oct27_05GammaEMO

Press Releases 2005

For immediate release

October 27, 2005

Gamma response to Environment Ministry Order

insult to residents and community: MPP Frank Klees

( Richmond Hill ) Frank Klees, MPP for Oak Ridges, today charged that focusing on "administrative controls" by Gamma Foundries instead of making required structural changes at the plant to eliminate offensive odours is "unacceptable and an insult to the residents who have been working in good faith with the company to find ways to resolve this longstanding issue."

Klees, who together with Richmond Hill Councillor Arnie Warner, has been meeting regularly with a Community Public Liaison Committee and Ministry of Environment staff over the past two years, advised Gamma's President in a letter (attached) today that the company's response to a Ministry of Environment Provincial Officer Order issued December 15, 2004 which ordered the company to retain a qualified consultant to identify and address the offending odours traced to the company's foundry processes, falls far short of the community's expectations. In his letter, Klees accuses Gamma of "blatantly ignoring the plight of residents who have been subjected to the offensive odours emanating from Gamma's foundry operations for years ".

In a meeting Monday night, residents were told that Gamma has advised the Ministry of Environment that despite an engineering report ordered by the ministry that calls for a number of engineered structural changes to the Gamma plant, the company will focus primarily on "administrative controls ".

"Gamma's response is a blatant attempt to delay implementation of any meaningful mitigation measures identified in the engineering report. In the meantime, residents continue to be subjected to the unacceptable levels of pollutants from this plant's operations" said Klees.

Klees has called on the Ministry of the Environment to issue a new Provincial Officer Order requiring immediate implementation of the mitigation measures identified in the EarthTech report and to impose specific timelines for compliance.

"Gamma has had every opportunity to demonstrate a sense of corporate responsibility and prove that they want to be good corporate citizens and they have failed miserably," said Klees. "To have the solutions in hand and then ignore them is unacceptable and every step will be taken to force this company into compliance."

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For further information

Frank Klees, MPP

905-707-3160

416-325-7316