were treated by staff and council. Clearly this individual in Bloomingdale whether through good luck, good management or whatever has the financial means to push back hard and has chosen to do so. His is a classic case of do what you damn well please on your own (very large) property and then ask for forgiveness afterwards with little to no sincerity and a blatant in your face attitude because clearly his lawyers have told him that an expensive legal battle for the Township during an election year will not be wanted by them. 

Frankly half of this looks good on a municipal Township with a long history of both stupidity and arrogance. It's just unfortunate that it sends the message that yes indeed money does put you above the law. Just ask a couple of guys by the name of Nygard and Stronach about how long money can buy you legal protection in this country.

     

  

LOCAL GOOD NEWS: CANAGAGIGUE CREEK IS AS TOXIC AS IT'S BEEN FOR THE LAST TWENTY YEARS BUT BETTER THAN IT WAS THIRTY TO FOURTY YEARS AGO

 

The headline above demonstrates what passes for environmental cleanup and improvement in Woolwich Township particularly between polluters and politicians.

These results are from the recently released 2025 Biomonitoring Report. DDT and metabolites (mostly DDE) in fish tissues are above the CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) Guidelines of 14 ng/g for several reaches in the Creek on the Lanxess (Uniroyal) property.  The guideline is 14 ng/g and the concentrations in Shiners and Bluntnose Minnows averaged between 50 and 70 ng/g, well above guidelines.  

PCB concentrations in fish tissues were all below the CCME Guidelines except for the upstream reach which is interesting. What is just upstream from the former Uniroyal that could have discharged PCBs in the past?

Dioxins and furans concentrations in fish tissues were above the CCME Guidelines of .71 pg/g TEQ (Toxic Equivalency) downstream but below them upstream from Lanxess/Uniroyal.  The downstream composite samples were around 1.6 pg/g which also indicates a decrease from  concentrations that were higher in the early 1990s but have been stable over the last five years. Now this result similar to the others allegedly can not be "...directly or statistically compared with historical MECP tissue data..." due to differences in sampling, fish species assessed and other reasons which I find very convenient and dubious. 

Somewhat strangely the dioxin and furan tissue concentrations in Shiners are higher in 2025 than they were in 2020. One excuse given is that the fish (shiners) averaged a little larger in the 2025 sampling than the earlier one.

All in all this study proves that doing nothing is cheaper than actually cleaning up and that eventually when you stop polluting, concentrations of toxic Persistent Organic Pollutants (Dioxins/DDT/PCBs etc.) tend to decrease over decades.

HOW WILL WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP RECONCILE DOWNSTREAM TOXIC HEALTH EFFECTS WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLACENCY ?

 

By environmental complacency I mean Woolwich Councils' arms length, treat the polluter with kid gloves behaviour and attitudes.  I mean appointing various "citizens" committees whose primary characteristics are deference and submission to credentialed suits. Even that twit Todd Cowan after appointing a more vigorous and aggressive group of knowledgeable citizens to CPAC in early 2011 bent over backwards to Uniroyal/Chemtura pressure to have me removed. That wasn't enough for the Chemtura scum who couldn't stand to have me present as a sub-committee (SWAT)  assisting CPAC along with Dr. Henry Regier and Rich Clausi. They yelled and screamed in late 2014 and the incoming queen (mayor) got rid of in later 2015 the entire CPAC of highly experienced, knowledgeable and even professionals in the field such as Henry, Ron and Graham. All this was to appease Chemtura who didn't like to have to justify or do more than simply pronounce from on high their inadequate cleanup plans.

The various polluters inadequate cleanup of the Elmira Aquifers is now on record. They have utterly failed after twenty-five years of loud and vigorous claims that all was well and they had the cleanup under control. They lied and they were supported all the way by the Ministry of Environment and by Woolwich Township. I and other citizens have talked to each and every  council since then and despite apparently listening they have done little or nothing. They continue to take all words from the MECP and now Lanxess Canada as gospel from proven deceivers. The only way Woolwich Township survive the last thirty-six years of selling out to a world class polluter is with the eyes closed, ears covered behaviour of local citizens. That is also truly disgraceful.

2025 RECEIVER BIOMONITORING REPORT LANXESS CANADA, ELMIRA, ONTARIO

 

This is a 313 page report which I have not read in its' entirety as yet. There are examinations of fish species, fish abundance, fish tissues as well as of other smaller lifeforms (benthic invertebrates) etc. in the Canagagigue Creek. The area examined is from immediately upstream of the Lanxess property to just downstream past their property. 

Regarding an examination of both numbers and types of fish found (via electrofishing) there certainly are larger numbers than there were back in 1998 as well as some improvement particularly in smallmouth bass numbers later in the season (i.e. August). That said the Creek certainly has not been remotely restored to its' glory days when it was a trout stream. Besides contaminants quite simply the Canagagigue no longer is a cold water stream/creek capable of sustaining cold water species such as trout. The Creek continues to this day to be dominated by coarse fish, highly tolerant of pollution, such as shiners, chubs, suckers and carp. Now and again a northern pike will wander by but they are very rare. 

Observations I made show as expected dioxins, furans , DDT and metabolytes in fish tissues. Some sample have only a few congeners others have many.  Regarding DDT breakdown products DDE is much more prevalent than DDD in fish tissues. What did concern me as well was the amount of samples with PCBs in them. Far too many clearly have been uptaking PCBs despite after 36 years of study neither the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MECP) nor the known polluter (Uniroyal/Lanxess) have ever shared the source with us. To me that is similar to just recently finding out that indeed as I've long said there is a second source of chlorobenzene to the Elmira drinking water aquifers, still unnamed. 

While mercury is a known contaminant in the Creek including in fish tissues I haven't found any sampling for mercury in fish tissues to date. That too may be convenient as Uniroyal Chemical also never took credit for mercury in the Creek as well as PCBs. The wildlife and the environment and human beings are suffering from these two contaminants as well but Lanxess and the MECP have shown little to no concern for them. If I had to guess I might suggest that the Woolwich Dam bears some responsibility for the mercury as natural mercury that is submerged can become the more toxic kind. Or not.

Yes there has been improvement from the sewer that Uniroyal Chemical turned the Canagagigue Creek into. There is however still a long ways to go with little apparent enthusiasm to do it.

WORKING FOR ORGANIZED CRIME

 

There's an old joke about a young boy telling his father that when he grows up he wants to work in organized crime. His father pauses then asks: "Government or private?" In my opinion it's not that the system per se is totally past redemption it's that just like private industry it's not necessarily the cream that rises to the top. Too often its' the yes men, the loyalists, the cronys and the good old boys who rise . Those already at the top will talk about the intangibles, the willingness to follow all orders no matter how bizarre, the blind loyalty to either the company or the face of the company. 

There is also an old joke about the head of the company talking to an upcoming executive regarding promotion possibilities.  "We need a man of vision, a man of action, a man capable of surreptitiously disposing of 2,000 barrels of alleged toxic waste."  

In other words loyalty first, second and third with knowledge and experience coming in a strong fourth and fifth. That is the route to the top in both private industry and in government. 

Our local legal system has impressed me twice within the last few days. Could it be an advanced right wing conspiracy solely for he purpose of undermining my opinions and positions? Not likely in this dimension or on this particular planet. I have recently spoken here about the corruption within our local Justice System with a focus on that idiot Justice Craig Parry versus any idiot who is a doctor and their name ryhmes with Cola . Notice just like the K-W Record who now have unnamed reporters (i.e. "Record Staff") writing about this case since the obviously guilty or innocent accused (you choose) was recently acquitted of all criminal charges thus opening the door to civil lawsuits for Libel against any folks who might have prejudged his guilt and  directly or indirectly said so. Well I too am covering my (m)ass by now referring to him as Cola not @*ola. 

Back to my point. I puke at that "decision" by Justice Parry and I applaud the homeless people at the tent encampment at Weber and Victoria St. and Judge Gibson who has given them literally a small, tiny place to hang their hats. Obviously a community of this size can and should do better for our homeless who through layoffs, firings, mental health issues, drug addictions, ridiculous housing costs and so much more are trying to live without even the bare minimum of a roof overhead to keep off the rain and snow.  It behooves me to again say that corruption may be the norm but there are still many within the system who try and who care. 

P.S. The other recent positive impression I've received from the Justice System is their darn quick announcement that they are appealing the Dr. Sloka case to the Ontario Court of Appeal.