September 26, 2012


EVENTS AND PUBLIC ACTIONS COMING UP WITH ARESST: 

- ACTIONS 27, 28 SEPTEMBER: ANOTHER MORNING UBCM BANNER-"PICKET", OVERPASS BANNER-WAVING
- VICTORIA ANTI-TREATMENT ADVOCATES PUSH BACK WITH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

REPORTS ON PAST ARESST ACTIONS:
- CHAIR JOHN B ON CFAX - GREAT PRESENTATION - YOU CAN STILL HEAR JOHN B ON INTERNET!
- SUSAN LOW'S ARESSTing PHOTO AT VIEW ROYAL COMMUNITY DAY
- PHOTOS OF THIS MORNING'S UBCM BANNER-PICKET AT CONFERENCE CENTRE

OTHER ACTIONS: 

- EVENT: MURRAY RANKIN MEET AND GREET, 27 SEPT, 7PM, CANOE PUB (Ask Rankin why sewage plant a done deal )
- LECTURE: NEPTUNE CABLED INSTRUMENT ARRAY, 28 SEPT, UVIC, 3PM

CRD-RELATED SEWAGE NEWS:

- FLUSH SEWAGE TREATMENT PROJECT, FOES URGE
- CANDIDATE HOPEFULS EMERGE FOR UPCOMING VICTORIA BYELECTION (Rankin: sewage plant a done deal)
FRANK STANFORD COMMENT ON CFAX

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EVENTS AND PUBLIC ACTIONS COMING UP WITH ARESST: 

PARTICIPATE ON ARESST ACTIONS FOR 26-27-28 SEPT!

Our ARESST chair John Berbusch says: 

Today:  11:30 - 1 :00    Sandwich Boards and petitions....  Fort and Douglas
Tomorrow 27 Sept:  12:30 - ... Hotal Grand Pacific -  to picket the CRD "procurement" meeting
Friday 28 Sept:  7:30 - 9;00  -  Spectrum overpass with banners
                3:00- 5:00   - Swing Bridge (Uptown Mall) with banners
 
We could use some more petition events.....  suggestions.... Oak Bay Village.... Esquimalt Mall - ERA volunteers?  
 
Presentations to Oak Bay Council.... Esquimalt Council..... Colwood Council.... in the next several weeks....
 
More volunteers will help...
 
This morning by the way was GREAT FUN..... watching the face of Dean Fortin from across the street was 
too much....(see photos below)
 
John B (icebergone237@hotmail.com)

ARESSTers: our action locations and your parking: 

- For Friday, 28 Sept, 7:30am, on Spectrum school overpass on Island Highway near MacKenzie Avenue. Come a bit early to park and stroll
over. Possible parking includes in Cuthbert Holmes Park parking lot - see map: http://goo.gl/maps/I9ORJ

- For Friday, 28 Sept, 3pm, on "Switchbridge" overpass near Uptown Mall. Parking in mall closest to the overpass, or on Crease, Cadillac or
Harriett. See map: http://goo.gl/maps/PFAEO

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VICTORIA ANTI-TREATMENT ADVOCATES PUSH BACK WITH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Daniel Palmer
Victoria News, Saanich News, Oak Bay News, Goldstream Gazette
September 24, 2012 5:02 PM

A group of marine scientists, public health officers and a former federal environment minister are launching a formal public campaign to stop the Capital Regional District’s $782-million sewage treatment project.

The Association for Responsible and Environmentally Sustainable Sewage Treatment (ARESST) believes the proposed land-based sewage treatment project is unnecessary.

“Very simply, it’s not an environmentally motivated plan; it’s politically motivated,” said ARESST chair John Bergbusch.

The organization points to scientific studies that show the current sewage treatment, which pumps filtered wastewater to deep-sea outfalls, is safe and effective.

“We hope to make this an issue in the federal (Victoria) byelection and the provincial election in the spring,” Bergbusch said.

If the project goes forward, property taxes will increase by hundreds of dollars for residents in Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Saanich, View Royal, Colwood and Langford.

ARESST members will present their concerns at St. Ann’s Academy on Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m., featuring former Liberal MP David Anderson.

The CRD is in the early planning stages of the mega-project, which includes a wastewater treatment plant at McLoughlin Point in Esquimalt, a biosolids energy centre at Hartland landfill in Saanich and a 17-kilometre pipeline.

For more information and to sign a petition supporting ARESST, visit stopabadplan.ca.



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ARESST: Dr. Moran is oceanographer-engineer - might have interesting perspective on marine-based sewage treatment? 

LECTURE: NEPTUNE CABLED INSTRUMENT ARRAY, 28 SEPT, UVIC, 3PM

Department of Geography Public Colloquium

The NEPTUNE cabled instrument array

Kate Moran
President, Ocean Networks Canada

Refreshments at 2:45, Seminar at 3:00pm
Friday, September 28, 2012
SSM B215, University of Victoria

All are welcome, remember to bring your coffee mug!

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REPORTS ON PAST ARESST ACTIONS:

CHAIR JOHN B ON CFAX RADIO - YOU CAN LISTEN

In case you missed John on the radio today: http://stopabadplan.ca/media/120924_CFAX_with_John_Bergbusch.m4a

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SUSAN LOW'S ARESSTing PHOTO AT VIEW ROYAL COMMUNITY DAY



Susan Low's photo from facebook:
"I was out & about at the View Royal Community Picnic on Saturday (22 Sept), introducing myself to residents as their Green Party candidate and also spreading 
the word for ARESST. Here's a picture of Karen (James), Brian (Burchill) and I (with Simon) in front of the StopABadPlan.ca booth."

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PHOTOS OF THIS MORNING'S UBCM BANNER-PICKET AT CONFERENCE CENTRE









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OTHER ACTIONS: 

ARESST: Rankin's history as head of the eco-lawyers demanding that land-based sewage plant suggests he might be seeking to now evade responsibility for this "done-deal" plant...he won't challenge it.

EVENT: MURRAY RANKIN MEET AND GREET, 27 SEPT, 7PM, CANOE PUB (Ask Rankin why sewage plant a done deal )

Thursday, September 27, 2012
7pm until 9:30pm

Murray Rankin is running for the NDP nomination in the upcoming Victoria by-election.

Murray will be speaking at 8pm, in the space on the right just as you walk in. 

The space is reserved from 7pm onwards.


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FLUSH SEWAGE TREATMENT PROJECT, FOES URGE
 
As potential bidders study details, 'stop a bad plan' effort is launched
 
Cindy E. Harnett
Times Colonist, page A10
September 26, 2012

As potential bidders are set to attend an information meeting around building a secondary sewage treatment plant for Greater Victoria, a group opposed to the development has begun cranking up their protest to knock the deal down.

On Thursday, the Capital Regional District will host a procurement information session at the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, from 1 to 4: 30 p.m., to answer questions about the components of the Core Area Wastewater Treatment Program and what the regional district will look for from builders.

Meanwhile, a group opposed to the secondary sewage treatment plant in Victoria is launching its protest to try to cancel the project, which has a pricetag estimated at $782.7 million.

The Association for Responsible and Environmentally Sustainable Sewage Treatment (ARESST) unveiled its "stop a bad plan" campaign, Monday. David Anderson, former Liberal MP for Victoria, is the group's chairman.

ARESST maintains the most environmentally friendly method of treating Victoria's sewage is the existing method. Sewage is sieved through a six-millimetre metal screen before it is piped about a kilometre into the Juan de Fuca Strait.

The CRD's proposed secondary sewage-treatment plant consists of three projects: The McLoughlin Point wastewater treatment plant in Esquimalt, a biosolids energy centre proposed for Saanich and piping-system upgrades.

This year, a provincial order to treat the core's sewage was compounded by federal regulations that required the CRD to have a new waste-management system working by 2020.

The CRD's plan is expensive, Anderson said, adding it doesn't give a substantial environmental or economic benefit and is an expenditure that no level of government can afford to finance right now.

"Why do it?" Anderson asked. "We're entering an economic period where it's expected tax revenue will decline. We need every tax dollar."

Until the provincial and federal governments actually sign a formal agreement, Anderson believes there's time for both levels of government to pull out and for Greater Victoria to get an exemption from the federal regulations. "The money is not yet spent," Anderson said.

ARESST's campaign includes a petition to be shared among the seven municipalities that are part of the Core Area Wastewater Treatment Program, a letter-writing campaign and a public meeting at St. Ann's Academy on Oct. 3 at 7: 30 p.m.

Judy Brownoff, director of the CRD Core Area Liquid Waste Management Committee, said the current proposal is a "living document" that is evolving.

People who don't like it should suggest changes they want to see rather than trying to argue the science of whether Victoria needs to treat its sewage: "That train has left the station," she said.

"If they don't believe we need to treat our sewage they should have had that fight ... before [the federal government] changed the regulations," Brownoff said.

"The new federal regulations have come out and we have to meet them today. We have to move forward," Brownoff said. "The fines under the Fishery Act can be $500,000 a day. And, if you disobey, you can go to jail."

If ARESST somehow convinced the federal and provincial governments to break their monetary commitment to the project, the CRD would still have to treat its sewage - the only difference being it would have to pay the entire bill, Brownoff said.

The federal contribution for the project will be up to $253.4 million, the provincial contribution is a maximum of $248 million and the Capital Regional District provides the balance, estimated at $281.3 million.

The project is expected to be up and running by March 31, 2018.



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CRD-RELATED SEWAGE NEWS:

ARESST: Excerpt from news below: Rankin said he believes the Capital Region’s secondary sewage treatment project is a done deal under federal and provincial regulations, while Summerville said there is still a conversation to be had about the “top-down” decision. “It was done in a way that was ignorant of the science,” Summerville said.
CANDIDATE HOPEFULS EMERGE FOR UPCOMING VICTORIA BYELECTION (Rankin: sewage plant a done deal)

Daniel Palmer
Victoria News
September 11, 2012

Three potential candidates have emerged in the race for nomination in the upcoming Victoria federal byelection, while the four major parties work to finalize their nomination processes.

Donald Galloway, a University of Victoria law professor, will declare his intention to seek the Green party nomination on Thursday, The News has learned.

Murray Rankin, an environmental lawyer and former University of Victoria law professor, declared his intent to seek the NDP candidacy on Monday.

Rankin previously chaired the Land Conservancy of B.C. and is currently heading a panel of legal experts who are advising the provincial NDP on their opposition to the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project.

“I’m just appalled that (the pipeline is) a serious possibility,” Rankin said, adding he is concerned by the weakening of Canada’s environmental regulations.

“I sincerely fear the dismantling of all things I’ve come to love as a Canadian,” he said.

Last week, economist Paul Summerville announced his intention to seek the federal Liberal nomination.

Previously chief economist for RBC, Summerville ran for the NDP in Ontario in the 2006 federal election, but said the Liberals are better aligned with his economic and fiscal beliefs.

“Wealth is a critical condition for a successful social democracy,” he said. “That’s a hard thing to say wearing an NDP hat.”

Rankin said he believes the Capital Region’s secondary sewage treatment project is a done deal under federal and provincial regulations, while Summerville said there is still a conversation to be had about the “top-down” decision.

“It was done in a way that was ignorant of the science,” Summerville said.

On Monday, prominent pro-NDP Victoria councillor Marianne Alto confirmed she will not be seeking the federal seat.

“Right now, my priorities are my city and my family,” Alto said in a statement.

“When I sought a seat at city council, and the CRD, I did so with clear objectives,” she said, adding she has unfinished business at the local and regional levels.

No Conservative nominees have yet emerged, but the local riding association met for the first time on Monday night to discuss their nomination process.

All parties will soon begin their formal processes for selecting respective candidates.

The byelection date has not yet been set by the federal government, but it is expected to take place in conjunction with two others in Calgary Centre and Durham, Ont. near the end of November.



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FRANK STANFORD COMMENT ON CFAX

Frank Stanford's comment for Tuesday Sept 25 2012

Frank Stanford
CFAX 1070 Radio
Sep 25 2012 9:30am
 
You have to give points for persistence, to the people from ARESST...the self described "Association for Responsible and Environmentally Sustainable Sewage Treatment".

They've been campaigning against a sewage treatment giga project for years...and even now, after the 'announcement' of federal and provincial cost sharing dollars...which was hailed as the trigger...the final confirmation that the project will proceed...this group of naysayers still believes it can be stopped.

You will have opportunities over the next several weeks:  you may be approached at a mall, or you'll hear about public meetings, or you can go on line and seek out a petition to sign.  This petition will have no legal status...it's not like Victoria's recent borrowing initiative for the bridge replacement; or View Royal's fire hall project, where counter-petitions bearing a prescribed number of signatures required the munipalities to take notice.  The ARESST petition will seek to gather enough response to cause politicians to re-think based on moral-suasion alone. 

That having been said, this is as close as we're going to get to being asked for our opinion.  There are no plans for a referendum before your particular municipality borrows its share of the CRD's 300 million dollar share of the project cost.  They're not asking you what you think, they're telling you.  If you have something you'd like to say about that, this is your chance. 

This is Frank Stanford


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