Puslinch council refrains from quarry comments for now

by 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 Anderson asking Puslinch council to take a stand on the proposed Melancthon megaquarry. 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

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.

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