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Stili no. solution to.PCB problemn By Blm kKwaMdk Federal and provincial officialis admit there is little wbich can be done about POBa on board the derelict ferry boat in Whitby harbour. While politicians sud bureaucrats at both levels would prefer te see the chemicala. off 'the vessel, they are at a loas as te how te achieve it. According te Ontario riding Ml> Rene Soetens, an uacceptableP solution te Ottawa was 'ejeted by. the Town of Wbitbyr and Ontarlo governent. Local businessman Art Robinson, owner ol' te Prince Edward Island ferry had applied for permission to store the, PCBs near bis automobile scrap yard in north Whitby. COWABUNGA9 DUDE! Tomi Hail 'p 7p takes a chomp on her pizza while chatting with the Mutant Niïqja Turties. The Turties were at Owasco Volkswagen to help raise money for Witby General Homi a ChdI B<vI.photo But the application will not be pceed by the province as long ZM t'by ojects.. Not until tire code violations and municipal bylaw charges against Robinson in connection with the wrecki7ng yard are resol- ved, will the Town consider his Altoug DuhamCentre MPP Drummond White termied Soe- tons' suggestion "irresponsibler, Whteadmitted he has no alter- nate solution. Earlier this month, Environ- metCanada confirmed .that it wvill, not procéeedwith- a directive ordering Robinson to remove. ,PCBs f&m the boat.- The mhinistry had siapped a clean-up order on, Robinson fol- lowing a, siniking of the vessel in Decem-ber.' An inspection determined there had ben a discharg into Lake Ontario and Robinson was ordered to remove PCB-con- tammnated material and ail other fis from the boat. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were contained i oils used as coolants for electrical transformers until thefr poduc- tion was banned in the 197Os. Tests have inked PCBs3 to causing cancer and other health probiema ilaboratory animais. Thle original Dec. 28 deadline for Robinson's compliance with the government order was exten- ded to Jan. 31 and then to Feb. 15. .The extensions were granted because federal off iciais felt Robinson was malding, an effort tocomply and the PCBs were no longer at risk following a refloat- i&fteboat. . ut as a result of the Town's objection te Robinson'a storage aYpplication, an Environment Canada spokesman said the owner had no other options. The PCBs can remain on the boat as long as two transform'ers containing 500 gallons of the chemical are secure, said the official. Soetens echoed the position taken by Environment Canada. «UndekrýCanadian-lw ta noweist, they (PCB.3)*can sit- there until such ime as it proves te, be a ýthreat te the environ- ment," said Soetens. «The governînent can't simplX take them away fromn the owner. (As long as the boat's transfor- mera are operable, federal offi- ciaIs cannot order their removal unless there is a perceived tbreat te, the environinent. December's sinking provided that oppor- tunity.) 1 Cnceingthat the "public pro- wouî r(ýfc be supportive of the government tak ing action* against the PCBs,» Soetens said arbitrary action is wrong. "The govermnent itself would be breaking theilaws of the country. I don't think any Cana- dian would support breaking the law.» Soetens said he has discussed the. problem, withi the Ontario SER PAGE 2 Coscan projeet under review By MkeKowal An attempt will be made te modiy am. or development plannied for WItw aterronw sntaro gcvernment and Town tafwlll soonmeet with repre- sentatives of Coscan Deve op- ment Corp. te discuss the copm- pan/s proposed Harbour Ile project mPort Whitb. Unlesa provincial concerne about the pooa are resolved te the government'ssaifcon the $160 million developet could be subject te anOnao Municipal Board (OMB) hearin.- Durinig a meeting asat week between provincial and Town officiais, it was decided that staff will examine the proposai in tandem with Coscan. Aznong those attending the meeting were -David Crombie, chairman of a royal cmiso on theG otr rronto .Area's waterfront, and Duncan Aln qmiai adviaor te rme o According te Karen- Smith, senior planner with the Miniatry of Municipal Affairs, there was «general discussion" of -the government'a concerna. "It was agreed that staff at the Town level and municipal affaire staff willmeet with Coscan te look at room for modification,» said Smith. "There was a basic agreement that ail parties are prepared te aeewhat they can dowiith the pr os4'she haM objected te a recen thybylaw approving HborIsIe. Zhe ministry has notifled the Town of ita3 intention te, challenge the bylaw at the 0M9B (an appointed body which rules on municipal matters) unlees its obections are resolved. clde mnxstry' concerne in- * lack of ful public access te Lake Ontario (app -Wmatly300 metresef watr nwll lbecut --off te the public under the cur- rent proposai); * the development's relation- abhip toa proposed walking trail alog te akels shoreline froin Burlington te Newcastle- * the overall sizé ami popula- tion density of the project. Under the Town-approved pro- posaI, Harbour Isle iwill spread acrosa the foot of Brock St*., covermg. 16 acres of land on the west aide and six acres on the easlt. It will include three 15.isterey apartment buildings, 54 tewn- Iouses, a recreation centre and commercial imita. In a previous interview, Smith aaid the government took action because it feels, Harbour IlIe conflicta with "principles" con- tained in, Crmbie .s report on wAmefont development. Aog his reconunedations, Crombie cails for creation of a walking trail -sad making the entire ifretch of lakefrot a pro- vincialrenouroe lie governent intends te im- plement many aspects of the '&I think the devéoper is !up- portive in general of thesepnc pIesfl ... atleaaftthey're wlig to ait downvwith'us," àaid Smith. However she did not know how fleibie Coscan will be. "Obviously they have a pro- posaI at a fairly firin design stagfe. We are cgiato that admltry te orkwihn it," said Smith. A spokesman for Coscan was not available for comment Asth proposa now stands, a the general public, said Smith. But the government is intent on obtaini*gfâlljublic accessibi- &t tethe lae seeadded.' Caecan, with the support of Whitby' planning departinent, MFE PAGE 8 T T- Vol. 21, No. 9 Wednesday, February 27,1991 28 pages