March 10, 2011

- NOTE WASTEWATER FOCUS IN KENT SPEECH
- TALK ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACT, 14 MAR, 7PM
- LETTER: " MORE SEWAGE DRAWBACKS THAN BENEFITS"
- ESQUIMALT GROUP CONTACTS BC INFRASTRUCTURE MINISTER 
- HARBOUR AUTHORITY WARY OF MCLOUGHLIN SEWAGE PLANT 

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NOTE THE WASTEWATER FOCUS IN KENT SPEECH

ARESST:
Thanks to Shaun for catching Minister Kent's specific focus on wastewater, which I missed in last blog.

From Shaun:

Hello ARESST and supporters,

I noted the following in (Federal) Minister Kent’s recent speech:

“Working with provinces, municipalities and other levels of government across Canada, we are developing new wastewater effluent regulations to deal with the untreated and under-treated discharges that remain in Canada.



The federal regulations, which are targeted for later this year, would create the first-ever national standard for Canada's more than 4,000 wastewater facilities. That means standards for secondary treatment or equivalent for the remaining untreated and under-treated discharges, risk-based implementation timelines and, of course, monitoring and reporting requirements.



To help fund the municipal actions necessary to clean up the treatment and disposal of wastewater, the Harper Government has created a permanent Gas Tax Fund-and doubled it to $2 billion a year-to make sure that municipalities can count on the money to address wastewater related and other infrastructure issues.”

(http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=6F2DE1CA-1&news=1CDCA1C7-D9B3-415D-9E52-07A999652E37)



- Note that there is no definite deadline but the message is the same as previously – “One size fits all”. There is still time for a change but obviously any Ministers speech would not want to give any indication of change at this point in time.


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TALK: " THE LIMITS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACT", 14 MARCH, 7PM

ANDREW GAGE, ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WEST COAST ENVIRONMENTAL LAW,
WILL DISCUSS THE LIMITS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACT, ONE OF THE MAJOR PIECES OF LEGISLATION GOVERNING INDEPENDENT POWER PROJECTS IN BC.

West Coast has called for amendments to the EA Act to allow it to better assess the impacts of multiple projects, to better consider environmental values and to involve the public in decision-making.

Andrew was an environmental activist before he was an environmental lawyer: he was accepted into law school shortly after being arrested for protesting logging in Clayoquot Sound, on Vancouver Island’s West Coast. During law school Andrew helped found the University of Victoria’s Environmental Law Centre and volunteered with the noted Indian environmental lawyer, M.C. Mehta. These experiences changed his understanding of what is possible through law.

After leaving law school, Andrew ran his own practice for 2 years, before coming to West Coast in 2001. He has played a wide variety of roles within the organization since then, dealing with issues ranging from forestry to workplace exposure to pesticides. Currently Andrew oversees the Environmental Legal Aid Program and writes the Environmental Law Alert blog. Andrew has also published a series of cutting edge academic papers on the rights of the public to a healthy natural environment.

There will be lots of time for questions following Andrew's presentation.

GUY DAUNCEY WILL ALSO GIVE AN UPDATE ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AT BCSEA'S PROVINCIAL LEVEL AND PROVINCIAL OFFICE.

Location: Burnside-Gorge Community Assn.
Address: 471 Cecelia Rd, off Jutland Rd or Burnside Rd
Time: 7 - 9 pm

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LETTER: " MORE SEWAGE DRAWBACKS THAN BENEFITS"

Letters
Victoria News and Saanich News
March 09, 2011

Re: Sewage plant will restrict harbour’s future: GVHA (News, March 4)

The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority objects to a sewage plant at McLoughlin Point, but that GVHA letter omitted the environmental concern about this proposed sewage plant that had already been expressed by the Victoria/Esquimalt Harbour Society.

While a sewage plant at the point will be bad for tourism and the harbour economy, it could even be worse for the point’s near-shore marine environment.

There is little doubt that this expensive, unnecessary sewage plant plunked at McLoughlin Point could create many more environmental, economic and social problems than it would ever solve.

John Newcomb
Saanich

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/victorianews/opinion/letters/117595278.html

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ESQUIMALT GROUP CONTACTS BC INFRASTRUCTURE MINISTER ABOUT SEWAGE PROJECT GRANT

From Bruce Cuthbert, Esquimalt activist concerned about McLoughlin Point siting:

Fyi. Opportunity for making progress!!
Minister Cadieux is on our list of key decision makers at the Provincial level with respect to "process" and "approving grants" for municipal projects.
Cheers
Bruce

Begin forwarded message:
From: "Weidman, Catriona CSCD:EX"
Date: March 8, 2011 12:09:45 PM PST
To: tc1@shaw.ca
Subject: CRD sewage treatment proposal for the core area

Hello Mr. Cuthbert,

I understand that earlier this year you asked Minister Cadieux to continue to have Ministry staff carefully evaluate the proposed CRD sewage treatment facility in Esquimalt. I have been asked to follow up with you in that regard. If you would like to have further discussion on this issue, please feel free to contact me directly.

Regards,
Catriona.

Catriona Weidman, M.Eng., P.Eng.
Senior Infrastructure Engineer
Infrastructure & Finance Division
Local Government Department
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
Phone: (250) 952-6517
Fax: (250) 356-1873
email: Catriona.Weidman@gov.bc.ca

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HARBOUR AUTHORITY WARY OF MCLOUGHLIN SEWAGE PLANT

Erin McCracken
Goldstream News Gazette
March 08, 2011
Click here to send letter to editor

A liquid-waste sewage treatment plant planned for McLoughlin Point will cut into Victoria’s already shrinking working harbour and discourage cruise ship tourists from visiting, says the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.

“It would be one thing if they were going to use it for something that was going to be water-related, but they’re not,” said Dermot Loughnane, acting chair of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, which owns and operates Ogden Point, Fisherman’s Wharf and Ship Point, among other ports.

An industrial ship dock or light industrial site for marine manufacturing are two example alternatives the site could be used for, Loughnane suggested.

CRD board chair Geoff Young said he recognizes the dwindling number of waterside industrial properties, but the advantages of the chosen sewage site are stronger.

“At the same time people have to be aware that moving (sewage treatment) facilities far from the water is also expensive,” Young said.

The harbour authority also worries the facility will be unsightly and repel some of the almost 500,000 visitors who come to Victoria by cruise ship every year.

“You only have one chance to make a good impression,” Loughnane said. “If you don’t do that, then they’re not going to come back.”

“We’ll try to make it as attractive, or at least as inconspicuous, as possible, given that it (will be) a big building,” Young said.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/goldstreamgazette/news/117586643.html

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