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Crofton airshed forum rejects reworking study |
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By Edward Hill
Ladysmith Chronicle
Jan 07 2006
To monitor or to model, that is Crofton's air quality question.
Central Vancouver Island's top doctor weighed in on the dilemma vexing
the Catalyst pulp mill community advisory forum, recommending air
pollution be monitored, rather than committing to another scientific
study.
Dr. Fred Rockwell, VIHA's mid-Island chief health officer, said
modelling the spread of contaminants through the community, and then
using those results to determine health hazards, is fraught with error.
He said another health risk study, similar to the 2004 Jacques
Whitford report, would be of dubious value, due to North Cowichan and
Salt Spring Island's relatively low population of about 33,000 people.
"Only large increases in risk would be detectable," Rockwell said.
"Even if it were possible to show that area residents have worse health
than a similar population living elsewhere, it would be
challenging to prove emissions from the mill were the cause."
Rockwell's suggestions gave clarity to the forum's likely next move,
and affirmed what many members already advocate. CAF chair Jon
Lefebure praised Rockwell's input as "exceptionally lucid."
"I am afraid of losing this group if we don't start moving in a
positive direction," Lefebure said. "My position is to get in a
positive framework, we have to look at actual measurements and
concentrate on substances (chemicals) of concern."
Carol Donnelly, representing Crofton, agreed that the CAF needs to take
tangible steps toward better understanding health risks due to mill
emissions.
Joe Allen, representing mill employees, agreed.
"A new study won't convince anyone. Dollars will be better spent on
doing something concrete."
Not all were on side. Patti Bauer, an environment representative,
accused Rockwell of being biased in favour of Catalyst. She called the
Whitford report incomplete and said it needs to be redone, as did
fellow forum member Elizabeth White.
"It is difficult to see how we can avoid pollution if we don't know
what all the pollutants are," White said.
Crofton division vice-president Don McKendrick said it was unlikely the
CAF would ever come to a definitive agreement on the Whitford results.
He said "doubters and skeptics" would malign any large-scope study.
The CAF voted, not unanimously, to abandon its plan to rework the
Whitford study, and will hold a special meeting this month to chart a
new direction.
The forum is expected to start working on an extended pollution
monitoring plan, but that could also prove to be problematic. Ministry
of Environment officer Warren McCormick said that historically, finding
locations to place equipment near Crofton has been difficult because
the area is largely private property.
CAF's special meeting is Jan. 10, 6:30 p.m. at the Crofton Community
Centre.
http://www.duncannewsleader.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=9&cat=43&id=568308&more=
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