Re: Quarry president responds to Harmer’s comments (Burlington Post, May 12)

We are profoundly disappointed with the ill-informed and demonstrably false comments in Mr. (Norm) Elmhirst’s letter earlier this week.

Mr. Elmhirst would like the public to believe that Protecting Escarpment Rural Lands’ (PERL) environmental claims are “unsubstantiated” and motivated by “NIMBY-ism”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It was PERL that discovered the nationally-threatened Jefferson salamander, which led to provincial protection of its habitat, which Nelson accepts.

It was PERL that initiated and paid for the wetland evaluation that prompted the province to protect a large portion of the site — a finding Nelson has accepted as best science.

It was also PERL that commissioned Order of Canada architect Douglas Cardinal to draft a sustainable vision for Mt. Nemo.

Mr. Elmhirst’s wild assertion that closed quarries are “far more bio-diverse” than they were prior to blasting and quarrying tells your readers everything they need to know about Nelson Aggregate Co.

Finally, the claim that Nelson’s record is “exemplary” ignores the fact that several years ago Nelson Aggregate Co. pleaded guilty to the serious offence of illegally altering a watercourse without a permit on the headwaters of Grindstone Creek, and paid the maximum fine.

Rick Smith, Executive Director, Environmental Defence