[All] Fw: Melancthon and Waterloo aggregate issues

[Michael F]

Excellent research and comments, Lulu!  Keep up the great work!

Here are just a few points (in no particular order; these are just my
scribbles) as they come to mind.  The Melancthon case is both intriguing and
appalling.

Melancthon has a very thoughtful mayor (Bill Hill), who makes it clear that
listening to the people is key.  And, no one (other than the people poised
to benefit financially) wants this mega quarry.

The Melancthon township people are correct in that the proposed limestone
quarry, which will extend below the water table and mine out the Amabel
dolostone, will be very detrimental to water supplies (both quality and
quantity).  In this multi-rivers headwaters area, river-ecology impacts are
to be expected.  Premium aquifers would be permanently damaged, and premium
farmland would be lost forever.

How MNR Ministry Linda Jeffrey could so callously say that Melancthon should
simply accept the proposed quarrying unquestioningly and have golf course is
beyond me.  But it's scary to think that she's a minister who is expected to
represent the public interest.

This Jeffrey comment (which some would consider scandalous) is something
that should be in the mainstream press (not just in Shelburne, but all the
big newspapers: Toronto, K-W and Guelph areas).  Maybe some sort of press
release should be sent to the big papers.

A good background article on this is at
http://www.water-watch.ca/water/aggregate/279-melancthon.html.  This
article, which appeared in the Toronto Star, quotes a formula which values
the Amabel dolostone at up to $18 million per acre, which would work out to
about $43 billion for 2400 acres of extraction.  Even if the actual realized
value were just a fraction of that (depends on market vagaries as well
formation thickness: Amabel is about 75 m thick in this part of Ontario), it
would still be a lot of money -- more than enough to please the man behind
it: mega-heavyweight investor Seth Klarman (he's in the same league as
Warren Buffett and George Soros).

Seth Klarman's Baupost Group (Highland Company) now owns thousands of acres
in the area.  Their approach is clever: buy a huge amount of land, use only
a fraction of it for aggregate extraction now, declare the rest for farming
(so they can claim they're farmers), and thus have land that will provide a
steady source of crushed rock for many decades to come.  Over time, they
just keep expanding their pits until they're covered the entire area.  It's
the perfect investment strategy for a very wealthy man who has lots of
assets and who wants to get richer at low risk.  (Seth Klarman has been
averaging a 20% rate of return on his investments...and these types of
low-risk, high-yield investments are only available to people with very deep
pockets.)

On the aggregate page of the Melancthon (
http://www.melancthontownship.ca/aggregateupdate.htm) website, there are two
separate projects mentioned.  The first is the proposed Highland
mega-quarry, for which no technical documents have been posted yet.  But
further down the page, there are links to documents pertaining to a proposed
Strada Aggregates gravel pit above the water table.  Unfortunately, because
the Strada project documents appear on that same webpage as the proposed
Highland quarry, some readers (e.g. those using Google to find documents)
might get the two mixed up.  The proposed Baupost/Highland quarry will
entail drilling, blasting, and quarrying of limestone from below the water
table, then crushing it because angular aggregate is what is used for
roadbed construction.  The Strada project stays above the water table, and
simply entails shovelling off of the overburden layers and selling the sand
and gravel as is.  Such sand and gravel is for general use, such as for
making concrete or covering tar-and-gravel roofs.  It is a completely
separate product from crushed limestone rock.

I think Minister Linda Jeffrey may have confused the two projects.  (She
seems to be the only person who confused them.  No one else has made this
mistake.)  The Strada gravel pit project will still change the landscape (it
may be possible to rehabilitate it to a [pesticide-free] golf course, but
returning it to productive farmland after sand-gravel removal would be
infeasible).  In contrast, the Highland/Baupost/Klarman limestone quarry
would forever be a big hole (sort of like the Elora Quarry, but much, much
bigger).  Quarrying below the water table is much, much more damaging than a
simple sand-gravel pit above the water table.

Big foreign investment companies, like big land developers, have lots of
lobbying power.  Highland/Baupost has been lobbying hard to smooth the way
for its quarry proposal.  The classic Golden Rule appears once again:
Whoever has the gold makes the rules.

Some additional comments on the proposed quarry can be found here:
http://melancthontownship.ca/officialdraft/reviewed-submissions-sept13.pdf

On a more positive note: in that WaterWatch/Star article, it was noted that
the Holland Marsh has been protected against development by an "agricultural
specialty crop" designation.  If we were able to help the Melancthonians to
lobby for such a designation on their high-quality Honeywood silt-loam soil
(a huge swath of which would be lost by the proposed quarrying), then
thousands of acres of pristine aquifer and prime farmland would be spared.

Michael.


2011/3/9 Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>

>
>
> --- On *Wed, 3/9/11, Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>*wrote:
>
>
> From: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
> Subject: Fw: Melancthon and Waterloo aggregate issues
> To: Scarpaleggia.F at parl.gc.ca
> Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2011, 3:41 AM
>
> FYI
>
> --- On *Wed, 3/9/11, Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>*wrote:
>
>
> From: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
> Subject: Melancthon and Waterloo aggregate issues
> To: dmcguinty.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org, ljeffrey.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org,
> jwilkinson.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org, rbartolucci.mpp at liberal.ola.org,
> cmitchell.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org
> Cc: hhampton-qp at ndp.on.ca, toby.barrett at pc.ola.org,
> ernie.hardeman at pc.ola.org, bill.murdoch at ontla.ola.org,
> jerry.ouellette at pc.ola.org, mprue-qp at ndp.on.ca, tabunsp-qp at ndp.on.ca,
> bill_hill at sympatico.ca, trunorth1849 at rogers.com
> Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2011, 3:32 AM
>
> Dear Minister McGuinty and Hon Ministers.
>
> A letter from the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Melancthon to Premier McGuinty
> regarding the Highland Hill Mega Quarry, a project that proposes  a 2,316
> acre below the water table limestone quarry in the Township of Melancthon.
> This letter has recently been posted on Melancthon's website at this link:
>
> http://melancthontownship.ca/aggregateupdate/mcguinty-letter.pdf
>
>
>
>
>
> The document contains the following statements:
>
>
>
> *"...we feel that her (Minister of Natural Resources) comments and
> lukewarm attention to what was being relayed to her...were indicative of the
> fact that our submission did not interest her whatsoever.  In fact, the
> impression we got, was that the ink was already on the rubber stamp."*
>
>
>
> *“it is too bad that this has split your community apart. It is your job
> to get your community back together, get them to think long term about
> rehabilitation, because his will not be going back to agriculture, but maybe
> you could get a nice golf course.” (Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Natural
> Resource)*
>
>
>
> In response, I have included the following two power points as seen in the
> attachments.
>
>
> The first power point is specific to Melancthon and clearly illustrates
> that this proposal for a mega quarry at this location reflects bad planning.
>
>
> I've also included an informational power point illustrating how similar
> aggregate concerns are being raised in Waterloo Region as well.
>
>
> In my view it is unforgivable to allow the depletion of municipal water
> resources and A1 farmlands to be exploited in a non renewable manner. If we
> allow this, it will result in significant externalization of costs for
> taxpayers to have to replace their pristine water supplies with pipelines to
> sources that are already at risk. The farmlands being sacrificed have taken
> generations to establish.
>
>
> The Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller stated in his annual report that
> the Provincial Growth Plan was established before the future water and
> wastewater infrastructure was identified, and their associated costs and
> environment impacts, were assessed. This clearly indicates that provincial
> policies, such as the Growth Plan, favor economic development over
> sustainable planning processes. Not only does the Growth Plan fail to
> require that population allocations be adjusted for communities with
> watersheds close to or already at carrying capacity, it favors large-scale
> infrastructure projects to overcome natural limits.
>
>
> Minister Jeffrey, to imply that a golf course would be in any way
> compensate for the destruction of these valuable farmlands and vital water
> supply is highly disrespectful towards the generations of citizens who call
> this place home. The comment appears to disregards the dedicated farmers who
> have been excellent stewards these remarkable lands for generations. The
> next time you eat Ontario grown foods I sincerely hope you are thankful that
> we have people in this province who's lives have been dedicated in service
> to provide such food for the convenience of you and your family, that your
> life may be free of the burden to have to grow it yourself. At a time when
> the world's major aquifers are already going dry and farmers struggle to
> maintain their trade, we should not take these good people or these blessed
> lands for granted. They have supported lives for centuries.
>
>
> Ontario residents are demanding long term security of their jobs, their
> local food and water supplies in order to reasonably assure these key
> pillars are in place for generations to come. The aggregates are worth a
> pittance compared to the value of having an established renewable localized
> food and water supply. We have yet to reasonably quantify the natural
> capital value of the aggregates, water and farming resources of this area.
> Whatever the value is consider it in perpetuity. These lands have been
> productive for thousands of years. Until a natural capital value has been
> placed on the aggregates, water and farmlands  we cannot reasonably plan
> appropriately.
>
>
> Unless you can reasonably protect the function of the aggregates in regards
> to gathering, transporting water resources, it is irresponsible to peruse
> this project.  Unless you can replicate the natural flow and flow rates and
> water quality going into tributaries and lakes, we should not support the
> unsustainable exploitation of these key aquifer resources.
>
>
> Historically, the human need for asphalt roads only stared in the1800's
> with the use of cars. With light rail systems we could in theory totally
> circumvent the need for roads. In regards to the human need for food and
> water, that has lasted for millions of years and since that time these basic
> resources are still to this day, absolutely irreplaceable.
>
>
> We need governance that support the long term pillars of life to protect
> people and communities above corporate greed and outdated schemes.
>
>
> The public has awakened to the fact that when corporate priorities
> over-influence government priorities, democracy crumbles.  On occasion it
> appears that there are destruction for profit scenarios manifesting which
> utilize flawed Environmental Impact Studies. Often times various experts
> assume the public won't take notice of the details but we now live in an
> enlightened society where citizens are taking notice and when that happens,
> science must reasonably represent the matter based on facts.
>
>
>  Please do not exceed the natural carrying capacity of the lands and
> prioritize water source protection and food security above aggregate needs
> to secure the long term prosperity, food and water security of Ontario.
>
>
> Invest in rails to offset roads, recycle aggregates, or explore options of
> synthetic aggregates which can be produced from a wide diversity of products
> including sewage sludge, pulverized fuel ash,slag, recycled plastics,
> recycled glass and other recycled materials as shown here:
>
>
> http://www.theconcreteproducer.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=1419&articleID=554044
>
>
>  Sludge from wastes can build viable roadways.
>
>
> http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20091410-19999.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+sciencealert-latestnews+(ScienceAlert-Latest+Stories)<http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20091410-19999.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+sciencealert-latestnews+%28ScienceAlert-Latest+Stories%29>
>
>
> As we divert wastes for aggregate production we reduce dependency on
> landfills. We need to start looking at other options to provide for our
> aggregate needs in Ontario and stop exploiting our aquifers for short term
> non renewable fiscal gains.  To save the water and farmlands for the long
> term, along with the economic systems dependent on these water systems, we
> must save the aggregates.
>
>
> Thank you kindly for your time.
>
>
> Louisette Lanteigne
>
> 700 Star Flower Ave.
>
> Waterloo Ontario
> N2V 2L2
>
> <519-885-7619> <519-885-7619>519-885-7619
>
>
>
>
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>
>


-- 
=======================================
Michael Frind
346 Marlowe Drive,
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 5A4
Home <519-885-4415>519-885-4415, Cell <519-572-6043>519-572-6043
frind at execulink.com

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