'Pollution Crawl' tour hits Hamilton environmental hotspots

Hamilton's first "Pollution Crawl" brought about 30 people out to Burlington Street on Sunday morning to learn about what's in and onthe city's air, water and land.

What's in the air?

Not only the water and the soil is polluted, but the politics is polluted sometimes.- Jim Howlett, longtime Hamiltonenvironmental activist

Lynda Lukasic welcomed about 30attendees to a Pollution Crawl along Hamilton's industrial core on Sunday morning. She and others carried particulate monitors, which Lukasic's organization, Environment Hamilton, uses to measure Hamilton's air quality.

Lukasic talked about the "amazing potential" that the industrial parts of the city has.

• READ MORE:Strap an air monitor to your baby stroller and help fight pollution
• READ MORE:Despite new standards, high levels of carcinogens remain in Hamilton air

Sherman Inlet

Jim Howletthas been a longtime environmental activist on the beach stripandwas chair of the Hamilton Conservation Authority for 17 years until this summer. He's attended decades of meetings about Randle Reef and Sherman Inlet, which he called a "hidden gem" as the tour stopped there.

He told a story of following a truck into the inlet once, only to find it dumping a substance that left an oily rainbow on top of the water.

Though it's been the port's plan and promise since themid-1990sto develop Sherman Inlet in a similar vein toBayfrontPark,Howlettsaid, little has happened.

In Hamilton,"not only the water and the soil is polluted, but the politics is polluted sometimes," he said.

"The whole concept of Sherman Inlet becoming a revitalized community place" has fallen by the wayside while Randle Reef gets developed, Howlett said.

"The wildlife are waiting to get some of this back,"Howlettsaid, "and they're not waiting too well sometimes."

Participants passed around photos of what Sherman Inlet looked like a century ago.

The Hamilton Port Authority confirmed Sundaythat Randle Reef is taking priority for port "full internal resources." The port contributed $14 million to that project, said spokeswoman Larissa Fenn.

"Once that project is further along, we will look for a way forward on the Sherman Inlet that addresses up-to-date factors of security, environmental protection, community interest and cost," said Larissa Fenn, a port spokeswoman.

• READ MORE:U.S. Steel delivers steel for Randle Reef cleanup

Gasification plant

Across the street from U.S. Steel Canada, Coun. Matthew Green spoke about a proposed waste-to-energy gasification plant, which he opposes.

The project's developer, Port Fuels, says the plant is high-tech,will create jobs and generate little pollution, and is already workingthrough an intense environmental screening process with the province. But city councillors, public health officialsand some activists worryabout the image and health impacts the plant would have on Hamilton and have asked the province to give the plant a more rigorous review.

"I don't think any of us are questioning the value of the legacy of industry in Hamilton," Green said. "I don't think any of us are shy about the fact that we built this city on steel and we built this city on industry. But we've seen the shift now."

That shift referred to the environmental remediation ahead for Hamilton on formerStelco, then U.S. Steel, lands, as well as the social burden toshoudlerfor retirees who find themselves without their pension benefits while the company restructures.

• READ MORE:Port Fuels: City hurries to change planning rules to try to beat the plant
• READ MORE:U.S. Steel flags disappear from plants minutes after court decision

An industrial-residentialjuxtaposition

The tour crossed Burlington Street and stopped in front of the Air Liquide plant, which is across the street from several residential homes. Organizers played on that juxtaposition to talk about the fact that much of Hamilton's industrial lands are right next door to residential properties.

Sandra Ingertsa lives on K Street and showed photos of the dust that collects on her house's windowsills and exterior.

What the Port says

Not all of the sites visited and stories told on the crawl were on Hamilton Port Authority lands. But catching wind of the event, Hamilton Port Authority issued a statement to media highlighting several waste mitigation, energy reduction andhabitat restoration initiativesthe port has undertaken under an environmental stewardship aim.

The port is part of the HamiltonHarbour Remedial Action Plan (RAP), said spokeswoman LarissaFenn, as well as the Randle Reef project listed above. There are strict rules and monitoringfor tenants, and it and some of its tenantbusinesses participate in an initiative that holds them to higher standards than just what's regulated, she said.

"HPA's mandate is to operate a commercial port, and that means attracting and supporting industrial uses," Fenn said. "We need to maintain our harbour industrial lands for the kinds of activities that create good jobs, attract investment, and relieve pressure on the residential tax base."