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Environment THE WEEKEND OUTLOOK June 14 Page Groundwater must be protected By BARBARA HALSALL In a recent article in Har rowsmith magazine Prof John Cherry head of the Groundwater Institute at the University of Waterloo is quoted as saying Groundwater protection is in essence existent in Canada He goes on to say that we re a Third World country on this issue In a country where more than six million Canadians depend on groundwater how could we operate with such blind faith The water for Georgetown Acton and all the farms in between comes from groundwater yet some do not realize they are drinking water from wells The water we drink is called hard water However the minerals that give it hardness are beneficial to our health In a Halton Region Report on water an American study is quoted showing a per cent lower rate for heart disease and hardening of the arteries in areas where these minerals are present in the water What happens when water is polluted The people of Elmira can tell you that when water is contaminated the answers are not easy The responsibility for water is shared making it easy to pass off the problem In November 1989 had three of the six municipal wells closed because a suspected cancer causing agent was in the water Now a year and a half later the problem has not been solved The polluters are appeal ing clean up orders through ex pensive protracted appeal board hearings This is a disgrace Must citizens line up dead bodies to get action Unfortunately once an aquifer is contaminated it cannot be returned to its original state A Waterloo based hydrogeologist Dave Belanger estimates that a complete cleanup of the contamination in Elmira could take years and cost tens of millions of dollars At the end would there be any assurance that the water would be safe A litt pollution goes a long way One gallon of gasoline can contaminate million gallons of groundwater The key is prevention Once water is polluted who has respon POWER will ex amine that question at a public meeting on June 20th at p m at Holy Cross Church Hall on Maple Avenue Attend the Town Meeting to get your questions answered You can make a ference Environment should take precedence over town development plans When it comes to development or the environment the environ should take precedence especially as it concerns Halton Hills and the Town s unique and fragile environment says local environmentalist Ashley Ranson Mr Ashley is quick to point out he is not anti development The Town has to grow said Mr Ran son However we don t want to destroy what we have got therefore a development pro posal must be proven to be totally environmentally friendly before the Town gives it draft approval Draft approval means in principle allowing the developer to do some preliminary work on a site As part of a draft approval the developer must fulfill certain conditions before construction on the project can proceed full steam ahead For example Law Develop ment has received draft approval for the Kingsmill townhous development in the River Drive area of Georgetow That means the company is permitted to do some clearing of the site However construction of the can t begin until Maple Avenue is expanded to ac commodate the resulting in crease in traffic flow The Maple Avenue expansion is currently undergoing a class en study which is being carried out by the Town The study is being done in accordance with Ontario Environmental Assessment Act Not pointing to any specific development proposal in Town Mr Ashley said by giving draft approval to a developer while an environmental study is being done on an aspect of the project Town staff will feel undue pressure to ensure that the results of the environmental study do not prevent the develop ment project from going ahead Asked whether draft approval should be withheld until all en studies are com Town Planning Director Ian Keith referred the Herald reporter to Halton Region Plann ing Department Regional Planner Ho Wong said Wednesday the existing system could put natural pressure on municipal staff but not enough to compromise the staff s findings He disagreed with Mr Ashley all environmental studies should be done before draft approval is given Mr Wong explained if en vironmental studies under the Environmental Assessment Act had to precede draft approvals under the province s act then that could mean municipalities would be prevented from doing any planning to meet future municipal population growth Planners consider the broad spectrum of where people should live If the detailed en studies outlined under the Environmental Assess ment Act preceded any con sideration of possible develop ment locations the planning pro cess would be stopped at the star ting blocks said Mr Wong However Mr Ashley points to the outcome of an Ontario Municipal Board Hearing OMB in Lindsay Ontario held last summer to prove his point The case involved the Town of Lindsay granting a developer draft approval for a subdivision before an Environmental Study Report concerning the develop ment was completed The board ruled against the granting of the draft approval before the Environmental Study was completed holy cow FUEL EFFICIENT DIESEL Fully loaded automatic power windows power locks air tionmg tu tone paint runn ng boa Only Km Vehicle not exactly as shown ONLY 17995 See Penan tor CAPITAL ACTON MAIN ST IM 8532370 SAVE WITH BOB FRESH FROM THE DELI MAPLE LEAF KITCHEN OR HONEY HAM GEORGETOWN JR POOP MARKET MOORE PARK PLAZA Pleasure To Serve You STORE Friday p CLOSED SUNDAY COUPOM WITH THIS COUPON The Purchase of ONE POUND OF BUTTER r6H C OFF I I SPEC PR WITHOUT COUPON 199 COUPON WITH THIS COUPON SAVI 60 OFF The Purchase of ONE POUND OF KNECHTEL BUTTER SPEC WITHOUT COUPON 3f Coupon 199 Values Ef feci Saturday June through Saturday June