Coal tar contamination area in Belleville’s Foster ward. (File photo: John Spitters/Quinte News)
The Environmental Review Tribunal hearing into the proposed clean up of coal tar contamination in Belleville’s harbour area is moving very slowly.
An Ontario Ministry of Environment order, issued years ago, calls on the owners and former owners of the area to prepare a work plan for cleanup of the contamination caused by a former gas plant, naming the City of Belleville, Sid Speigel and Hawkins Cheezies and others.
At a short Tribunal hearing Tuesday, all parties agreed there needs to be more time to submit responses to the Ministry of Environment, regarding work undertaken in Foster Ward by consultants Golder Associates.
This included soil vapor assessment, soil sampling, bore hole drilling and assessment of the results.
Belleville’s lawyer for the Environmental Review Tribunal hearings Harry Dahme. (File photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
Belleville’s lawyer Harry Dahme told the hearing session there was additional sampling on a number of residences, including indoor air sampling and vapour sampling beneath several residences.
All parties at the hearing said more time is needed before they could present their comments to the Ministry of Environment on the Golders’ work.
Tribunal Hearing Chair Justin Duncan agreed.
There are two work plans – one for the east and west portions, another for the immediate and greater area.
The Ministry of the Environment has ordered eight parties to clean up the site where a coal gasification plant had operated in the 1800s.
The provincial order includes Belleville, 105 Pinnacle Limited, Kent D. Hawkins, Darlene Hawkins, Anthony J. McGarvey, 835267 Ontario Inc., Naomi Spiegel and Sidney Spiegel.
