More from the Spec.
March 8, 2011
Tide turns on capping Randle Reef cleanup
Paul Morse: "The quest to clean up Hamilton Harbour's Randle Reef, the most toxic hot spot in Canada's Great Lakes, is back into turmoil. First, Hamilton's new mayor Bob Bratina says he doesn't support the current Hamilton Port Authority plan of capping and containing the shoal of accumulated coal tar. Secondly, Burlington bureaucrats have recommended that city turn down a request for $2.3 million toward the cost of the remediation project. Finally, the federal government is strongly hinting the project, now pegged to cost $105 million, may go over budget. On Monday, Bratina said he wants the toxic reef removed altogether rather than just capped and contained.... Bratina said he is in favour of spending the Hamilton money on the cleanup, but that the current plan is too risky in the event of an earthquake or a ship running into the new pier and breaking open the containment. 'Putting a box on it sounds like a Monty Python hammer hitting someone in the head,' he said."
March 9, 2011
Randle Reef letdown again
Howard Elliott: "...containment is the option the stakeholders agreed upon, in part because safe removal is so much more expensive. In the absence of a strong scientific case for removal, it’s hard to endorse a change in course at this point, which would probably result in another indefinite delay. Burlington city staff’s reluctance is less troublesome. Regardless of who has historic responsibility for the problem, our cities share the harbour, and it’s in everyone’s interest to deal with this blight. So let Hamilton and Burlington city councils deliberate their respective questions, and make quick decisions based on the best information available. Please, get on with the job."
March 9, 2011
Bratina shoots from the lip — again
Andrew Dreschel: "It’s time Bob Bratina realized he’s not a radio guy anymore where doodling fancies and spitball ideas conveniently disappear into the ether. He’s the mayor of Hamilton. His words count. They become part of the public record and they can have positive and negative ripple effects on policies, perceptions and partner relationships. In that context, Bratina’s comments against the agreed-upon cap-and-contain cleanup strategy for Randle Reef can only muddy the waters around the multimillion dollar project and embarrass Hamilton in the eyes of its funding partners."
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Multi-stakeholder debate over RR remediation solutions began in 1992, and as Dreschel points out, the feds have actively been on board since 1995. Those involved reached an imperfect consensus in 2007, largely because of the oppressive cost of wholesale removal, treatment and disposal (estimated at $300m in 2007), which would have been more palatable for environmentalists but tri-level political kryptonite compared to the then-$30m commitment for a cap-in-place plan. And the City couldn't even bring itself to kick in $30m.