LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- January 30, 2007
To The Editor;
Thank You, Princeton!
Quite often we all hear so many negative things about hockey I felt I had to write your community to express that hockey can be fun for all.
We recently attended a Bantam House Hockey Tournament in Princeton from January 19th to 21st. It was one of the best hockey tournaments our team has attended.
Our team has been to the Princeton hockey tournaments for three years now and every year it's a great time for all. This tournament was all around good.
The officials were fair and did a great job. The tournament organizers also did a great job. Our accommodations were fabulous. Thanks Bill and Jim. I'm sure your community knows who you are. We found everyone very friendly and helpful. The only complaint our team had were the dressing rooms at the arena. They are pretty run down and not very sanitary. This is not Minor Hockey's problem. I did see the sign saying that they are doing improvements to the arena. Hope they are done by next season.
Again I would like to thank Princeton Minor Hockey Association for a great weekend. Thanks to the fair officials you did a great job. And thanks to Jim and Bill at the Castle Resort we really enjoyed our stay there. We would defiantly attend your hockey tournament again. Hockey can be fun!!!!!
- Juanita Belsham, Manager Winfield Wild
To The Editor;
As a resident of Princeton since 1957, and as a council member, I have learned from and worked with a succession of fine mayors, whose attributes I have tried to emulate. Very early in public life you face the fact that no matter how lucrative a project may sound, if it jeopardizes the health and welfare of the people you represent you must look elsewhere. From a swing in a playground to a multi million dollar project, you have no choice.
When Compliance coal first approached me and I became aware of their project, I lobbied council and the directors of our Regional District to request a full environmental assessment to provide information in order to assess the impact on our area. However, in researching the terms of this procedure I became aware that:
1) No representative of the Princeton area was included in the process until Area H representative Logan and myself insisted on being included.
2) That the emission standards required of Compliance would not protect the people of the valley.
3) The testing, sampling and analytical data of the assessment are all supplied by the proponent, Compliance Coal, not by the Ministry of the Environment.
4) The invitation for public comment does not consider form letters, petitions, or letters stating positions either for or against the project.
5) Stopping a project is not part of the environmental office's process.
6) There has never been a situation in BC where an assessment has resulted in rejection of a project.
As a result I was forced to publicly proclaim my opposition to this project. What could possibly be the reason to wait for the results of an assessment largely carried out by Compliance Coal.
Late last year I was offered an all expense paid trip, by Compliance, to Alberta to view a coal power plant and I refused for several reasons. I was advised by our administration that according to our community charter "a council member must not directly or indirectly accept a fee, gift or personal benefit that is connected with a member's performance of the duties of office." I was therefore unable to participate as the integrity of my office would have been compromised. Further I felt I was not qualified or equipped to competently assess the technical, environmental and health implications of the plant I would visit. I very well might have come home stating the purity of the plant as presented by Compliance Energy, when in fact Environment Canada statistics show Genesee 3 (the cleanest plant visited) emits annually 193 kilograms of mercury, 1,430 tonnes of particulate matter, and nearly 7 millions tonnes of greenhouse gases as well as a range of other toxins.
Ultimately I have formed my conclusions as a result of information from countless studies by universities, the US Environmental Protection Agency, Ontario Medical Assoc., Environment Canada and scientists and medical professionals. My beliefs have been reinforced by every doctor in our valley as well as RDOS directors, mayors and council members of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band and Okanagan Nation Alliance.
The most vital aspect of this is that not one person from this entire group has anything to gain. On the other hand the proponent, Compliance Coal, is positioned to make many millions of dollars if this type of process is allowed.
We live in a beautiful recreational area blessed with clean air and clean water, 2 1/2 hours away from over 2 million people. We have value added industries, aside from Weyerhaeuser, that deliver a payroll of over 5 million. Since 2002 Princeton has consistently been in the top two for building permits in the entire regional district which stretches from Summerland to Osoyoos to Manning Park. As we are all well aware real estate values have risen dramatically. We have a municipality in the enviable position of having 1.7 million dollars in reserve with no debt. Princeton has a bright future provided future councils are cognizant of the health and welfare of our people and of our environment.
We have been approached by dirty industry in the past and we will be in the future. In 1990, when confronted with an application for a coal-fired generating plant Mayor John Rubis stated, "We must enlarge our tax base. We won't do it by sitting still. We need growth, no question about it, but we don't need it if it's going to be detrimental to our environment, or harmful to our way of life."
That to me is integrity.
- Mayor Randy McLean, Princeton
The Editor:
Re: Dan and Ann
Dan, my specific source for my comment on Solar Power was Wikipedia, www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power, among others. For information on what the B.C. government is researching and planning in the entire renewable energy front including wind and solar, visit www.bchydro.com. Follow the Environment Link to Green Power and you will find the Green Energy Study for British Columbia, Phase 2. It indicates that for commercial purposes we are neither sun or wind country.
Yes, I know the Tulameen is not suitable for a Run-of-the-River power. I was merely making a point. I too can have an aversion to something. I think Run-of-the River projects are a terrible invasion of nature for very little gain. I am also no longer as fond of wind power as I once was. European wind farms are destroying huge numbers of birds already and there are many more of these stationary airplane propellers being built as we speak; but we don't talk about the dead birds. They are just collateral damage in the war on global warming.
I am puzzled why you Dan, and Ann Hughes think property values will drop if Compliance Energy or some other large employer increases our population. It is a supply and demand world. We have relatively few homes on the market and a next to zero percent rental vacancy. If some people truly want to cut off their nose to spite their face and leave town, they will probably sell their homes for a far better dollar than they would get today. Why do you think property is so expensive in Vancouver or Kelowna?
Finally, Ann, the word vitriolic comes from the noun vitriol which is sulfuric acid and as an adjective means caustic or corrosive. The only truly caustic remarks in this back and forth exchange so far have come from Aurora Cole, who had a lot of fun dumping on me. Your reference to me as a lackey of Compliance Coal might qualify as caustic since it is a rather harsh word. You ask how old I am; probably older than you are since I am already retired. I have grandchildren just as you do, and I have many concerns about what is happening in the world; climate change is just not one of them. One only need watch the evening news to see what fear and grief are really all about; and where our true worries would be better placed.
Ann, I really resent being called a lackey. In my time here my letters have championed progress for Princeton, the Splash Park, the Deer and the Marmots, and now the socio-economic benefits of a large, new employer. In all these discussions I have merely tried to dispel unreasonable fears. I don't know if my words ever made a positive difference but I can hope because I tried.
I have certainly received lots of flack for my efforts but never anything as relentless and visceral as the Compliance issue has generated.
I personally think the coal horse has been flogged to death. We should all get on with other important issues facing the community until the Environmental Assessment is presented and we all know what we are actually talking about.
- Karin Green, Princeton
