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Home My WebLink AboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-08-24, Page 5 (2)By"JACK RIDDELL MPP Huron -Middlesex Recently Liberal Leader Stuart Smith called upon Premier Davis to reconvene the Legislature as Soon as possible to discuss the total breakdown in the Govern- ment's handling of en- vironmental matters. He set out a number of issues which have been mishandled by the present Minister of the Environment, who assumed his position in January of this year. -The issues cited were Absence of a provincial policy for toxic liquid in- dustrial waste disposal. Withdrawal in March of the ban on non -refillable .pop bottles. Government han- dling of the $35 -million suit against Dow Chemical for mercury pollution of Lake St. Clair - dropped in favour of a paltry $250,000 private settlement with affected fishermen. Failure to make the Environmental Assessment Act effective and meaningful. Failure to develop a policy to deal with the serious problems of solid waste disposal in Metro Toronto. Failure to act on problems of lake acidification in the cottage country, where fish can't survive. The inability of Ontario to comply with commitments to the International Joint Com- mittee on the reat Lakes clean-up. Stuar mith's statement folio ed closely upon the a ouncement of the 'overnment's decision to relax an eight-year old air • pollution control order on International Nickel Co. Ltd., which has been ----described-res- demonstrating the hopeless irony of Ontario pollution enforcement policies. In 1970, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment ordered INCO to stop using two 500:foot chimneys and one 350 -foot chimney at its smelting plant at Copper Cliff, West of Sudbury. INCO complied, replacing • the stacks- with a 1,250, foot chimney in 1972. • However. the Ministry at the same time ordered the company, to reduce its emissions of sulphur dioxide from 5,200 tons a - day in 1970- to 4,4)x) tons by the end of 1974, 3,600 tons by the end of 1976 and 750 tons by the end of 1978. According to the Ministry, this order. was • r Environmental concern based "on a need to restrict tonnage emissions due to the unpredictability of disper- sion under all weather conditions" and "on potential adverse effects on vegetation, soil and water in a large area surrounding Sudbury." ' Today INCO continues to emit 3,600 tons a day. Yet the Ministry has issued a new order permitting INCO to maintain that level until 30th June, 1982, simply requesting a report by December 1979 "evaluating the feasibility of controlling" the smelter's pollution. Instead of penalizing the offender, the Government has bent over backwards to rationalize and excuse failure to comply with the' 1970 pollution control order.. Apparently, 1976 statistics indicate that • Sudbury sulphur emissions accounted for only 4 percent of North America - main -made emissions, • and only 1.3 percent of global emissions.. Also, "the problems of high ground level concentrations of sulphur dioxide and widespread acute vegetation damage in the Sudburylarea have essentially been resolved even at current emission rates." As the Ontario Govern- ment sees it, the _Inter- national Nickel Company is merely doing the same as everyone else: moreover, the 1,250 foot smokestack has -dispersed -the -emissions - to some extent, which has minimized the concern which prompted the issuance of the 1970 order. • MurrayGaunt, Liberal Environment Critic, believes that if the Government is not prepared to agree to an emergency debate on the environmental control order, "the best thing would be for. -George McCague (Environment Minister) to resign...I think he's sold out to big -business cin that he's) agreed to almost five times the previously= set limit for the next four years." The condition of the Great Lakes-- has --received -some - publicity recently, following release of a report by the Pollution from Land Use Activities Group, which indicates that both the United States and Canada have adequate laws to prevent lake pollution, but - the laws should be enforced more strictly. The group is urging broader and stronger control measures. ' During the last Provincial Election, Premier Davis, in a tough statement, called for the revision of the Canadian - U.S. Great Lakes water quality agreement-; . to provide for massive (m1111ion dollars fines to be paid into an environmental clean-up fund, administered by both countries to aid pollution Advertise Your Sale In The Times -Advocate CANNING -TIME 1S HERE See us for Great Price on Ke[IVLnnto r DEEP FREEZERS . • Choose from 12' - 15'- 18'-23' & 26' models THE PRICE IS RIGHT With soaring grocery prices, one almost believes it impossible to save on the food budget - Not Sol Leave it to us to help cut your food cpsts. Kelvinator freezers allow you to take ad- vantage of supermarket specials - stock up on inseason specials, and feast on your savings throughout the entire year. WHITING'S • Warehouse Furniture and Appliances Unlimited (New and Used)Sales and Service MAIN ST. 235 1964 ,Exeter • research:) An official of the Ministry of the Environment recently, described this Libbys Fancy TOMATO JUItE • 48 oz. statement by Ole Premier as a bit of "dramatic ,wishful thinking." - As Dr. Smith has in- dicated, we believe that the recent INCO decision is the last straw in a series of inept Government decisions on environmental issues..."We are in a period of drift and inaction by the Government the results of which could have far reaching' and deleterious consequences for Ontario. He has indicated that our Party would move that the Legislature empower the Standing Committee on Resource Development to meet without delay to review • Times -Advocate, August 24, 1971 Pones the INCO decision. As the Legislature is not currently sitting, a special session would be the only way that a legislative .committee could be empowered to carry out such a review prior .to October, when the Legislature _is at present scheduled to reconvene. CHECK US OUT FOR PRICES WE'LL CHECK YOU OUT WITH SAVINGS PLENTY OF PARKING AT REAR OF STORE - WE DELIVER Nescafe Instant COFFEE iooz 23 Maple Leaf SOCKEYE SALMON ,. oz. s�38 Kmft MIRACLE WHIP 694 PLUSH TOILET TISSUE 4 Roll Pack 500 Single Sheet Per Roll 884 Raid Fjouse-Garden ;aur_ KILLER , 346 G. X1.93 Tetley TEA BAGS s 1.68 ORANGE cRYSTALS 4's 3 oz. 89a Fleecy FABRIC SOFTENER lorgest 176 ozlug ti $� c • 39 Hi -C FRUIT DRINK '48 oz. Wekhs GRAPE JELLY OR JAM Targe 24 oz. 894 FRESH PRODUCE Ontario No. 1 CARROTS ° lbs 29' Ontario No. 1 HEAD LETTUCE. BAultaNANAS Ontario No. 1 24's 29' Ib23' CELERY STALKS. 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