IF ORICA CANADA'S HISTORY of accidents is as represented by the company, there would appear to be no similarity between the nature of those and what could happen at the company's East Luther site, or between it and the quarries that Orica serves.

Combining those data with the East Luther site itself and the measures the company has taken or is prepared to take to leave no doubt that the risks of explosions, accidents, breaches of security or water pollution are absent or at least minimal, one has to wonder whether the upcoming Ontario Municipal Board hearing warrants the cost thereof.

The public opposition has been based, among other things, on a perception of a threat to groundwater and to Luther Lake, as well as fears of explosions or toxic fumes in the event of a fire. There are also public concerns about security.

But while we have no argument with the public efforts to make certain the facility is subjected to public scrutiny, we cannot overlook Superior Court Justice Jane Milanetti's notation that the East Luther site had been in existence without incident for 15 years.

It would be wrong to say that there was no opposition to the facility from the time it was established in the mid-1990s, but there were no serious efforts to block its existence throughout a succession of operators.

We suspect the OMB will be curious not only about the sudden groundswell of opposition but also about why the facility has been a permitted use in the East Luther Grand Valley Official Plan if it is an unwanted use.

At this point, our strong suspicion is that a costly OMB hearing will merely take a lot of time and potentially result in a new burden for local taxpayers.