tPage 4,, Wliltby Free Press, Wednesciay, January 25,1995 Continued cirîticism of sludge plant p rop osai By Mike Kowall Criticism and condemnation continue te plge a controver- sial sewage sîudge storage faci- lityproposed for south Whitby. Drhm Region's plan te build six sewage sludge holding tanks mext te the Corbêtt Creek sewage treatmemt plant is coming under fire from residents and Whitby politicians alike. While there appears te be no movement te actually sto p he proposed facility frombeng built, pressure is mounting on Region officiais te, re-evaulate, the propsaI. "I sîncerely hope so " said Whitby regional councillor Joe Drumm of the growing demand for another look at the project. «I TRINIARK Z\ CAN DI AN FL ND D) pLi ficiii i3 1 . l .I)')- Save uP. to 40% on Harden & Hickory Chair i ~ The appeal of traditional style...the qualityanvlu of fine furnishings from Rousseau's. Enjoy it ail and save up to 40%1 on ail Harden & Hickory Chair furniture duning Our Winter Sale. 111C HERITAGE HOUSE Iimited store Hnutr. Motiida Wcdncsday 10-6. Thur.-day-1riday 101)c Saturday 9:30-5:30(CkI ie Suildayj 216 Mamry Street East - Wlimtbv - (905> 668-3483 Toronto LUne <905) 686-0061 *-I1800-387-0242 kmow I wilI continue to fight it and ask questions." Although Drumm. is the only Whitby politician te publicly denounce the project, the subject provoked a Iengthy debate at last week's Town council meeti h Most counciliors cTtieil h Region for failing te consuit with nearby residents and themselves until the process te, select a site for the facility was welI under Th~e $10-million, sterage plant has been undergoing a célass emvironmental assesament --as required by Ontario. law - for more than two years. The enclosed tanks would stere treated sewage (sludge) from Duhms various sewage plants until it can be used as ferilizer on area farms. However, concerns about the location, potential odour pro- blems, safeguards ini the event of a spill and increased truck trafic have been raised by nearby Thickson Point residents. Drumm, meanwhile, has dog- gedl1 usued the issue of the poject s cost and Durham's failure e include the private sector in the proposaI. These concerns, and a few of his own, prompted east ward councillor Dennis Fox to announce last week that his in- itial support for the proposaI has wavered. "rve gone throughý a transition of beîmg someone Who is in sup- ~ rt of this te someone who is aving very serious doubts about it," Fox informed council. In a subsequent interview, Fox said he stili favours the concept of a sludge plant. "Basically, we have a problem, we have te deal with and the plant is needed,» he said. "What comcerms me is the size and magnitude. We might need a new location.» Fox concurs with Drumm's suggestion that the facility might be more suited te one of Dur- ham's rural municipalities since farmers wiil be using the sludge. "I have some doubt about whether we want te see this ia prime industrîil area,' he said. But Fox's* main objection is the contention that Whitby residents were mot fully informed until too, late in' the process. "Tlhe question i's whether the residents have been part of the process, particularly those at T'hickson's Point » he said. uIt's comimg týirouh loud and clear that they weren t.» Fox said the mumber and type of questions asked at a recent information meeting on the pro- posai is proof that Region offi- ciais «have mot done a good job" communicating. "I don't want te overreaet, but now rmn faeed with a group of residents who, wonder what's going on » he said. "And 1 have some real doubts about whether this is the right location.» Fox ritczd instf o ROOM To S-T-R-E-T-C-H ... 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While private sector involve- ment has not been ruled out no companies have been asked to particinpate by way of an «expres- sion ofinterest," he said. aAs Gilbert explained, an «expression of interest» je not a tender, but an indication of how much the projeet will cost based on different criteria. "We will examine private deve- Iopment proposais in phase three, but if you dont have any, how can you do itr» he asked. 'Tve not seen any advertising the last two weeks looking for an expression of interests2', While the committee is schedu- led to meet today (Wednesday) at 6:30 p.m. in the Durhamn Region works department at 105 Con- sumers Dr., Gilbert is skeptîcal about the process. « I believe they're gofingtojami tis up Witbys bakside rather than step back and give every- body on the current working committee a chance to examine, lime by lime, every option presen- ted in phase 2A andýB,» he said. The two-part second phase dealt with devising a solution te the Region's sludge problem and then deciding where the facility will be built. Sludge not used as fertilizer is now burned at the DuffiWn'Creek plant in Ajax, but the Ontario goverament. frowns on incine- ration as a means of disposing of sludgze. Gilbert does not know if it is possible te re-exaznine the site' selection process at this stage and worries about Whitby's con- cerns fallimpz on deaf ears. UI'Im just terribly, terribiy afraid that with s0 many people on regiomal cou ncil not fromi Whtby, their imterests are pro- bably a lot less than Whitby's.» Concedingeethat there has "obviousiy n a icmplete (communications) -.process, » regional councillor Marcel Brumelle imsists that Durham has complied with ail the requirements of the class environmiental assessment notifi- cation procedure. «It's the Minist~ of Environ- ment's process., explaimed Brunelle, a member of regiomal coumcil's works committee. «We had a problem of what te do with the sludge and we're goimg by their rules,» he said. But according te Brunelle, the debate over how soon Town coun- cil and resqidents shuld hl Ina 'v... , i. A. e Lt I * A &