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Whltby Free Pigss, Wednesday, January 11. 1995 .,Page 21 Dfferngviews oni proposed storage facilit By Mike Kowalsld A proposed siewage sludge storage facilit in south Whitby bas some local politicians on different aides of the issue. 1 Regional councillor Joe Drumm adamantly opposes Plans for six sewage sludge hold- ing tanks next te the -Corbett Creek water pollution control plant, eaat of Thickson Road South. Drumm clauns neither Wihitby council, nor nearby homeowners and' businosses, were «fi.lly infor- med" about the Durham Region project until well1 into the appro- Won nfration meeting about the proposaI wiîl be held Thurs- day, Jan. 12, 6:30 pxm., at the Centennial Building, 416 Centre St. S.) Dramni wonders how residents and business owners wiîl enjoy having a facility of this nature in their neighbourhood and ques- tions the wisdom of spending $10 million te build it. The enclosed tanks would stere treated sewge (sludge) from the Corbett Creek plant during the winter months until it can be used as fertilizer by area far- mers. Drumm, however, appears te be the project's lone opponent. Regional councillor Marcel Brunelle and Mayor Tom Edwar.ds support the proposaI as being bot h environmentally sound and economical. While east ward councillor Dennis Fox. no longer bas'any concerns after learning bis initial fears wer? groundless. In addition, local environmen- talist Margaret Carney, who bas been in the forefront'of efforts te preserve noarby Thickson's Woods, is a member of the advi- sory committee mandated by law when a project of this nature is prqo se d. Carney considers the sludge facîlity the best way te protect the woode froni the effects of encroaching development. The proposai has been under- going a class environmental assessment -- as required by p rovincial law -- for more than two years. Yet, Drumm contends the noti- fication process was inadequate. "We weren't consuîted as a council should be," ho said. "If this had been an industrial or commercial development, council would have been more fully informed." Drumm also criticizes tbe ]Region for not seeking private sector involvement te spare tax- payers the brunt of construction costs anid annual operating "Speding$10 million ini capi- tal costs; is absolutely asinine,' he charged. "We haven't even asked tho private sector te be involved.» There waz also the $1.7 million spent te acquire the site, which «I don't think is wortb it," said JOE DRUMM ned about," Brunelle insisted. «Tlhere sbould bo precautions taken -and there should ho infor- mation s]2lied out,» ho said. «I understand peole's con- cerns, but'so ar I don t know of anbod else who bas looked into it wbo0shares bis (Drumm's) con- cerns." As Brunelle explained, the sîudge is «4not raw sewage," but "digestive sewa¶Il treated in the «Thers is no sickening smell that people associate with sswage »"ho stressed.' It wilî ho contained inside six large tanks buried in the ground, gjs like a gas station and we have them aIl over town," Brunelle said. "And the staff we're dealing witb is a ý lot less toic than gasoline or natural gas." Brunelle said the "higgest por- tion" of sludge produced by the Region's plants comes from Cor- bett Creekc, so itimakes sense te locate the sludge facility near the plant., "If we're going te make it cost effective, we have te build it where it costs the least te treat it." Until a few years ago, there would have been no need te consider such a facility, Brunelle noted. _ Sludge not used as fertilizer is now burned at the Duffin's Creek plant in ANax, be said, however, the Ontario governiment. frowns on incineration. . «That's a questionable thing, but we've been doing it long before the NDP and (Environ- ment Minister) Ruth Grier came aîong." Using treated sewae is an Menvironmientalîy sensitive tbing te do," said Br unelle, but there must ho somewhere to store sludge until it can ho spread on the fields. "Putting this back inte the soil is a sgood source of nutrients. It's recycling i another forni," ho said. Brunelle bas heard from only person- with concerns about the proposaI, and ho rejected Drunun's argument that neither the public nor Town council were properly consuîted. <'The Town of Whitby is wel aware of it, the works depart- ment, the planning depart- ment ... the only one apparently not aware is councillor Drumn.» Brunelle conceded that "per- haps there could ho some criti- cim of Town staff for not bring- ing it te the attention of council sooner.7 "But it was advertised widely," ho continued. "Ths is not a secret deal. It's going through the EA (environ- mental assessment) proceas.» Actually, the posed faciîity is now inte the thirdpbhase of the five-stage process, said. Region works official Chang Lee. Tho rs twophaes io vd to select. the preferred design Conct, Les explained. .though tomnorrow night's ses- sion is independent of the pro- cess and not legaIl required, it was scheduled at the request of people who attsnded last month's meeting of. the ýpublic consul- tation committee Lee said. "A number oJ concerns were e n týa gedt ho d a separate meeting to explain te those residents and business owners around the site how it was evaluated and selec- ted,» he said. Lee said Region staff have done, "extensive :consultation" with the public, through meet- ings and the aforementioned committee. >«Whatever issues have been raised by the public have been addressed -- potential odor pro- blems, truck traffie and cost- effectiveness," lhe said. "The working committes unanimously concurred with the site selection.» Thickson's Point resident Car- ney bas been a member of the working committee for more than a year. «I went on the committee with a great deal of concerns and al of the concerns I had, 1 feel have been addressed," she said. These concerns included odour, truck traffic and protection of the Corbett Creek valley and marsh, Carney said. Region staff assured the com- mittee thers will be no odour, MARCEL BRUNELLE Carney said, while a traffic ana- lysis îndicated that when com- pared toe eisting traffîc on Went- wortb Street, the increase in the number of trucks will ho «insigni- ficant." In addition, trucks will ho re- stricted te tbat portion of the site furthest from the creek valley, Carney said. Drivers must also turn off their engines when picldng up a load of sludge.in order to reduce exh aust emissions, she said. The only potential problem could be the Regon reneging on its promise to allow for a "signifi- cant" forested and naturalized buffer -between the site and val- loy, Carney said. «I want it generous enough so that in 20 years they don'tcorne back and say we, need mý-zore warned. But with the giiarantees. the committee hasj been given, «I feel this is the most benign use we can have" said Carney. «Passive tanks would -form more of a protection for the area than any other industrialized usie."y Carney's support is sufficient for Fox, the area's representative on Town council. "I too sharedthe concerns Joe is expressing now, but when I looked into it, my concerns were alleviated,' said Fox. «I talked to Margaret Carney and Suse Eggert and they assured me the application is the best use for the land.». (Committees member Eggoetla a Town council 'watchdog'- who frequentlyý appeals counil deci- sions to'the Ontario Municipal Board if she feels a develppment application lacks sufficient environmental safeguards.) Edwards echoedFPox's com- ments. "Upon checking the niatter out I found a proper su rvey was carried out by the Region, people were consoulted," saidEdwards. "The advice we have from staff isg that this is a suitable loca- tion.» Edwards said the sludge «bas te go somewhere" and does not want Whitby to be 'faccused pf NIMBY (Not In My Backyard)." "As long as the community is protected and there are no adverse conditions, F'm satisfied.» MOS S JL Saigon