By Staff
May 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
For the record:
In the Update to city council on matters relating to the Air Park staff said:
FOI (Freedom of Information requests) to MOE for Monitoring Plan and Details:
In May 2014 staff spoke with the Mediator from the Office of the Information and Privacy 
Commissioner of Ontario. The Mediator has begun the process of contacting the third party (i.e. the Airpark) to inform them of the City’s scoped request to try and obtain information that pertains strictly to the proposed groundwater monitoring program at the Airpark, and any associated reports, studies and results. The Mediator is also continuing discussions with the MOE. At this point, staff will wait for further correspondence from the Mediator with respect to the possibility of receiving all or some of the requested information or whether additional discussion or mediation is necessary.
Drill holes into the tonnes of landfill dumped on the air park property during the last five years. Very little of the landfill was inspected and it was put in place without an approved site plan.
A Judge has already told the Air Park that they must comply with the city’s bylaw. The Air Park has appealed that decision which is their right.
What the Air Park cannot do however do is maintain that they are cooperating and have been transparent. The city’s most recent update does not square with what Vince Rossi is saying. Someone isn’t telling the truth here.
In a Letter to the Editor of the Hamilton Spectator Vince Rossi said:
To be clear, every test of neighbouring streams and wells has met or surpassed federal and provincial environmental standards. There have been six inspections, studies and/or tests carried out since 2009. None have indicated a problem with the fill or an adverse impact on local water. Further, after discussions with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, the airpark is in the process of voluntarily completing the most comprehensive study to date by carrying out a test well program
In addition to the information requested by the City of Burlington, the Burlington Airpark and the MOE should make public any recent, within the last year, set of comprehensive and scientifically representative sampling and testing of the imported fill materials deposited across the Airpark property, over the last few years. The imported fill quality data is critical and determinant information that can establish whether the Airpark imported fill, which met generally accepted soil quality standards. This is the reason why all imported fill must be tested and approved before being deposited onto the landscape.
The well water / groundwater quality tests are important; however, water quality is but one parameter of a comprehensive site assessment.
Good science can enlighten us all.