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7/31/2019 Puslinch Council Refrains From Quarry Comments for
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Puslinch council refrains from
quarry comments for nowby Mike Robinson
ABERFOYLE
Without proper background information to support a resolution,
Puslinch
councillors are reluctant to take a stance on the Melancthon
quarry issue.
Earlier this year, council received a letter from resident Betty
Andersonasking Puslinch council to take a stand on the proposed
Melancthon mega-
quarry.
She believed council should add its voice to other councils,
including
Wellington County council, that have expressed concern with the
project.
Anderson noted the David Suzuki Foundation is opposed to the
quarry and
the issue has attracted attention nationwide.
The pit will be at the headwaters of the Grand River and
Nottawasaga
Rivers among others, and the implications for those of us
downstream, and
in fact the entire watershed, are worrisome.
Anderson said the provincial government needs to hear now from
its rural
constituents as it appears they are rolling over us again in
favour of
corporate America and urban Ontario.
She maintained Puslinch has had its share of gravel pits and can
speak to
this with authority.
Councils decision on first receipt of the letter in June was to
direct staff to
get an opinion from Stan Denhoed of Harden Environmental to get
some
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background.
The email from Puslinch clerk Brenda Law to Denhoed noted that
while
council was generally supportive, members felt it would be more
effective
and credible to supply a list of reasons supporting its
opposition.
Denhoeds response was that he had not studied the Melancthon
quarry
proposal in great detail.
Therefore, he wrote I do not feel comfortable with forwarding an
official
position without ... careful consideration of the facts.
But Denhoed had at least one opinion to offer.
If it is true that it is proposed to de-water the excavation
forever and grow
potatoes at the base of the 60 metre deep quarry, I would
suggest that this is
an unrealistic scenario. The township of Puslinch rejected the
concept of
pumping water out of Heritage Lake in perpetuity and I would
think that
other municipalities/conservation authorities would feel the
same way.
Mayor Dennis Lever explained that the letter was sent to Denhoed
for
technical reasons to support opposing the quarry.
Having read Denhoeds comments, Lever asked how council wanted
to
proceed.
He said council could pass a resolution generally opposing the
Melancthon
quarry.
Lever believed without technical information to back it up, the
resolution
would carry very little weight.
Councillor Susan Fielding agreed.
If we dont have some solid information - just saying we dont
want
something isnt going to mean much.
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While Fielding agreed that the issue is serious, she believed
the people in
Melancthon and other groups are involved in this.
As a result, Fielding suggested this remain an issue Puslinch
stay out of - for
now.
Councillor Jerry Schmidt agreed.
Based on Stans comments, I would not be prepared to ask council
to spend
any significant amount of money we do not have, on something
that might
happen.
Councillor Wayne Stokley said, I would like to support them ...
but I agree.
If you dont have the information backing up the resolution, it
becomes
meaningless.
Lever added he likes the words of Fielding, who indicated the
township hold
on making a stand for now.
If something changes down the road, perhaps we can revisit it,
Lever said.
August 10, 2012
