In the recent letter to the editor from Maureen Reilly, she frequently implies or states that Green Party policy is in favour of the sewage sludge incinerator proposed for Hamilton. This is not the case. The Hamilton Green Party area riding associations are strongly opposed to Hamilton importing million tons of sewage sludge into Hamilton for incineration.

As the recently nominated Green Party candidate for Hamilton Mountain, I was quite surprised to read the letter that strongly implied Green Party support for the Liberty Energy project. I immediately contacted our National Office for clarification on this issue. Maureen Reilly does not speak on behalf of the Party and that Green Party policy in no way supports the Liberty Energy project.

Why are you endorsing, in the name of the Green Party, the import of million tons of sewage sludge, by truck, into Hamilton from all over Ontario and possibly elsewhere, like the US?

The area where the plant is being located has already been identified by Hamilton's Clean Air Committee as being in Hamilton's High Air Pollution Triangle. Transporting sewage sludge from all over the province represents an ecological disaster waiting to happen. You yourself wrote strongly against Halifax exporting its sewage issues to other communities in 2004 - but it's okay for Hamilton to burn the equivalent of Ontario's sewage?

The technology may be better than 30 years ago when these plants caused immediate and dangerous health problems, but they have by no means eliminated acid, SO2, NOx, or mercury from the stack and they are making absolutely no efforts to reduce their CO2 emissions even though carbon capture from power plants is being tested in Europe and the US.

The sludge burning plant plans, as presented, have been opposed by the local Green Party Electoral District Association's and are not approved by Green Party policy. I do not know why you thought we supported the burning of imported sewage sludge in our community?

Unfortunately, the incineration solution seems to be taking on a life of its own. Hamilton's Mayor has now been quoted as saying he assumes since the province has made sure all the safeguards and controls are going to be put in place, we should consider burning our garbage as well! This has the potential to get completely out of hand - and with the new provincial rules for incinerators no longer requiring a full environmental assessment, there is the potential for numerous "waste" or even non-waste incinerators springing up across Ontario with no real way to stop them. Local residents are not being protected or compensated - or even being given an effective place to complain. Hamilton is about to become the sewage sludge burning capital of Canada without even a whimper of help or support from the province!

At a minimum, I hope we would insist any large incinerator project be subject to public hearings, a full environmental and public health assessment, guaranteed minimum air quality emission standards and municipal approval. Why should a municipality be forced to allow an incinerator?

Stephen Brotherston

Organizer and Nominated Candidate

Hamilton Mountain Federal Green Party Association