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HYDROFLUORIC ACID WHY AUTHORITIES ARE RESPECTFUL Dr. David Korn ex- plained Wednesday why such care is being taken with the 39 tons of hydrofluoric acid in a derailed tank car in Medonte Township. The acid is 90.per cent liquid, and 10 per cent vapour. When hydrofluoric acid mixes with snow or water, an exothermic reaction results, he said. The acid vaporizes into an ~ acid mist that will spread as far as the prevailing wind will } carry it. The Simcoe County Medical Health Officer thought that any such mist would dissipate in less than an hour. He ordered an evacuation of the im- mediate area _ last Sunday on the basis of Schedule 1, Section 1, of the Public Health Act, he said. The 39 tons. of hydrofluoric acid will likely be transferred into another car at the derailment _ site. Authorities Wednesday were more in favour of a transfer than of the alternative, picking up the whole tank car without opening it and transporting it by rail to Amherstburg in south- western Ontario. A Ministry of the Environment official, Dr. David Balsillie, said Wednesday that air would be pumped into the tanker to force the acid out. The transfer will be done on a day when' environment officials are certain that wind will be negligible, and consistently in one direction throughout the day. The transfer is ex- pected to take a minimum of _ eight hours. IT'S KILLED BEFORE : 4 Hydrofluoric acid -- the chemical contained " in the tank car to be recovered Monday from the CP Rail train wreck near Hillsdale - has killed at least one man in the past. Professor Jim Smith of the University of Toronto's Chemical Engineering Department told the Times this week that the chemical is an extremely hazardous material which caused the death of a Gulf Canada employee when he was accidentally sprayed with the chemical while on the job. The hydrofluoric acid tank car was trapped beneath the burning wreckage of other cars after Sunday's derailment, a situation which posed a potentially dangerous cleanup problem for firemen and work crews. "If any of the hydrogen fluoride had escaped, people would have know about it,"' Smith said. "It has a quite pungent odor."' He said contact with | the chemical can cause pulmonary endema, as | well as severe skin and » eye burns and, if inhaled in large amounts, "'can readily kill." Area residents will be evacuated again Monday when crews begin work on the delicate operation of bringing the tank car upright. Should any of the chemical escape and mix with water, a lethal vapour could be created and carried downwind. SE a Before the acid can be transferred, the tank car will have to be turned to an_ upright position. Officials expect a day will be needed for this task alone. On this day residents determined to be living up to five miles downwind of the tanker will be advised to leave. An attempt to right the tanker is unlikely until Monday. The transfer will start on the first acceptable following day. The acid would pass from tanker to tanker through steel piping one inch in diameter. Shutoff valves at each end of the piping would limit the amount of acid that would escape if there was a leak. While the acid is being transferred, only the minimum number of people will remain within a one mile radius of the site. Residents in the projected downwind corridor out to five miles will be advised to leave. Annexation attracts an observer _ by Adrienne Graham Gardner A self-appointed watchdog on the development of the annexation fight between Midland and Tiny Township says his investigation has uncovered "very interesting responses so far, especially in Midland." John Morgan, who manages a "fledgling research company,"" is looking into the annexation from all aspects. He says, "I'm not taking sides."' The researcher says that he became interested in the annexation question while following the Barrie-Innisfil battle. He hopes to '"'put out a small publication" on the Midland-Tiny fight for 2,600 acres bordering on Highway 27, "and make a contribution in a small way." Morgan says, "T will possibly make a sub- mission" to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, based on his findings. A permanent resident of the area for 14 years, the researcher is also working on a book. Those interested in making their view on the annexation known can write John Morgan at Golden Rule Enterprises, R.R. 1, Wyevale. Tay Township council has forwarded its en- dorsement of amend- ment 23 to Tiny's Township's official plan to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Resolutions from Tay planning board and council supporting OPA 23 were sent Feb. 23 to the ministry with a covering letter from Tay Township Clerk Brian Hopkins. The resolution by Tay ClOUM Cars 4S bartiesy, "Whereas planning board has reviewed the proposed revisions to the commercial policies relating to the OPA 23 to the Township of Tiny's official plan, and whereas planning board has found these to be acceptable; and whereas this council finds these revisions to be acceptable; and therefore the council of the corporation of the Township of Tay do recommend that the appropriate municip- alities and government agencies be notified that the proposed revisions do not conflict with official plan policies of the Township of Tay." Reeve Charles Rawson of Tay said yesterday, "'Our council has no problem with the (zoning) bylaw; we didn't object to it in the first place." "What happens to (OPA 23) now remains to be seen," Rawson observed. Agreement to Tiny's zoning bylaw has been obtained from Penetanguishene and Tay. Midland has refused to discuss the question pending set- tlement of the an- nexation dispute it is in with Tiny Township. Tribal council office opening by Shirley Whittington Native people from five Indian bands in the Georgian Bay area now look to Midland for the major part of their administrative and counselling support. Many of the services which were formerly provided through Ottawa and the Department of Indian Affairs will now be administered from the Georgian Bay Tribal Council office on Midland's King Street. "Access to Ottawa is always there," said executive director Roger Jackson, "but there has been a major transfer of respon- sibility to this office in Midland." Members of _ the council are working feverishly to complete renovations to the new King Street office. '"'The Band council has bought the building,' reports Roger Jackson, "and we are spending in excess of $50,000 in renovations. We are working toward an opening date some time in mid-April." The Tribal Council received a grant under the Canada Community Development Project program. Other council members have donated time and materials toward the bright new look in the building. If local bylaws and regulations are satisfied, the Tribal Council hopes to open an art gallery and native crafts exhibit area in the crimson carpeted foyer. Director Jackson has already contacted some native artists about exhibiting there. '"'We would certainly like to get this arranged in time for the upcoming tourist season,"' he says. Administrative and other resource staff will work in the building in order to make services available to Indian people in the Georgian Bay area. Included are bands from the French River, Parry Island, Moose Deer Point, Rama, and Christian Island. "It always seemed as though the government was closer to our people and we can give them . ongoing service."' A technical team which includes a planner will help Indian bands resolve problems in housing, fire protection, and capital management. They will also be available on a consultative basis to the Metis and non-status Indian groups. "The planning staff will also get into comprehensive com- munity planning," explains Jackson. "We are looking at things like natural resource management, tourism, land use." The staff at the tribal council office will also take a deep interest in education, health, and recreation in the area. "As far as education goes," says Jackson, "we are now looking at a retrieval program which we hope will attract youth who have dropped out of the school system. We want to see them in a bridging program which will regenerate their in- terest in education." About 80 Indian young people attend school in the Midland area. Social and guidance counselling will be available at the new office for these students. The Georgian Bay Tribal Council has representation on the Simcoe County Board of Education at the policy making level. The Tribal Council began at the Moose Deer Point reserve near MacTier, Ont. "We were a small group," recalls Jackson. "We shared the facilities of the band office at Moose Deer Point. While we were there we got into some programming and planning. Now that reserve has, I think, begun a major recreational centre.' The new Midland office will employ about 10 people, most of them Indian. Roger Jackson and those who work with him at the centre get their direction from the governing board. Chief Rod Monague of Christian Island is chairman, and Chief Flora Tabobondung of Parry Island Reserve is the secretary treasurer. George St. Germain. a councillor from Rama Band, serves as co- chairman of the executive committee. Jackson and the board envisage the possibility of a native people's cultural centre on the site, which will enrich the whole community. Meanwhile everyone is working toward the spring opening which will herald a new spirit in the life of Canada's native people. "'Self-determination is our focus,' says the executive director. ""'We have had a_ good relationship with government in the past, but now we are going to make our own decisions and negotiate our own funding. We are working toward self-. sufficiency."' Friday, March 5, 1982, Page 3