I wasn't aware of this large waste basin. I found this article interesting.
Clean-up deal close for A'burg waste site
Monica Wolfson, The Windsor Star
Published: Thursday, April 17, 2008
AMHERSTBURG -- After three years of dispute there's an "agreement in principle" for the cleanup of General Chemical's contaminated land, according to records from the province's environmental review tribunal.
No details were available Thursday as the parties, which include the Town of Amherstburg , the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and the parent company of bankrupt General Chemical, are still fine-tuning a deal. The agreement in principle was reached last month.
The dispute over the cleansing of General Chemical's 176-acre waste basin had been at a stalemate until recently, said Armando DeLuca, lawyer for the town of Amherstburg.
"If this is all signed, the town of Amherstburg will be very, very happy," said DeLuca, who estimated it would cost millions to decontaminate the site.
The property contains liquid waste from the plant's production of soda ash and calcium chloride. General Chemical went bankrupt and closed its Amherstburg facility in January 2005. Months of closed-door meetings failed to find a resolution between the town and General Chemical's U.S. parent company until recently.
"Things are progressing toward a settlement," said Pat Almost, issues project co-ordinator for the environmental review tribunal. "We can't give out details until it's finalized."
In a letter to the tribunal in March, General Chemical's attorney, Robert Fishlock, wrote that the parties needed more time to "finalize their settlement."
A hearing is scheduled for May 29 at 10 a.m. in Amherstburg's council chambers. The hearing could be adjourned to give the parties more time to negotiate.
Mayor Wayne Hurst said the parties have been close to finalizing a deal many times in the past couple of months.
"So many things have happened in the interim," Hurst said. "We've thought we were there and we weren't there. I'll have something to say when the ink is dry."
CAO Frank Pizzuto said he is optimistic the deal will be finalized.
"I think it's in everybody's best interest to negotiate with a mediator instead of going through the court process," Pizzuto said.
General Chemical faces an environmental review tribunal because it appealed orders from the Ministry of Environment to cleanup the site. The main disputed issue was whether the U.S. parent company was responsible for maintaining, monitoring and closing the soda ash settling basin.
The property borders Third Concession Road North, Thomas Road and north of Alma Street. Tribunal hearings kicked off in summer of 2006 and have been plagued by adjournments and delays.
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