Megaquarry opposition grows

© AgMedia Inc.

‘Drinking water for a million people will be compromised,’ says local farmer

Comments

Lime stones as same as forests are foundations of land houses;it function like water filter; that is why we have good water in here. Remove large amount of lime stones or trees will effect to properties structure on the area in the future. This proposal should be avoided.

This is a cheap way to obtain farm land for sub-divisions plus other uses for whatever else has value. Once the land is gone it can no longer be used for farming purposes and the resources have disappeared there is an opportunity to use thye land for homes.
No one looks to the future and the future is that water is disappearing once it is gone it is gone!

The objection period to the proposed MegaQuarry has ended earlier this week, after a sudden storm of media attention, including CityTv, CP24, 740am and CBC radio, as well a groundswell of community support.
Local Melancthon residents, who have been tirelessly fighting this proposal since the Highland Companies moved in a few years ago gobbling up land and levelling century homesteads, are buoyed by the outpour of support to their cause.
But the struggle is not over. Although Premier McGuinty did a last minute extension of the 'comment period' they still need an unprecedented show of support across the province to make sure this proposal is shelved completely and permanently.
Every citizen must make their comments on the proposed loss of massive amounts of prime Class 1 vegetable soil, the proposed 'management' of hundreds of millions of litres of water and the destruction of the Headwaters beauty and tranquility.

As issued by local MPP Sylvia Jones, April 27th:
"The public can now comment until July 11, 2011 in writing or electronically using the form provided in the EBR notice by referencing the EBR Registry number 011-2864.

This is the link to the Environmental Registry form:
http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?notice...

The McGuinty government must seize the moment and protect the thousands of acres of potato fields in Melancthon Township from a devastating quarry pit. It would be a travesty for that rich farmland to be dug up and destroyed forever. And for what? To pour millions of dollars into a Boston-based hedge fund?
The prime farmland and its bounty for southern Ontario would be lost. Highland claims it will pump 600-million litres of water a day from the quarry pit, in perpetuity. This notion insults our intelligence. Pumps cannot run forever. Companies fail, companies flee and who will be in charge of the pumps then.
Highland also claims it will farm the bottom of the pit. Again, this is ridiculous. Is it planning to store the top-soil for years and then dump it into the bottom of a 200-foot pit? The composition of the soil will not be the same, the fear of the pumps failing will be constant and Highland is actually under no obligation to rehabilitate the area because the pit will be below the water table.
Highland should be ashamed of itself for assembling the land and pretending to be potato farmers when it was only after the limestone. The McGuinty government must act swiftly to end Highland's bid to destroy a significant part of southern Ontario's farmland, water supplies and beauty.

Post new comment

To prevent automated spam submissions leave this field empty.
Image CAPTCHA
We welcome thoughtful comments and ideas. Comments must be on topic. Cheap shots, unsubstantiated allegations, anonymous attacks or negativity directed against people and organizations will not be published. Comments are modified or deleted at the discretion of the editors. If you wish to be identified by name, which will give your opinion far more weight and provide a far greater chance of being published, leave a telephone number so that identity can be confirmed. The number will not be published.