- ESQUIMALT SEWAGE SLUDGE PLANT RALLIES A BIG SUCCESS!
- FOLLOW OUR STOPABADPLAN ON TWITTER AND ON FACEBOOK!!
- RSTV WEBPAGE UPDATE
CRD SEWAGE NEWS
- HUNDREDS BATTLE SEWAGE SLUDGE-SITE 'BULLYING' IN ESQUIMALT
- CHEK-TV NEWS VIDEO OF ESQUIMALT RALLIES
- MORE MEDIA COVERAGE BEFORE THE RALLIES (much more!!)
LETTERS
- SO MANY LETTERS LINKED HERE!
- SEND IN YOUR LETTERS!
------------------------------ ARESST ACTION:
- ESQUIMALT SEWAGE SLUDGE PLANT RALLIES A BIG SUCCESS!
Thanks so much to our ARESST action-makers Richard, Elizabeth, Colin, Brian and to our allies in Esquimalt and Vic West for making the Saturday rallies at Saxe Point and Hereward Park a great success. Estimates of up to 500 total attending, with great media coverage. Terrific speakers, including politicians, community activists, and residents, have really got everybody engaged and ready to move on to further action now. See the news stories below for details of the events! |
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RSTV WEBPAGE UPDATE
Thanks to input from several members and Dr Chris Garrett I have updated the RSTV front page.
FOLLOW OUR STOPABADPLAN ON TWITTER AND ON FACEBOOK!!
We encourage ARESST members and followers to follow our action planning on Twitter @stopabadplan and on Facebook
This weekend's Esquimalt rallys really show the value of Twitter and Facebook to complement our email system in getting you the news of rapid-response actions we'll be doing more of as we head into the provincial elections.
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CRD SEWAGE NEWS
HUNDREDS BATTLE SEWAGE SLUDGE-SITE 'BULLYING' IN ESQUIMALT
AMY SMART
TIMES COLONIST
MARCH 23, 2013
TIMES COLONIST
MARCH 23, 2013
CLICK HERE TO SEND LETTER TO TIMES COLONIST
Esquimalt and Vic West residents called for an end to the Capital Regional District’s sewage “bullying” on Saturday, protesting a potential biosolids processing plant on Viewfield Road.
Under the proposal, sludge would be piped two kilometres from the planned sewage treatment plant on McLoughlin Point to the biosolids facility.
“We didn’t get any notice and we should have a say,” said Jodi Bernath, who lives with her 13-year-old son in the Pioneer Co-op Housing behind the proposed sludge-plant property.
“I just found out yesterday and I’m not happy with it. I have a child and the whole idea of having a sewage plant right behind us is just not OK. … If it goes through, I would think about moving.”
Between 150 and 200 people attended the rallies, which drew many of the same individuals, at Saxe Point Park and Hereward Park, behind the Viewfield Road site.
The rallies were organized after the CRD announced last week it had paid $17 million for the 1.7-hectare Wilson Foods warehouse site on Viewfield Road, to use as a potential location for a biosolids plant.
CRD officials negotiated the deal for the industrial site — near houses, a grocery store and three schools — in private and announced it after it was signed.
Richard Atwell, who spoke at both rallies on behalf of Stopabadplan.ca, called the secret purchase “the final straw.”
“They purchased this property, then told the community about it,” he said. “They should be doing it the other way around.”
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins, who has spoken out against the plan, called the turnout at the rallies gratifying. “You can’t spend $17 million of taxpayers’ money without taxpayers being included,” she said.
Debbie Ottenbreit, whose property overlooks the McLoughlin Point site, agreed.
“My feeling is that we’re being bullied by the CRD,” she said. “If they ram this through with no consideration at all, it’s just not fair.”
Public consultation about the Viewfield Road site’s use will be held in May, said Denise Blackwell, chairwoman of the CRD sewage committee.
The district tried to negotiate an option to purchase the land so that public consultations could be held in advance of a sale, she said, but were unable to do so.
The CRD originally planned to pipe the sludge 18 kilometres to a plant at the Hartland landfill in Saanich. But after people criticized that plan, the regional district began looking for a site closer to McLoughlin Point.
The biosolids facility would turn sludge — left over from sewage treatment — into fuel.
The entire project is budgeted at $783 million and set to be online in 2018.
asmart@timescolonist.com
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/hundreds-battle-sewage-sludge-site-bullying-in-esquimalt-1.97181
http://stopabadplan.ca/media/
He's very critical of the CRD model among other things...
Make no mistake, Cliff is no fan of the project. Listen here for that critique from last year. It's a classic:
http://stopabadplan.ca/media/
--------------------------
TITUS INFRASTRUCTURE PROPOSAL ON CBC
Eric Lindqvist of Titus Infrastructure was on CBC on March 13, 2013 talking about his sewage proposal:
http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/
His pitch: a comprehensive package of Commercial, Retail, Condominium, MODERN sewage treatment (genuine energy recovery and water reclamation) at a far lower cost to the taxpayer.
This is some of what would have been heard at the CRD if the sewage committee hadn't voted to prevent hearing his ideas.
Eric wasn't there to bid on the project, only to share his concept but the committee claimed that their nameless "fairness advisor" recommended it wouldn't be fair to other interested companies.
When Chair Blackwell was asked for her comments by CHEK TV she said, "If we listen to one, we should listen to them all. I don't think it's fair for the process".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
I don't recall the committee passing a "don't call us, we'll call you motion".
To date, all they have done is inform interested parties about the project and have told them there will be a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) stage and a Request for Proposals (RFP) stage.
This flawed process continues to support Vic Derman's statements that the outcome has been predetermined from the start.
Bcontheisland 20130314 43885
podcast.cbc.ca
------------------------------
CAPITAL REGION GETTING CLOSE TO CHOOSING SITE FOR BIOSOLIDS CENTRE
TIMES COLONIST
MARCH 19, 2013
http://www.timescolonist.com/
---------------------------
Esquimalt and Vic West residents called for an end to the Capital Regional District’s sewage “bullying” on Saturday, protesting a potential biosolids processing plant on Viewfield Road.
Under the proposal, sludge would be piped two kilometres from the planned sewage treatment plant on McLoughlin Point to the biosolids facility.
“We didn’t get any notice and we should have a say,” said Jodi Bernath, who lives with her 13-year-old son in the Pioneer Co-op Housing behind the proposed sludge-plant property.
“I just found out yesterday and I’m not happy with it. I have a child and the whole idea of having a sewage plant right behind us is just not OK. … If it goes through, I would think about moving.”
Between 150 and 200 people attended the rallies, which drew many of the same individuals, at Saxe Point Park and Hereward Park, behind the Viewfield Road site.
The rallies were organized after the CRD announced last week it had paid $17 million for the 1.7-hectare Wilson Foods warehouse site on Viewfield Road, to use as a potential location for a biosolids plant.
CRD officials negotiated the deal for the industrial site — near houses, a grocery store and three schools — in private and announced it after it was signed.
Richard Atwell, who spoke at both rallies on behalf of Stopabadplan.ca, called the secret purchase “the final straw.”
“They purchased this property, then told the community about it,” he said. “They should be doing it the other way around.”
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins, who has spoken out against the plan, called the turnout at the rallies gratifying. “You can’t spend $17 million of taxpayers’ money without taxpayers being included,” she said.
Debbie Ottenbreit, whose property overlooks the McLoughlin Point site, agreed.
“My feeling is that we’re being bullied by the CRD,” she said. “If they ram this through with no consideration at all, it’s just not fair.”
Public consultation about the Viewfield Road site’s use will be held in May, said Denise Blackwell, chairwoman of the CRD sewage committee.
The district tried to negotiate an option to purchase the land so that public consultations could be held in advance of a sale, she said, but were unable to do so.
The CRD originally planned to pipe the sludge 18 kilometres to a plant at the Hartland landfill in Saanich. But after people criticized that plan, the regional district began looking for a site closer to McLoughlin Point.
The biosolids facility would turn sludge — left over from sewage treatment — into fuel.
The entire project is budgeted at $783 million and set to be online in 2018.
asmart@timescolonist.com
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/hundreds-battle-sewage-sludge-site-bullying-in-esquimalt-1.97181
-------------------------
CHEK-TV NEWS VIDEO OF ESQUIMALT RALLIES
------------------------
MORE MEDIA COVERAGE BEFORE THE RALLIES (much more!!)
Cliff LeQuesne from 100.3 "the" Q comments on the Viewfield news in this audio clip:
http://stopabadplan.ca/media/
He's very critical of the CRD model among other things...
Make no mistake, Cliff is no fan of the project. Listen here for that critique from last year. It's a classic:
http://stopabadplan.ca/media/
-----------------------------
Pamela McCall on CFAX interview Gene Miller and takes calls about the sludge facility in Esquimalt:
http://stopabadplan.ca/media/
http://stopabadplan.ca/media/
------------------------------
------------------------------
Politicians unite against proposed Esquimalt sludge plant:
Editorial: Biosolids plan needs a rethink:
PHOTO:
MAYOR DESJARDINS AT WILSON FOODS SITE
------------------------------
Mayor Barb Desjardins & CALWMC Chair Denise Blackwell on CFAX on March 20 in case you missed it:
Richard's analysis on the Brownoff CFAX commentary:
The Queen of Sewage Spin, Judy Brownoff herself, puts on her rose coloured glasses, leaves the cork in her ears and tells it like she believes on CFAX radio today.
Hiding behind the in-camera curtain and "the law", nobody could know about the Viewfield deal until after the contracts were signed. Esquimalt Council got special permission to be "disclosed" on the deal but only afterward and only just before the public disclosure.
As I recall and contradicting Brownoff, Saanich residents were shown several site options in advance but here's the trick: they included UVic sites that UVic never offered up for sale. If fact, the CRD never even asked UVic if they were for sale when they told the public they were under consideration.
Why? Because the CRD always has a particular site in mind (Haro Woods) but because of the Environmental Management Act, are forced to involve the public in the process but it's only the appearance of choice and the loosest adherence to that law. This part of the process has always been a farce and it is well documented that genuine consultation never occurs.
So, here we have Brownoff admitting that the Hartland site isn't suitable (which it has never been because of its distance from any neighbourhoods) but she's saying it will go to a public meeting. Hartland was probably wrapped into the plan just to advance the planning while they looked for the real site. In the meantime, we heard endless praise for the site's ability to recovery energy.
When Viewfield gets a public meeting, it will be run by the contracted consultants the CRD always use (the same ones who don't even put a sign out on the street advertising the meeting which limits participation).
At the meeting the public will be shown some hard backed posters showing "Hartland bad, Esquimalt good" much like the late Phil Hartman's Frankenstein character when he says, "Fire Bad!".
With Esquimalt, as far as the CRD is concerned, it's simply "get out of our way, you've only got one vote at the sewage table anyway. You're getting Macaulay Pumping Station, McLoughling Sewage Plant and Viewfield Energy Center".
Brownoff says several sites were considered before purchasing Viewfield for $17M. Isitt has confirmed that they knew the price was lower and they had to bid up the property in order to purchase it.
Brownoff, even suggested that the extra ($4M) above the assessment price was necessary because the land owners are operating a business and needed the extra for their retirement. Incredible! In other words they were pressured to sell by raising the price until the owners caved. Now what happens if the CRD has to sell? It will be desperate to sell and the buyers will want to pay taxes at $13M not $17M in future based on a possible reassessment. This will raise the taxes of the neighbouring properties as well.
In my mind, when you are considering several sites as Brownoff claims, it makes it a buyers market and it helps you get a good price but this is the same CRD that build the CREST radio system and saving money or spending it prudently isn't in their mandate: I checked.
ESQUIMALT MLA, MAYOR UP IN ARMS OVER PROPOSED SEWAGE FACILITY
TIMES COLONIST
MARCH 21, 2013
----------------------------
RAESIDE ESQUIMALT-AS-TOILET CARTOON
-----------------------------
CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT ENTERS INTO LAND PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR POTENTIAL BIOSOLIDS ENERGY CENTRE SITE
Media Release
For Immediate Release
March 20, 2013
http://www.crd.bc.ca/media/
For Immediate Release
March 20, 2013
http://www.crd.bc.ca/media/
-------------------------
CRD PLAN TO BUILD SEWAGE SLUDGE PLANT IN EQUIMALT IRKS MAYOR
--------------------------
CRD PLAN TO BUILD SEWAGE SLUDGE PLANT IN EQUIMALT IRKS MAYOR
TIMES COLONIST
MARCH 20, 2013
TITUS INFRASTRUCTURE PROPOSAL ON CBC
Eric Lindqvist of Titus Infrastructure was on CBC on March 13, 2013 talking about his sewage proposal:
http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/
His pitch: a comprehensive package of Commercial, Retail, Condominium, MODERN sewage treatment (genuine energy recovery and water reclamation) at a far lower cost to the taxpayer.
This is some of what would have been heard at the CRD if the sewage committee hadn't voted to prevent hearing his ideas.
Eric wasn't there to bid on the project, only to share his concept but the committee claimed that their nameless "fairness advisor" recommended it wouldn't be fair to other interested companies.
When Chair Blackwell was asked for her comments by CHEK TV she said, "If we listen to one, we should listen to them all. I don't think it's fair for the process".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
I don't recall the committee passing a "don't call us, we'll call you motion".
To date, all they have done is inform interested parties about the project and have told them there will be a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) stage and a Request for Proposals (RFP) stage.
This flawed process continues to support Vic Derman's statements that the outcome has been predetermined from the start.
Bcontheisland 20130314 43885
podcast.cbc.ca
------------------------------
VICTORIA INFRASTRUCTURE: NO SEWAGE COMMISSION? NO PROBLEM
Daniel Palmer
Victoria News
March 19, 2013 4:29 PM
------------------------------
------------------------------
ESQUIMALT MAYOR OPPOSED TO CRD PLANS FOR BIOSOLIDS SEWAGE PLANT IN TOWNSHIP
Daniel Palmer
Victoria News
March 20, 2013
CAPITAL REGION GETTING CLOSE TO CHOOSING SITE FOR BIOSOLIDS CENTRE
TIMES COLONIST
MARCH 19, 2013
http://www.timescolonist.com/
---------------------------
LETTERS
Iain Hunter: It’s time to tell governments to back off
Excerpt:
Capital Regional District politicians decided in secret to turn Esquimalt into a dumping ground for sewage sludge, presumably because the municipality is already designated as the site of a treatment plant that will produce the sludge.
This disgraceful bit of misgovernance comes, of course, because governments higher up have decreed that we must treat our sewage and pay through the nose for doing so. We’ve been told to hold that nose and get on with it simply because, as Stéphane Dion said when he was environment minister, “it’s the right thing to do.” So the province set deadlines.
Well, Esquimalt isn’t amalgamated with its tormenters yet. Its council should assert its right not to be pushed around, as should mayors and councillors serving community interests everywhere.
--------------------------
LETTERS:
Wrong site, wrong design for sludge plant:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Benefits of plant site are slim to none:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Sewage treatment plant completely unnecessary:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Esquimalt has much to offer:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Sludge could be moved along the E&N line:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Sludge decision is failure of leadership:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Directors ride roughshod over elected council:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
One bad idea follows another:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
CRD has lost its collective mind:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Sludge another argument promoting amalgamation:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Dump the sludge in Juan de Fuca Strait:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Turn the sludge plant into an asset:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Benefits of plant site are slim to none:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Sewage treatment plant completely unnecessary:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Esquimalt has much to offer:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Sludge could be moved along the E&N line:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Sludge decision is failure of leadership:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Directors ride roughshod over elected council:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
One bad idea follows another:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
CRD has lost its collective mind:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Sludge another argument promoting amalgamation:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Dump the sludge in Juan de Fuca Strait:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
Turn the sludge plant into an asset:
http://www.timescolonist.com/o
STORM DRAINS A SOURCE OF OCEAN POLLUTION
Lack of democracy in sewage project
SEND IN YOUR LETTERS:
Click here to send letters to
------------------------------
END.
