Questions on Air Emissions

Health:

·   As the park is closed, due to toxic air emissions from the cover-up of the Tar Ponds, how will you stop the toxic air from migrating across the street and compromising the health of the residents?

·   During the construction of the temporary, slag roads around the ponds, no consideration was taken in account for the citizens of the surrounding area. For example, vehicles on site were emitting very loud noises at six AM every day, preventing people from sleeping. This activity was, even, done on Saturdays. Most of the trucks, transporting the slag, were not covered and, even those that were covered, were done in a manner which did not stop the dust from blowing on the residents. Also, there was no watering of the roads on some days and minimum, ineffectual watering on other days as documented by the numerous photographs taken during this phase. Are we to expect this type of behaviour for the entire extent of the project?

·   Are you aware of the impact from this behaviour (noted in the above question) on the psychological and physical health of the people, especially the children?

·   Are the suspended particles in the air toxic?

·   Does normal air quality mean that we have just as much normal contamination as Toronto? Where is the control city or town for us?

·   Will the two schools (Harbourside & Etoile de l’Acadie) and Louisa Playground be closed when the air monitor indicates a high level of contamination or will they be closed indefinitely before October 2009?

Safety:

·   If the air emissions are toxic, how will you get the people out of harm’s way?

·   Will there be a report of all monitored chemicals produced or otherwise present that may be such a hazard to all Sydney residents?

·   How is the Sydney Tar Pond Agency going to, immediately, notify the residents of Sydney if the toxic air emissions, from the cover-up site, reach unacceptable levels?

·   When will the residents be given a written health and safety program which includes an evacuation procedure?

·   Is there any training of employees at the STPA to carry out the important task of looking after the community?

·   Who does look after the community in times of emergency?

·   Who do we contact if we smell toxic fumes?

·   Who is responsible for the correction of toxic hazards in the air?

·   Why did the STPA not post signs on the park warning the public of toxic air emissions from their work being done on the Tar Ponds site?

·   Would it be possible to place special canisters, containing alarms, higher up on a few homes along Intercolonial Street, so that if any PAH, PCB, or Voc levels are exceeded, at anytime during the work at the Tar Ponds, they will go off?

·   When will the STPA be moving the residents of the immediate area out of harm’s way, to protect the citizens’ health from the toxic air emissions caused by the cover-up of the Tar Ponds?

·   Do you think that you are in error by not testing the park/recreation lands in question for a potential receptor for contaminated air which would be detrimental to human health because of activities from the work done on the Tar Ponds?

·   Why is the work not being conducted within an enclosure that would contain the fugitive air emissions?

Models:

·   Are you going to re-do your air model (2005) due to the fact that the mountain has changed and the park was overlooked?

·   When the modeling for the air emissions was done, what was the policy for the use of the land at the entrance of Sydney harbour which, presently, contains a huge, new mountain of foreign coal, which has significantly changed the air currents in the Tar Ponds area?

·   What effect has the removal of a mountain of slag, at the entrance of the Tar Ponds, which has formed a huge gap, which allows the ocean air to funnel into the Tar Ponds which did not exist during the time the modeling took place?

·   When did the monitoring start, in order to establish the models?

·   If it was documented in the EIS that a man was working on cars by the side of the road, why weren’t the occupants of the park documented? People were there every day!

·   When you see the clouds of dust blowing, do you ever take a sample downwind in the dust?

·   Where are the results of air emissions from the cleanup activities that were calculated and compared to locations of the nearby receptors in the community, as we would like a copy of this report which includes air emission modeling for the Tar Ponds work?

Monitoring:

·   How do the air monitors work and how do they protect the people?

·   Time is an issue. Monitors should be on all the time. Information should be reported sooner. How can this be accomplished?

·   Will there be a monitor close to our homes so that we can have access to it?

·   Could you install a new monitor that will operate more efficiently and run on a continuous basis?

·   When the clean up is completed, how long do they plan to monitor the site for air emissions?

·   What is the percentage of the days that both types of monitors are activated?

·   Is there a possibility of putting the raw data from the stationary monitors on the STPA web Site so that anyone can check on it, anytime?

·   How long does it take to get the results back from the 15 minute readings?

·   Do the six-day sample machines take total accumulation samples for each day or is there a shorter time period breakdown of samples?

·   If they are monitoring on an accumulation over one day, instead of the 15 minute monitor test, then the day results, as an average, will show much lower than the 15 minute day test. True?

·   Why is the monitor that detects PCBs, and other heavy toxins, far away on Alexandra Street and not near the residents of the Tar Ponds area?

Closure of Park:

·   Why is only the park closed and not the schools, playgrounds, or businesses?

·   When the STPA demanded the park be closed, due to toxic air emissions from their work, they, at the same time, again, offered Wintering Harbour Neighbourhood Association the use of a federal landscape artist, along with reasonable funding to construct it. As the STPA spent over one million dollars to landscape the small memorial park, which is only about 20% of the size of the CBRM park, is it not reasonable that Wintering Harbour Neighbourhood Association receive substantially more, due to the fact that the general public will not be able to enjoy the park for a number of years and, possibly, have to spend a large sum of money for maintenance and, possibly, remediation after the work is completed by the STPA? This is strongly suggested by all the stakeholders of the park

·   Why were the members of Wintering Harbour Neighbourhood Association, other stakeholders, and the general public not notified immediately of STPA’s intentions to close the park indefinitely? Are you aware that this disrespectful attitude has cost the Wintering Harbour Neighbourhood Association and, indirectly, CBRM and the citizens, considerable hardship and loss of large amounts of slated volunteer hours and considerable amounts of funding?

·   Why did you recently place expensive benches in the Memorial Park, next to the South Tar Ponds, when people are not permitted to walk in the other park next to the Tar Ponds?

Other Information:

·   The STPA referred to other sites in North America that were remediated. Will you tell us the names of areas and companies with their clean ups, so that we can acquire information from them?

·   Mistrust has developed through the years by many broken promises, failed attempts, and lack of respect toward some residents. Will this continue?

·   The use of the land, between the creek and Intercolonial Street, did not change for many years, during which time people have been walking through it, with their pets, for the view and exercise. The only difference is that it is looking better. What was the real reason that the 5.5 acres, which is now a park, was not included in the EIS, when there was no decision made, by the CBRM and the citizens, for the use of this property, at that time?

·   At the same time the STPA was approaching the CBRM to close the park for an indefinite period of time, during which the STPA would be conducting its work on the Tar Ponds, it was also approaching Wintering Harbour Neighbourhood Association requesting that it grant permission to the STPA to place a viewing stand and parking lot on the park site so it could use it as a facility to accommodate bus tours and other parties to view the work being done on the contaminated site. At this time, the STPA offered the Wintering Harbour Neighbourhood Association the use of a federal landscape artist and monies in exchange for use of the park. In light of this conflict, how can you (STPA) justify closing the park to the public?

·   Why was the application from the residents, whose properties are adjacent to the Tar Ponds, not given priority for joining the CLC by the STPA?

·   There are two types of slag used to make the new road along the Tar Ponds: one is grey and the other is white. Was the slag tested, at any time, for toxic chemicals?

·   If the slag was tested, where are the results posted on the STPA website?

·   What were the total costs of the materials used to make the new roads around the Tar Ponds?

Upon much consultation with experts in the field, Wintering Harbour Neighbourhood Association strongly advises the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency that:

•        Residents must be given the option and means to relocate, either permanently or temporarily.

•        Once work has begun, all schools in the area, Louisa playground, and the new soccer field must be closed.

•        Work on the "Tar Ponds" must be done under enclosure.

•        Compensation for the residents' livelihoods must be provided.