Email from London PCB Watch to O

Email from London PCB Watch to Our Elected Representatives.

We've sent the email below to our elected representatives at all levels; Municipal, Provincial, and Federal. As stated in the email we've tried previously to get answers and have been largely ignored. Our hope is to get some answers and representation in advance of the April 30th meeting at CAW Hall, 606 First Street, London (response from our community has been amazing!).

These are your elected representatives. Feel free to follow up with them directly with your concerns.

From: London PCB Watch <pcbwatch@gmail.com>
Date: Apr 24, 2008 11:51 PM
Subject: Updated List of Questions Regarding PCB Clean Up
To: adecicco@london.ca, bmacdona@london.ca, bmacdonald@london.ca, tgosnell@london.ca, bpolhill@london.ca, gbarber@london.ca, ghume@london.ca, kramal.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org, cbentley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org, dmatthews.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org, Pearsg1@parl.gc.ca, mathyi@parl.gc.ca, dawnerskine@rogers.com, tina.dufresne@ontario.ca, jgerretsen.mpp@liberal.ola.org, ghopcrof@london.ca, John.Baird@ec.gc.ca, hhampton-qp@ndp.on.ca, douellette@on.ndp.ca, info@nathancullen.ca, tabunsp-co@ndp.on.ca, john.tory@pc.ola.org, toby.barrett@pc.ola.org, misener@rogers.com, pearsg0@parl.gc.ca, omar.khan@ontario.ca

Dear all,

Some of you have requested that I forward you our specific questions. Please find them below. I previously sent a similar list of questions to Ms. Tina Dufresne at the Ministry of the Environment, as well as Attorney General Chris Bentley's office. To date I have not received a direct answer to any of these questions - many of which require very simple answers. This lack of response is extremely disappointing.

As you are aware, our Community Information Meeting is scheduled for April 30, 2008,7:00 pm at the CAW Hall, 606 First Street in London, Ontario. I understand that many of you are unable to attend this meeting. I can assure you that your physical attendance at this meeting is not our primary concern. Instead we require your attention to provide answers to these important questions. We remain hopeful that you will be able to provide the relevant answers prior to April 30 so that such information can be relayed to the many concerned members of our community.

3. The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) has stated that the site was never intended for permanent storage. How long were the PCBs initially intended to be stored at the site and would the manner/system of storage have been different if it was intended to be permanent?

4. What risks are associated with having stored the PCBs in a site not intended for permanent storage?

6. How often, if ever, are Pottersburg Creek, Walkers Drain and the surrounding environment tested for PCB contamination?

7. Why was there a 5 year gap between the initial discovery of PCBs in the creek and the beginning of the clean up process in 1985?

8. Attorney Bentley was quoted in the London Free Press as saying that the clean up was meant to "protect the safety of citizens". What is it that we are being protected from?

9. Will the reports written in relation to the initial storage of contaminated soil and any reports/documents related to the contamination and cleanup in the early 1980's be made available to the public?

10. Will the terms of the agreement by which the Province acquired the land in which the PCBs are stored be made available to the public?

11. Do you have any information regarding the reported agreement between Westinghouse and the Province by which Westinghouse paid $800,000 on the promise of no more liability?

12. Did the Province or MOE ever fine or otherwise sanction Westinghouse for allowing the PCBs to contaminate Pottersburg Creek?

Your assistance is very much appreciated.