CLASSIFIEDS  ONN DIGITAL NEWSPAPER

 

  Tuesday, September 09, 2003

  HOME > NORTHERN DAILY NEWS >  > LOCAL NEWS
Inside Today
  Local News
  Local Sports
  Tri-Towns News
  Editorials
  Letters to the Editor
  Financial Highlights
  Death Notice
About Northern Daily News
  Contact Info
  Frequently Asked Questions

LINKS

   Community
FEEDBACK
  Read Feedback
  Post Feedback


Adams Mine Rail Haul is stepping up fight against alleged misinformation


RICK OWEN

Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 08:00

Local News - Kirkland Lake:

Adams Mine Rail Haul is stepping up its fight against an alleged misinformation campaign.

Elizabeth Fournier, director of communications for Adams Mine Rail Haul, is not pleased that misinformation is being published and that uniformed comments are being made by some parties concerning the facts, history and availability of the Adams Mine Landfill for disposal of Toronto and GTA waste.

She states: “The facts are simple, the Town of Kirkland has been a willing host since 1990, rail haul to the Adams Mine will save millions in disposal costs, the project will result in extensive investment in environmental infrastructure in Ontario, and the province will save millions in environmental impact costs by using rail versus trucks.

Currently Toronto is sending 100 percent of its garbage to Michigan by truck. In 2003 Ontario will truck about three million tones of garbage on Highway 401, and if the border is restricted there is no available capacity in the province.

Adans Mine Rail Haul takes issue with a letter to the editor from Ontario Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty, that appeared in the Temiskaming Speaker Aug. 13.

Gordon McGuinty, managing director of Adams Mine Rail Hall, in addressing the letter to the editor says: “Your recent letter to the editor in the Temiskaming Speaker in New Liskeard, contained comments regarding the Adams Mine landfill that were inaccurate, and on a broader scale undermine all environmental approvals issued by the Ministry of Environment. Further your comments fail to recognize that the environmental approval process for the Adams Mine landfill has already been challenged in Ontario courts, and deemed to have been fair to the public.

To help counter misinformation about the Adams Mine project, Adams Mine Rail Haul released two letters from consultants that worked on the studies of the project.

Gartner Lee Limited was involved in as an independent peer reviewer of the Adams Mine landfill from 1995 to 1999. Over that period its experts examined technical studies prepared by professional engineers and geoscientists that detailed design and operations.

Robert Leech, M.Eng.Sc. hydrogeologist with Garner Lee Limited, states: “Recently, we have become concerned at the amount of incorrect and misleading information being reported by the media. Under the perceived endorsement of public reporting, many false statements have been given credence. The purpose of the this letter is to set the record straight.”

He continues: “On behalf of two public liaison committees which included representation from the communities of Kirkland Lake, Larder Lake and Englehart, Gartner Lee Limited independently evaluated the environmental integrity of the Adams Mine landfill. Any assertion that the undertaking will cause environmental harm, is untrue and has no basis in fact.”

He concludes the letter by saying: “In our professional opinion, based on much firsthand and extensive review, that the design of the Adams Mine landfill ensures environmental security for the residents of the three surrounding communities and beyond. Furthermore, based on our experience, the scope of the approval monitoring exceed those which are in place at other landfills. For these reasons Gartner Lee Limited looks forward to continued involvement in the development and operations of the landfill. We trust this sets the record straight.”

Golder Associates, an international consulting engineering firm that was formed in 1960 also wrote a letter responding to statements made in the media about the Adams Mine landfill.

Brian Conlin president of Golder states in the letter: “The Adams Mine landfill incorporates a proven hydraulic containment design. We are confident that our landfill design will protect the groundwater resources in the surrounding area. Our professional opinion is based on proven engineering and scientific principles. All technical studies have conclusively demonstrated that inward groundwater flow to the landfill will be maintained, thereby preventing any groundwater impacts in the surrounding area. As a result, the Adams Mine landfill received approval under the Environmental Assessment Act following a public hearing in Kirkland Lake. The landfill has subsequently received the necessary Certificate of Approval for operation from the Ontario Ministry of Environment.”

Conlin finishes his letter by saying: “The Adams Mine landfill is a proper design that provides an environmentally sound solution to solid waste disposal. Our confidence is shared by the technical specialists and peer reviewers who were chosen, by others, to evaluate our work.”


ID- 42326


Printable VersionPrintable Version
Thank you for reading Northern Daily News online. Click here to order convenient home delivery.
Local News
Englehart holds fall fair
Museum profiles area artists








 DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY

© 2003, OSPREY MEDIA GROUP INC.