This is a call for help.

TweedCAN (Tweed Community Action Now) is a new group formed to prevent a 1300 sow Factory Hog Weaner operation from locating east of the village. Mark Slack, the proponent, has previously attempted to establish his business in two locations in Stone Mills, north of Napanee. At that time, a local lawyer and objectors from the Municipality of Stone Mills, each twice warned the Tweed Council that Mr. Slack would try here, and that they should put safeguards in place. Tweed Council chose to ignore this.

The Council began negotiating with Slack in August 2002, and the building permit was issued in early October. They managed to keep this secret until the end of November. The Tweed Council meeting on Dec. 3 was attended by about 100 irate residents (more than had ever attended a council meeting). There are two stipulations on the permit: a nutrient management plan acceptable to OMAF, and the go-ahead of Moira Conservation (they will investigate in April). Council has dug in its heels and has formed a cohesive brick wall. They each admit to having done no research into the impact of a factory farm.

The facility is to be located in an area that consists of an interconnected complex of wetlands, streams, creeks, rivers and lakes--almost as much water as land. Nine of the wetlands are provincially significant and all are environmentally protected.

The Clare River is located downhill, to the south of the property and Little Otter and Otter Creek to the North. These all enter Stoco Lake, which empties via the Moira River, which of course flows to the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario.

Stoco Lake and the Moira are already contaminated with arsenic from the Deloro mine site. They are frequently closed to swimming during summer months due to coliform bacteria--much of which comes from the Tweed Village sewage lagoon, which leaks and overflows into the lake.

Village of Tweed drinking water is supplied by two wells. Well #1 cannot be used because of uranium and fluoride levels far above provincially allowable levels. Well #3 has above acceptable levels of nitrates, which are removed before distributed. Council has allowed a water bottling plant to be located across the road from Well #3. Tweed is at a level 1 drought status.

Downwind from the proposed building site and in close proximity are: Clare River, Wetland Complex, Mellon Lake Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI), Ontario Living Legacy, Mellon Lake Conservation Reserve, Moira Conservation, Sheffield Conservation Area, and Ontario Living Legacy Puzzle Lake Provincial Park. According to the Mellon Lake ANSI Biological Survey, this area has the greatest concentration of species at risk in Ontario.

This is a call for help. We would be grateful for letters of objection be sent to:

Reeve Mumford and Members of Council
255 Metcalfe Street
Tweed, ON K0K 3J0
e-mail: plb@twp.tweed.on.ca

Please cc me at Lynsparling@aol.com or RR#3, Tweed, ON K0K 3J0 Thank you for your help. Lyn