BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

Until recently Chemtura and their long time consultants, Conestoga Rovers & Assoc. (CRA), have been somewhat in limbo awaiting various stakeholders comments and criticisms regarding their Groundwater and Contaminant Transport Model Update. This alleged five year update is in actuality their response to CPAC's Resolution from about fifteen months ago. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment via their hydrogeologist, Jaimie Connolly, did give a somewhat limited endorsement at the last CPAC public meeting on June 27/13.

Chemtura have of course been trying to get CPAC to comment and commit upon this their new cleanup plan as well. CPAC as well have been guarded in their enthusiasm and I believe that is an excellent idea. The Elmira cleanup is strewn with the wreckage of a number of half baked, poorly thought out proposals. Furthermore I have seen a tendency for the bare bones only skeleton to be waved around with appropriate oohs and ahs by Chemtura fellow travellors; while Chemtura and CRA await what they feel is their due namely admiration, trust and blind faith.

I believe the expression "the devil is in the details" is quite appropriate here. While currently I don't believe that source removal (ISCO) in two off-site areas combined with a tripling of the off-site pumping rates will accomplish drinking water standards by 2028; it certainly will greatly advance the process. The unresolved issue is this: what will be the environmental cost of achieving these much greater remediation efforts? Why am I so skeptical that major short cuts are not in the cards to "support" Chemtura's new five year plan?

Here is the worst case imaginable scenario. In order to blindly reduce chemical concentrations in the Elmira Aquifers quickly why not just ignore the Canagagigue Creek for example? Add pumping wells, time, labour and cash and pump the Aquifers damn near dry while discharging (dumping) directly into the creek with little or no treatment. Remember all eyes are focused on reducing chemical concentrations in the groundwater. The opportunities for cheating and short cuts are there and the talent for stickhandling and "managing" public opinion and criticism is as well. Who is going to actually stop Chemtura from doing this? Midnight and overnight treatment bypasses might actually not be caught. Our local cop on the beat (M.O.E.) is overweight, out of shape and lacking in ethics. These are just some of the unresolved issues to date.