Zero appetite for going below the water table says Guelph Eramosa Councillor: :
click for article: http://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/index.cfm?page=detail&itmno=15434
Then there is this gem. A 500 acre pit, a James Dick proposal, is the SECOND pit in the area. The first is a 600 acre pit, a Dufferin Aggregates proposal, made under an existing license issued more than 30 years ago which is DIRECTLY across the road from the 500 acre proposal.
EXCERPTS:
There is not expected to be any noticeable impact on water levels in local private wells,” the study says. “The pit ponds’ restricted size was designed to minimize water level effects on local private wells.”
IN THE NEXT BREATH:
"No hydrogeologist in the world will give you a definitive statement,” Harrington said. “There is always the potential for something to happen that is unforeseen.”
click for article: http://www.brantnews.com/news/new-pit-proposed-in-brant/
SOUND FAMILIAR, FARMING AT THE BOTTOM OF A PIT?
Glenn Harrington, a landscape architect working on the project said the site will be progressively rehabilitated into both wetlands and farmland as the operation continues. “It can go back to being as productive as it was,” Harrington said. “
click for article: http://www.brantnews.com/news/burford-gravel-pit-concerns-residents/
The group fighting this madness is Concerned Citizens of Brant.
Send them an email of support. http://ccob.ca/
Hard to believe the bullcorn that comes out of the mouths of aggregate spokespeople. Quarries and pits are supposed to be rehabilitated when the digging has come to an end. The reality is that the industry has figured out a way to get out of this expensive task: they simply walk away when the job is about 85% complete, indicating that they may resume digging and thus never having to rehabilitate. And I'm sure that poisoned wells and contaminated aquifirs are NEVER "expected" to occur. Just another "oops". Enough of this. FOOD AND WATER FIRST.
ReplyDeleteYep, continue spreading this nonsense to create fear without any credible references. Care to share examples of this?
DeleteThere are currently 23,000 hectares of stripped land in gravel pits in Ontario. In the decade 1992-2001, 6000 hectares were disturbed and not rehabilitated. Ontario currently has 6,700 abandoned pits. For whatever reasons, the law that states quarries and pits MUST be rehabilitated is being largely ignored. Could it be because pit operators inspect their own pits?? The aggregate industry is doing a pathetic job of returning their hideous pits and quarries to the state they were in before being plundered. That's a fact.
ReplyDeleteYou can say what ever you want on this blog and it instantly becomes the truth........11feb13
ReplyDelete6,700 abandoned pits, pre date the current laws and were left by yours and mine grandparents....
ReplyDeleteCurrent laws require pits and quarries to be rehabilitated.
Ontario consumes 160-190 million tonnes of gravel a year so one would expect some disturbed lands....
You can play with numbers to make your point, but your still speaking nonsense.
"Some disturbed lands"? We are losing thousands of acres of valuable and irreplaceable agricultural land at an incredible rate. Quarries dug below the water line threaten to contaminate our precious water. The aggregate industry basically oversees itself. There is nonsense going on here indeed, but it's not coming from those of us who want to see the current laws tightened and enforced.
ReplyDeleteUrban development removes far more agricultural lands then aggregate extraction, that is a FACT. To stop one you MUST stop both....
ReplyDelete