INDEX PCB Digest - 6/6/02
______________________________________________
1) The Northern Daily News - 6/5/02 - Front Page & Headlines
Battle lines drawn
Matheson, Haileybury, and New Liskeard oppose Bennett
2) The Northern Daily News - 6/5/02 - Front Page
Council angry over opposition
3) The Northern Daily News - 6/5/02 - Letter to the Editor
Writer says Bennett incinerator will hit economy and
keep tourists away from Timiskaming area
______________________________________________
1) The Northern Daily News - 6/5/02 - Front Page & Headlines
Battle lines drawn
Matheson, Haileybury, and New Liskeard oppose Bennett
Jim Patrick
Northern Daily News
Kirkland Lake:
The Battle over Bennett is escalating.
In recent weeks municipal councils in Matheson,
Haileybury and this week, New Liskeard, have come out opposed to the
development of the Bennett Environmental Inc. facility which is
seeking government approval to set up a plant to process contaminated
soil here.
Or if not opposed, some Timiskaming municipalities are
asking for environmental re-evaluation of the process that would set
back the construction of the Bennett plant on Archer Drive and
effectively kill the project.
Municipal council, Tuesday, said it has had enough.
Councillors are fed up!
The situation has deteriorated to the point where
Mayor Bill Enouy is beginning to advocate a boycott of the south end
of the district that could hit at its economy just like their attacks
have hit at Kirkland Lake.
It would be a "tit for tat" response to the
assault " on this town's environmental industry, something
three Kirkland Lake governments have been developing to reverse the
decline the town has undergone since its major mines closed in the
1980s and 1990s.
Mayor Bill Enouy said last night, "During the
debate over the Adams Mine issue and now Bennett, I've tried not to
be Bill Enouy."
But his fiery temper erupted last night after hearing
debate around the table over recent actions by other district
councils opposing Kirkland Lake's move into the environmental industry.
In fact, Councillor Don Weisflock has gone so far as
to ask whether or not Kirkland Lake should withdraw from the
Timiskaming Municipal Association.
"In the last several years there's been no
benefit for this town being a member of that organization. I've
talked to other councillors from here who have gone to those meetings
and they've said it's like 'walking into a war zone'."
Regarding issues or concerns in other municipalities,
Enouy remarked, "I don't point my finger or stick my nose in
others' business.
"But what makes me extremely -angry is I spent
three days talking to people in the Tri- Towns who did not agree with
the actions their councils took over the Bennett project but who had
concerns about it."
He thought he had explained the ; issue and the safety
concerns over Bennett, but when the mayor heard .the news report this
week of New Liskeard council's position against .Bennett, he couldn't
believe his ears and he went directly to the radio station to confirm
the news.
Frustrated that Kirkland Lake and the Bennett project
have not been given a fair assessment by the public in the south end
of the district, Mayor Enouy declared, "A lot of Kirkland Lake
business goes to the south end but not a lot of their business comes here.
People from Kirkland Lake who want to shop, or eat in
restaurants often go to the Tri-Towns.
"Maybe they should look at how they are spending
their dollars, because a friend wouldn't do what they have done to
us. Maybe it's time we acted back. Take our business to Rouyn."
______________________________________________
2) The Northern Daily News - 6/5/02 - Front Page
Council angry over opposition
Jim Patrick
Northern Daily News
Kirkland Lake:
Maybe it's time Kirkland Lakers involve themselves in
environmental issues affecting the south end of the district.
That was the question raised Tuesday at the regular
meeting of council.
This response came in the wake this week of attacks
made by municipalities surrounding Kirkland Lake over the proposed
construction of a soil treatment plant, opposers say will spread
toxic material throughout the area.
"It simply isn't so," councillors say.
Kirkland Lake council members feel decisions have been
made in other municipalities based on misinformation from opposers.
And they think now is the time to reverse the process. Perhaps some
questions should be asked about pollutants moving into the
environment from companies operating in the south end of the district.
"Maybe I want a full environmental assessment of
the agricultural land," said Mayor Bill Enouy.
"The second Walkerton Report said it was manure
from farms that was responsible for that situation. And Justice
O'Connor came out with six recommendations for the agricultural sector."
Coming out with "verbal" fists swinging,
Mayor Enouy also took a swing at Tri-Town manufacturers.
"There are several industries in the Tri-Towns
that produce manganese, chromium and methyl waste. Three hundred tons
a year are produced and moved by truck for disposal."
He said Kirkland Lake council hasn't been concerned
about this so why is there concern over the Bennett project?
"I trust the system to work," Enouy declared
suggesting the above-mentioned material is being transported under
safe conditions and provincial guidelines.
"I don't know how it is sulphur acid can be
carried by A train on tracks through communities including the
Tr-Towns and not a word is said, but then they turn it around and
condemn Bennett, he added.
However, the mayor made it clear he was not advocating
the Ontario Northland Railway stop carrying these materials.
"Because I trust the system,” he reiterated.
Councillor Al French agreed there were ironies in the
current situation.
"How is it the Ministry of the Environment
process works for projects south of Kirkland Lake, but, when one
comes to Kirkland Lake, nobody trusts the process?"
He was referring to Haileybury's waterfront project
several years ago that was constructed by the Town of Haileybury into
Lake Timiskaming.
"Maybe it IS my business what goes on in the Tri-Towns
and I should look at what industries are going in there."
Disappointed with the Town of New Liskeard's
opposition this week to the Bennett plant, French declared, "I
thought they were more professional".
He added at least one politician in the Tri-Towns has
acted like a "hand puppet" for the Bennett opposition.
"I believe they realize they are wrong about
Bennett but they caved in to pressure from the opposition."
Coun. Todd Morgan was also angered by the recent
municipal decisions.
"The Bennett facility is going through the
environmental assessment as outlined under statute. There is no short
or long version. This is a full environmental assessment that is
incredibly detailed.
"I know the hoops and hurdles they've been going through.
"It pains me that something as detailed as this
is passed over by a simple off hand approval to sit on it.
"To dismiss the process as not being trustworthy
is ludicrous.
"I've never heard such nonsense."
"Kirkland Lake can feel confident with the
process and that Bennett is doing things properly," Coun. Morgan concluded.
Coun. Norm Mino stated he was behind the Bennett
project and that he trusted the environmental process.
While people are entitled to their opinion, Mino said
this opposition to Bennett goes beyond reason.
______________________________________________
3) The Northern Daily News - 6/5/02 - Letter to the Editor
Writer says Bennett incinerator will hit economy and
keep tourists away from Timiskaming area
To the Editor:
The Bennett Incinerator, it is built at Kirkland,
would be much bigger than the one they have in Quebec. There are
types of dioxin proven to harm a growing fetus, and young children.
Dioxin can also show up years later in meat and dairy
products, from farms considerable distances away. The same is true of
fish and game.
This risk is good economics? For whom? Ontario history
proves, over, and over again, that neither companies, nor government,
can always protect us, for whatever reasons.
Reasonable, normal people, with common sense, do have
emotion when a toxic waste incinerator, is built practically in the
middle of their town.
Kirkland wants to be an Environmental Solutions Centre
and receive ever more types of waste, till they are wallowing in it.
The rest of Canada will call it that World Toxic Wate Dump Centre.
Tourists and residents of Temiskaming and area, will call it time to
visit or live somewhere else.
Robert Pollock
Englehart
______________________________________________
PCB Digest
http://members.fortunecity.com/toxic/
PCB Information
http://www21.brinkster.com/nopcb/