"Blockade Threatened"

NEW CREDIT - Natives will try to block trucks from dumping 50,000 tons of oil-soaked soil from the 1990 Hagersville tire fire at a regional dump across the road from the New Credit reserve.

Starting Tuesday, trucks are scheduled to move the waste to Haldimand-Norfolk's Tom Howe landfill site near Springvale.

"We've had some ongoing discussions about bringing in heavy equipment, blockades, human chains, things like that," New Credit Chief Larry Sault said Thursday.

"If we have to go to whatever kind of blockades, we'll do it as peaceably as we possibly can. I'm not advocating violence in any way."

Unless a compromise is reached this weekend - a meeting is scheduled this afternoon between Sault and Haldimand-Norfolk Region Chairman Keith Richardson - natives will stop trucks from entering the dump.

More than 40 natives led by Sault, Six Nations Chief Steve Williams and Regional Chief Gord Peters gathered near the dump early Thursday to protest the province's plans to move the oil-saturated soil.

they are worried that the waste will leak into their already poor water supply. Many band members now buy bottled water.

And they criticized the government for ignoring their pleas.

"Our native people's lips are moving but that's all there is," Sault said. "There's no hearing from the provincial side. We don't need additional problems."

WHAT'S HAPPENING: New Credit residents are threatening to use blockades to stop trucks carrying contaminated soil from the Hagersville tire fire site to a landfill site near the reserve.

HISTORY: In February, 1990, a fire destroyed about 14 million tires stored at the Tyre King recycling depot. The 17-day blaze forced about 1,500 Hagersville residents to flee their homes. More than 400,000 litres of oil were collected on the site. The oil was produced by the melted tires.

HOW:The fire was started by five youths after an evening of carousing around Hagersville.

COSTS: The province paid about $10 million battling the fire. Also, the government will pay $2.9 million to move the waste to the landfill site.

QUOTE: "Our native people's lips are moving but that's all there is."