Email from London PCB Watch to Our Elected Representatives.
Following the Ministry of Enviroment on May 9.08, we've sent the email below to our elected representatives at all levels; Municipal, Provincial, and Federal with updated questions.
These are your elected representatives. Feel free to follow up with them directly with your concerns.
From:
London PCB Watch <pcbwatch@gmail.com>
Date: May 10, 2008 8:36 PM
Subject: Updated Questions re: Decommissioning of Largest PCB Storage Site
in Canada
To:
adecicco@london.ca,
bmacdona@london.ca,
bmacdonald@london.ca,
bpolhill@london.ca,
dmatthews.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org,
douellette@on.ndp.ca,
gbarber@london.ca,
ghopcrof@london.ca,
ghume@london.ca,
graham.pollett@mlhu.on.ca,
hhampton-qp@ndp.on.ca,
info@nathancullen.ca,
jgerretsen.mpp@liberal.ola.org,
jim.reffle@mlhu.on.ca,
jim.richardson@ontario.ca,
John.Baird@ec.gc.ca,
john.tory@pc.ola.org,
mathyi@parl.gc.ca,
misener@rogers.com,
omar.khan@ontario.ca,
pearsg0@parl.gc.ca,
pmcnally@london.ca,
tabunsp-co@ndp.on.ca,
tgosnell@london.ca,
tina.dufresne@ontario.ca,
toby.barrett@pc.ola.org, Bentley_Chris-MPP-CO <cbentley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org>,
"Mathyssen, Irene - Riding 1" <MathyI1@parl.gc.ca>,
Ramal_Khalil-MPP-CO <kramal.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org>,
clemet1@parl.gc.ca,
clemet2@parl.gc.ca
Dear Ms. Dufresne, Dr. Pollett, and all others,
We appreciate you taking the time and effort to hold the community information meeting on May 9, 2008. In our continued effort to approach this issue in an open and co-operative manner please find below (and attached) an updated list of questions in relation to the information provided and assurances made by the Ministry of the Environment and others.
For ease of reference I have separated the list into questions which relate to past concerns and those that touch on the present and future decommissioning plans. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but we hope it will help clarify and clearly articulate many of our community's remaining questions. We are happy to discuss any of these issues with you in greater detail at any time and believe that such direct dialogue is the most effective and efficient way for members of the public to best understand this issue.
Many are concerned that you are moving ahead with the commencement of decommissioning far too quickly. We appreciate that from a safety perspective once ground is broken it is best to complete the project as quickly as possible to minimize PCB re-exposure during the excavation process. However, we fail to understand why the Ministry is in such a hurry to begin the project by the summer of 2008.
The size of this project and the risk it poses to the community make it an exceptional and critically important undertaking. As such, it is essential that we not cut corners or leave anything to chance. It seems that the most responsible course of action is to approach the decommissioning in a measured and consultative manner, with a premium placed on safety and effectiveness, not speed.
For example, studies of air quality in London and in the site area specifically should be conducted so that that any increase in airborne PCB exposure during and after decommissioning can be readily identified. Also, the daycare and other surrounding businesses need to be consulted to ensure the safety of children and employees. Although I'm confident you will select a contractor with the requisite qualifications, it is also critical for us to identify and learn from other communities where similar cleanup efforts have taken place to ensure that mistakes are not repeated, and the decommissioning is performed with as little further harm to our community as possible.
QUESTIONS:
Present and Future Action
1. When will PCB testing of Pottersburg Creek, Walkers Drain, and adjacent soil re-commence? The relevant bar graph in your presentation uses increments of 5000 ppb. What were the specific levels of creek contamination when the last measurements were taken in 2000?
2. When can we expect to see details of plans to perform PCB blood contamination testing for interested community members? Will you work with the Ministries of Labour and Health to ensure that former Westinghouse/ABB and current ABB employees (people still work in the plant) are also tested?
3. Will air quality contamination testing be completed prior to, during, and following the decommissioning so that increases and decreases in airborne PCBs can be identified and tracked?
4. You have noted that trucks used to haul away the contaminated soil will be washed prior to leaving the site. Can you be sure that the contaminated soil washed off does not end up in the City drainage and sewer system?
5. Will the Ministry of Environment issue a control order to ensure that ABB decommissions the PCBs located under and around their building and property?
6. Will the contractor selected to perform the decommissioning be required to uphold the guarantee made by Mr. Richardson at the May 9, 2008 meeting with respect to ensuring that children in the vicinity of the decommissioning will be 100% safe from increased PCB exposure?
Past Events:
7. When can members of the public come to your office at 733 Exeter Road, to view the documents and reports related to the initial discovery of PCBs and subsequent cleanup? Specifically, any agreement which absolved Westinghouse of liability and the agreement by which the Crown acquired the land containing the contaminated soil? Will you make any reports available online so that people can more readily access them?
8. Why was there a 5 year gap between the discovery of PCB contamination in Pottersburg Creek and the commencement of the cleanup process? Why wasn't the community prevented from using the creek during this 5 year period?
9. Will you perform a follow up study of the 50 individuals whose blood was tested in the 1980's to determine whether or not they have displayed higher than normal rates of disease or illness?
10. Was Westinghouse ever fined or otherwise sanctioned for its role in allowing these PCBs to be dumped into our environment?
11. You have stated that the storage cells are not meant for permanent storage. When the storage cells were created was there any estimate on what their useful life would be? Are there other such cells anywhere else that you are aware of? Do you currently have any estimate on how long they can be expected to safely last (10 more years? 100? 1000?).
We look forward to your response and to working with you on this issue in the coming months.
Best regards,
Ali Haidar