‘Gross over-reach’

Dear Editor:

An open letter to Town of Erin mayor and councillors.

I have recently been informed about a commercial fill contract being awarded to a pit operator in Hillsburgh. This contract is alarming in so many ways and could jeopardize our water table irrevocably.

What are the legal repercussions for the town after the contract with the pit operator expires? There appears to be no recourse to hold the pit operator accountable if there is environmental damage to the water table.

The imminent increased heavy use of local roadways will open the truck traffic corridor – Trafalgar Road and others – to damage that the Town of Erin will incur the expense of repair.

This most concerning issue is the long-term environmental risk to the water table. What realistic accountability is there to insure all fill loads are safe? Toxic fill loads can be deadly and without supervision from an outside source, there is a chance that unacceptable fill will be dumped amongst the high volume of loads.

Why was this contract extended to 2045? This is unheard of in any municipality. Why is there no clause to release the town from the contract on a bi-annual or five-year. renewal? This is standard in environmentally sensitive contractual agreements.

It appears this issue has struck a nerve in the community. This opposition has nothing to do with resisting progress in the Town of Erin. I welcome the residential development and growth in Wellington County.

There is a great responsibility for the Town of Erin; not only in the short term, but in the decades to follow. These decisions will affect generations to come.

This pit operation deal is grossly in favour of the pit operator, and the revenue won from this contract will be minuscule in comparison to the damage that will be done. 

In the event the water table is contaminated, that repair expense will be on the Town of Erin.

If anything, I would say this is a clear signal that the public sees this as a gross over-reach of power given to an outside corporation, with little to no accountability after the fact. Given the current and upcoming opposition to this project, will council rescind this contract ?

With the ground swell of support being organized, I hope council is prepared to respond to these questions and requests.

Of course, I look forward to someone from the Town of Erin responding, in good faith.

Laura Levitt,
Erin