[All] Shocking new info re: Potatoes vs. Quarries.

Wed Mar 23 14:25:53 EDT 2011

In a nutshell, the hydrology report is garbage. They didn't do any ground 
penetrating radar study (GPR) so they "assume" based on bore holes the area is 
clay filled as seen in their illustrations but it's an obvious outwash moraine 
feature evident in the topography with highly pervious areas in between clay 
alluvial flows which explains the pit like formations along the slope.  Lay man 
terms: water melts off the glaciers in waves that end at different points. Bore 
hole shows clay being level but GPS often reveals the area to have shingle like 
layers of clay with pure recharge in between. We need better data to reveal the 
recharge function of this area and we need to place a bona fide value on the 
natural function of the aggregates or we're planning in the dark.

Stantec did the EIS reports and it's basically the same issues as the West Side 
Lands: All assumptions, little actual data to reflect seasonal variants, 12 
month creek studies, salt impacts, little regard for sediment types flow and 
flow rates, no regard for water quality issues etc. They promise levels will 
stay the same but there's no bloody info on exactly what those levels actually 
are.  This matter has a huge amount of issues here. THIS IS NOT AN ACCIDENT: The 
more problems, the harder the issue is to contest in terms of cost and time.  
Developers know they can fiscally outlast others in legal challenges. It is 
designed to be this crappy. 

The key to fighting this proposal is to pick the strongest 2 or 3 issues and 
hammer them hard using bona fide scientific evidence otherwise the entire scope 
of this projects weakens with dilution of a thousand issues. The only real 
impact we can have is to secure expert opinion on those key topics and voice the 
issues CLEARLY via our correspondence. If there is a specific passage to site, 
mention the report and page. SHOW the issue of concern, support it with their 
own flawed data if possible than provide expert opinion to contradict their 
claims.

Best and strongest data is always based on studies done on the same properties 
and thank GOD there has been a source water protection review happening across 
Ontario. We need to secure the source water report that refers to these lands. 
We need to secure that info ASAP to see the baseline data. 

Top three OMB worthy issues in my view: Hydrogeology, fish, water quality.

Top 3 political issues: 

1.Taxpayers along the Grand River Watershed are footing MILLIONS to conserve 
water resources and water quality in the Grand River yet this single private 
company seeks the right to exploit 600 million litres of water per day. This 
equals 25% of the daily use of water in Ontario. Why are we wasting millions to 
conserve water when the Highland Quarry intends to exploit for a pittance?

2. The International Joint Committee's 15th Biennial Report on Great Lakes Water 
Quality, states Lake Erie the "poster child" for  eutrophication, yet the 
province expects Waterloo Taxpayers to fund a 1.2 Billion dollar pipeline to 
Erie to support the Provincial growth strategy. How can the citizens along the 
Grand River Watershed communities reasonably secure a solid commitment from our 
Province that will insure that our community has a viable long term viable 
drinkable water supply when this mega quarry is threatening both water quality 
and water volumes heading to the headwaters of the Grand River And Lake Erie? 

3. The Grand River is a National Heritiage River who's gross national revenues 
generate funds equal to Nova Scotia (GRCA). It provides over one million Ontario 
residents with drinking water. Is it reasonable to allow any private firm to 
risk the collapse of this shared water resource? 

Lulu

________________________________
From: Susan Koswan <dandelion at gto.net>
To: gren <all at gren.ca>
Sent: Wed, March 23, 2011 1:29:51 PM
Subject: Re: [All] Shocking new info re: Potatoes vs. Quarries.

I always like to check original sources, so I fact-checked a few of the 
statements made by NDACT and confirmed the following from the studies from 
Highland Companies and they hold up.  We pass this way several times a year to 
cross-country ski up near Duntroon and part of the area touches on the Grand 
River Watershed, so it certainly should be of concern to GREN. Deadline for a 
submission is April 21. Shall we write something up? I’ve just cherry-picked and 
have no interest in reading 3000 pages though…

I can’t believe the size of it! The four dig areas would go below the watertable 
but I don’t think it’s entirely accurate to say it’s 200 feet below watertable.

Also found this:
The area contains the largest population of migrating freshwater trout in 
Southern Ontario. 

http://highlandcompanies.ca/images/uploads/pdf/application/09_Level_I_and_Level_II_Natural_Environment_Technical_Report_and_Environmental_Impact_Study.pdf

The presence of areas with an aquifer with high vulnerability to effects from 
land uses and with significant recharge in and around the Proposed Licence Area 
(page 6)
http://highlandcompanies.ca/images/uploads/pdf/application/05_Hydrogeologic_and_Hydrologic_Assessment_-_Volume_1.pdf

looked at 15 inbound/15 outbound up to 30 inbound/30 outbound trucks per hour 
 page i  in Executive Summary of Quarry Traffic Assessment Survey 

http://highlandcompanies.ca/images/uploads/pdf/application/17_Traffic_Assessment_Study.pdf

Susan K

From:all-bounces at gren.ca [mailto:all-bounces at gren.ca] On Behalf Of Louisette 
Lanteigne
Sent: March-21-11 10:40 PM
To: all at gren.ca
Subject: [All] Shocking new info re: Potatoes vs. Quarries.

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Karren Wallace <karrenwallace at sympatico.ca>
To: Undisclosed-Recipient at yahoo.com
Sent: Mon, March 21, 2011 9:57:40 PM
Subject: RE: NDACT MARCH NEWSLETTER

Please read the newsletter closely for action you can take now in posting to the 
EBR and about NDACT's meeting on April 2, 2011.

The application has dropped and here are some hi-lites
2,400 acre 200 foot below the water table open pit limestone mine in stages
7,200 plus trucks a day-3,600 in and 3,600 out (300 trucks per HOUR) 
DAILY water usage of 600 million litres which equates to the same amount of 
water that 25% of the entire population of Ontario uses DAILY
16 pumps operating 24/7 
365 days a year blasting except on stat holidays

Please do not rely on someone else solving this little problem.  do you travel 
on County Road 124, does your child wait for a bus along any haul routes, do you 
drink water from this watershed, do you run a business in town or know someone 
who does?  Do you rely on municipal water from the NVCA or GRCA?  Are you 
employed by a business that relies on this water or transportation corridor?

Like it or not, this IS everyone's problem so please help!

Karren Wallace 
519-925-5768
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