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Thank You!

The Community has spoken loudly and clearly about its concerns with the St Marys Permit To Take Water (PTTW) application and planned Groundwater Recirculation System (GRS) testing.

Well over 150 (that we know of) residents and community stakeholders e-mailed, faxed, and mailed letters to the Ministry of the Environment (MOE). This was in addition to the November 30th, 2006 formal submission from FORCE, on behalf of the Community, which was accompanied by reports from our hydrogeology and natural environment experts. Together, we've recorded our collective and individual concerns:

• We've explained why we think the testing is premature in light of the Ontario Clean Water Act's commitment to a source water protection plan for our area. It is also premature given that hydrogeology, natural environment, transportation, and other studies in support of the development application are still pending.
• We've called for MOE to exercise the precautionary principle because the GRS proposed is clearly unproven technology, without any long term successful precedent in a fractured bedrock setting, such as ours.
• We've explained what our concerns are and substantiated why: potential impacts on the quality and quantity of our drinking water, potential ecological impacts on the creeks and Provincially Significant Wetlands and their resident species, potential flooding impacts for adjacent properties, and more.
• We've questioned how the tests proposed will address the well documented long term causes of failure in GRS systems.
• We've explained our concerns about how any tests conducted should be independently monitored and thoroughly documented to allow for proper assessment.

As a Community, we made substantive, constructive comments. But we did so without losing the passion we have for protecting our Community.

At this point, we do not know what MOE will decide or when they will decide. We should be prepared for the likelihood that before the final decisions are made on the Zoning and Official Plan changes, or before any future Aggregate Resources Act licence decision is made, some testing of proposed mitigation system(s) may have to take place.

If and when testing of a proposed mitigation system does occur, together, we have voiced the Community's concerns and in the process attempted to impact any test work plans, and any terms and conditions, that may be attached to any permit that may be granted.

FORCE will continue to monitor the PTTW application status and will keep the Community informed of any developments.

Once again, Thank You. Thank You for speaking up in defence of our Community.