Local News - Kirkland Lake:

Adams Mine Rail Haul has started legal action against the Temiskaming Federation of Agriculture and its President John Vanthoff for allegedly making false statements regarding the Adams Mine.

Gordon McGuinty, managing director of the Adams Mine Project, issued a press release Tuesday rejecting claims the Adams Mine technical studies and modelling conducted by consultants as part of the approval process were not done properly.

The TFA hired Ken Howard, a hydrogeologist to examine certain parts of the Adams Mine technical studies. The TFA has only released a summary of Howard's work, and not the detailed study.

"Mr. Howard has advanced an 'opinion' only with no new information whatsoever. Mr. Howard has never visited the site, Mr. Howard refused to meet with consultants who conducted the work, Mr. Howard does not understand the overall project approval process, and Mr. Howard is being paid by the TFA who have continually put forth false information on the project," said McGuinty.

He continued: "The technical studies Howard is talking about were completed by Golders, one of the world's foremost mining consultants, the work was peer reviewed by two independent consulting companies on behalf of the Town of Kirkland Lake and the City of Toronto plus the Ministry of Environment. Our approval and our studies over the past 10 years have proven the landfill totally safe."

McGuinty questions why the TFA is refusing to release the comprehensive details of Howard's opinion to the public. "This opinion has no validity, the TFA has been aware of these studies and had them for review for four years, now with an election coming they put forth this statement in an attempt to confuse the issue, it has no merit whatsoever and Howard's allegations have been examined in depth already."

According to McGuinty Howard refused to support the TFA's recent statements and long-standing position that the Adams Mine South Pit leaks.

"Howard did not support the TFA in their key issue, the South Pit does not leak, the landfill is safe and ground water will not be affected," said McGuinty.

In referring to the Howard study, McGuinty said: "This is an opinion only, it will have no affect on the project. Mr. Howard's refusal to visit the site or meet with the consultants who did the work before giving this opinion shows clearly that he does not understand the entire approval process by Ministry of Environment."

While the TFA has long opposed the Adams Mine Project, the towns of Kirkland Lake and Larder Lake have endorsed the project provided that it passed an environmental assessment.

Timiskaming's MPP David Ramsays he has also joined the opposition to the project, which would provide economic development for the area.

Initially Toronto had been looking at using the Adams Mine Project for its household waste. Toronto instead chose to send its garbage to the U.S., but since it has started shipping garbage south there has been opposition from the U.S. and there have been some problems at the Canada U.S. border.

ID- 41612

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