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ACTION
UPCOMING ACTIONS:
- CRD SEWAGE COMMISSION MEETS FRIDAY, 17 MAY
- SEND YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT MCLOUGHLIN TO ESQUIMALT
ONGOING ACTIONS:
- BANNER WAVE CALENDAR & EVENTS CALENDAR
- DOWNLOAD STOPABADPLAN
PAST ACTIONS
- VIC WEST FEST TABLE
- ESQUIMALT RR ALL-CANDIDATES MEETING - LOTS OF SEWAGE QUESTIONS!
- QUESTIONS FOR THE SEWAGE PLAN PROJECT FROM RSTV - UPDATED
CRD SEWAGE NEWS
- CRD DIRECTORS SAY SEWAGE PLAN IS IN LINE WITH GROWTH STRATEGY
- CRD ABRUPTLY NIXES BURNSIDE ROAD SEWAGE SITE OPTION
- NEW POTENTIAL SITES BROUGHT FORWARD
- COMMERCIAL TENANTS IN ESQUIMALT WORRY ABOUT EFFECTS OF SLUDGE PLANT
- EDITORIAL: DON'T OPEN DOOR TO LOCAL VETOES
- GOING DEEP (REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE)
LETTERS
- SMALL SEWAGE PLANTS INVESTIGATED BY CRD (Ahlgren)
- NO COMMUNITY HAS BEEN GIVEN VETO POWER (Riddell)
- EVERYONE COULD WIN WITH MIXED-USED SEWAGE PLANT (Baxter)
- SEND IN YOUR LETTERS!
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ACTION:
UPCOMING ACTIONS:
CRD SEWAGE COMMISSION MEETS FRIDAY, 17 MAY
CORE AREA WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROGRAM COMMISSION
Notice of Meeting on Friday, May 17, 2013 at 9:30 am
Agenda item 6:
Approval of Communications Consultant Contract (CAW 13-04)
Report:
http://www.crd.bc.ca/reports/
Complete agenda: http://www.crd.bc.ca/agendas/
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SEND YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT MCLOUGHLIN TO ESQUIMALT
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ONGOING ACTIONS
MONITOR OUR STOPABADPLAN CALENDAR FOR UPCOMING EVENTS, AS WELL AS FACEBOOK SITE
BANNER WAVE CALENDAR & EVENTS CALENDAR
Community Events Calendar:
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DOWNLOAD STOPABADPLAN
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PAST ACTIONS
VIC WEST FEST TABLE 12 MAY
Janet and Richard informing and getting signatures on petition. Janet's maps helped a lot too!
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ESQUIMALT RR ALL-CANDIDATES MEETING - LOTS OF SEWAGE QUESTIONS!
Candidates responding to several well-prepared sewage questions - and some yellow tshirts in the audience!
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QUESTIONS FOR THE SEWAGE PLAN PROJECT FROM RSTV - UPDATED
CLICK HERE TO SEE SHAUN'S UPDATED QUESTIONS: http://www.rstv.ca/
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CRD SEWAGE NEWS
CRD DIRECTORS SAY SEWAGE PLAN IS IN LINE WITH GROWTH STRATEGY
BILL CLEVERLEY
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 10, 2013
McLoughlin Point in Esquimalt is the planned site of the new sewage-treatment plant. Photograph by: ADRIAN LAM, Times Colonist
The Capital Regional District has taken a step closer to locating a sewage treatment plant at Esquimalt’s McLoughlin Point.
CRD directors agreed that building a treatment plant at the proposed McLoughlin Point site is consistent with the Regional Growth Strategy.
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins was opposed, saying the sewage plan does not fulfil objectives of the growth strategy, especially in the area of sustainability.
“One of the things we don’t want to do is to take [sewage] out of the ocean and put it on land and make it worse,” she said.
She said the plan does not have enough capacity and there is no room at McLoughlin for expansion.
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CRD ABRUPTLY NIXES BURNSIDE ROAD SEWAGE SITE OPTION
Victoria, BC - The Capital Regional District (CRD) Board endorsed the Core Area Waste Management Committee’s recommendation to not consider locating a combined liquid wastewater treatment plant and Biosolids Energy Center (BEC) at 1947 Burnside Road (Burnside).
CRD STAFF REPORT: http://crd.bc.ca/media/
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NEW POTENTIAL SITES BROUGHT FORWARD
Kim Bellefontaine
(from stopabadplan.ca facebook page)
New potential sites for locating sewage treatment facilites were brought forward to the CRD's attention today by the public. We know the current plan is horribly flawed; McLoughlin Point is too small, Hartland is too far and Viewfield is in the middle of a residential and business neighborhood.
Two intersting parcels of land were identified including 1947 Burnside Road West and Thetis Cove. Thetis Cove is a parcel of land used for industrial purposes that has a willing seller. This site is larger than both the McLoughlin and Viewfield properties combined and could accommodate both the liquid and solids components of sewage treatment. The site is very near important piping infrastructure and would be more proximal to receiving waste from the growing west shore.... This property appears to have some great promise for improvements on the current design.
The property located at 1947 Burnside Road West represents a very significant opportunity. This 40 acre rural site would be big enough for both the liquids and solids processing with ample room for now, for growth in the future, and for improvements in technologies over time (this is 4 times large than the space needed for both components). It also has significant buffers to people, which is an absolutely critical factor for siting such a large industrial activity.
This location would also support significant opportunities for resource recovery with large nearby users like the hospital and it could potentially support opportunities for integration of wastes streams which would reduce GHG’s. Other benefits may include lower costs as site construction appears more straight forward, and operating costs could be lower because the more expensive membrane bioreactor technology that is needed for McLoughlin could be replaced by cheaper options. There are also no tsunami risks with the site.
Overall these options seems to be a very feasible and potentially lower cost options than the current plan and would better position our city for the future with less impacts on communities.
Please take the opportunity to tell the CRD (and all levels of government) to fully evaluate these options and stop letting contracts and spending money on McLoughlin, Viewfield and Hartland until this has been done. Its not responsible to move forward with procurement when potentially better options exist.
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COMMERCIAL TENANTS IN ESQUIMALT WORRY ABOUT EFFECTS OF SLUDGE PLANT
Daniel Palmer
Victoria News
May 09, 2013 2:50 PM
Businesses in Esquimalt’s industrial park could leave en masse if a proposed sewage sludge plant is built in the area, according to the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce president.
Chuck Palmer said several commercial property owners are warning of discontent amongst their tenants since the Capital Regional District purchased a parcel of land for $17 million on Viewfield Road in March.
“One of our key members in that neighbourhood has just been advised by two of his tenants that they will leave the area if the biosolids plant is allowed to proceed on Viewfield Road,” Palmer said.
Burt Wams operates Burt’s Automotive in a leased building at 831 Devonshire Rd., directly behind the CRD’s Viewfield Road site. While he doesn’t plan to move, he said the secretive planning process of the CRD has led to a justifiable uproar in the community.
“Businesses are struggling as it is … a lot of guys I know are pulling equity out of their properties if they own them to keep their businesses afloat. If their values go down, it really hurts,” he said.
Wam is in the process of purchasing the property, but is having second thoughts about its assessed value.
“I’m going to buy this at today’s rate, but what’s it going to be worth 10 years from now when I want to retire?” he asked.
Bernie Maggiora, owner of Capital Sign on Devonshire Road, is used to the noise, dust and smells that are inevitably part of working in an industrial park.
As a former employee at the Saanich Peninsula Wastewater Treatment Plant, he knows the sludge plant likely won’t emit any odours, but he is concerned about the proximity of a biosolids energy facility to schools, homes and businesses.
The processing facility would extract heat, biogas and phosphorus from the sludge left behind after sewage is treated, with the potential to heat up to 1,000 nearby homes, according to CRD documents.
READ MORE HERE: http://www.vicnews.com/
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T-C editorial below criticizing possible Esquimalt veto on sewage sludge plant ignores previous BC government interference of local governance on sewage plan, including prohibiting referenda for sewage plants or independent BCEAA environmental impact assessments. Also doesn't mention one of Chris Corps' greatest concerns about Viewfield sludge plant - safety issues.
EDITORIAL: DON'T OPEN DOOR TO LOCAL VETOES
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 7, 2013
If the provincial government lets Esquimalt have the final say on the siting of a sewage-processing plant, it will become nearly impossible to find locations for regional facilities.
Carole James, platform chairwoman for the B.C. New Democrats, has said an NDP government would not override Esquimalt if it rejected rezoning of the Viewfield Road site being considered by the Capital Regional District for the plant that would process sewage sludge from the new wastewater-treatment plant.
Chris Ricketts, B.C. Liberal candidate for Esquimalt-Royal Roads, said he also opposes the province overriding the wishes of Esquimalt.
In March, the CRD announced it had bought the Wilson Foods warehouse site for $17 million as a potential site for the biosolids plant. It was an unpleasant surprise to Esquimalt’s residents and municipal council, given that the new McLoughlin Point sewage treatment plant will be also be built in the township.
The candidates’ sympathy is not misplaced. Esquimalt’s complaint that it is being asked to carry an unfair share of the burden for the $783-billion sewage project is legitimate. The new facilities would remove land from the tax rolls, and the CRD has already said it will not provide compensation for the municipality’s lost revenues from the McLoughlin Point plant.
Building the sludge plant on Viewfield Road would establish an unattractive industrial complex close to residences, schools and businesses. Regardless of how clean, efficient and odour-free the facility is promised to be, it would degrade quality of life and real-estate values.
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GOING DEEP (REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE)
Don Descoteau
Victoria News
May 11, 2013
Sewage treatment, and how that may play out for Capital Region taxpayers, has been a hot topic since the province ordered a halt to flushing screened sewage into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Almost forgotten in the discussion of the construction and operation of a wastewater treatment plant in Esquimalt is the fact the region’s underground infrastructure must be able to effectively and efficiently feed the new facility.
So where is Greater Victoria in terms of the quality and reliability of its pipes?
Overall, in fairly good position, says Malcolm Cowley, the Capital Regional District’s manager for conveyance infrastructure, seconded to the core area wastewater treatment project.
“Where the infrastructure is newer, the cost per household is going to be a lot lower,” he said, adding the further away from the downtown core one gets, the less ancient the sewage system.
In general, pipes in Victoria, Oak Bay and to a certain degree, Esquimalt, are the oldest – some remaining vitrified clay sections are 100 years old or more.
READ MORE HERE: http://www.vicnews.com/news/
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LETTERS
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 11, 2013
Re: “In the sludge of despond over sewage,” April 21.
Iain Hunter wrote of the Capital Regional District’s ongoing work to build modern sewage treatment for Greater Victoria in his recent column. He derides the directors of the CRD, all of whom are mayors and councillors elected by area residents, as uncaring, unintelligent machines seemingly irresponsibly foisting a “mega-project” upon the citizens without reason or investigation.
Hunter writes: “Chris Corp, a champion of green building, told a public forum in Victoria last week that big is not necessarily better. He wrote a report for the provincial government in 2007 that advocated using small sewage-treatment plants at scattered sites to produce marketable water, heat and fuel from sewage.”
Hunter states: “Such a common-sense solution, though, isn’t to be entertained by the CRD.” In fact, these ideas were investigated, thoroughly.
Anyone can access the 69-page study of various decentralized (or “distributed”) systems, and of numerous resource-recovery options at the CRD website (wastewatermadeclear.ca).
But these realities are not mentioned by Hunter. Groups opposed to any sewage-treatment facilities for Victoria have posted copies of Hunter’s column on their websites, apparently as validation of their views. Others, running for elected office, repeat these incorrect statements to audiences as if they were true.
Already, apathy and disengagement in public affairs is a serious problem, and this type of misrepresentation only serves to justify those attitudes.
Can’t we do better than this?
Tyler Ahlgren
Victoria
http://www.timescolonist.com/
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NO COMMUNITY HAS BEEN GIVEN VETO POWER (Riddell)
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 11, 2013
Re: “Don’t open door to local vetoes,” May 7.
The editorial implies that Esquimalt is about to obtain “veto” powers over the siting of proposed regional sewage facilities. The editorial suggests this is hazardous and that the province can’t give the veto to one municipality without giving it to all.
Similarly, Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard said this week that “a lot of us would consider that a precedent and we would want equal treatment,” meaning that Saanich would want these “veto” powers too.
No one has been given veto powers. The province has the power to override municipal zoning decisions regarding proposed sewage facility sites by invoking provisions in the Waste Management Act. No one is proposing to change this legislation.
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins has stated that Esquimalt will exercise its duty to refuse to rezone land for the proposed biosolids treatment facility at the Viewfield Road site. For Esquimalt council to do otherwise would be a dereliction of duty; the proposal is clearly not in the best interest of the community, and the site meets none of the basic criteria. MLA candidates for the Esquimalt-Royal Roads riding have reviewed the proposal and are clearly satisfied that, in the case of Viewfield, overriding Esquimalt’s objection is not justified.
It remains up to whomever forms the provincial government on Tuesday to decide whether it is necessary to use the WMA to override municipal decisions. Leonard has implied that Esquimalt is getting special treatment. In fact, all municipalities in the Capital Regional District have the same right to refuse to rezone. They have the same right to pressure the province to weigh their objections before using the WMA to override them. The province is not obligated to come to the same decision about every proposed site.
Janet Riddell
Victoria
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EVERYONE COULD WIN WITH MIXED-USED SEWAGE PLANT (Baxter)
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 11, 2013
Re: “Don’t open door to local vetoes,” May 7.
I suggest another option that your editorial did not address.
What if the sewage treatment plant were proposed as a mixed-use development including residential, commercial and other uses (cultural, recreational)? I’m certain there would be a few municipalities that would be pleased to have such a development in their jurisdiction.
The profit on the residential and commercial uses would help pay for the sewage treatment, the sewage treatment would help heat and water the rest of the development and beyond, and the municipality would collect taxes on the private part of the development.
There is a small example of this already in Vic West. Go sit outside the Fol Epi bakery and have a coffee and a fruit slice with the other patrons (about three metres from a sewage-treatment plant) and then do an editorial on how everyone can win. It doesn’t have to be a confrontation where nobody wins.
Michael Baxter
Colwood
http://www.timescolonist.com/
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SEND IN YOUR LETTERS!
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