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CACG Letter to Minister Barisoff |
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Feb 25, 2004
Following a February 19 meeting with BC Environment Minister Bill Barisoff, CACG re-iterates requests.
Crofton Airshed Citizens Group
http://www.croftonair.org
please respond to:
171 Vesuvius Bay Road, Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 1K3
Tel: 250-537-2616; Fax: 250-537-2681
February 25, 2004
The Honourable Bill Barisoff
Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection
P.O. Box 9047, Stn. Prov Govt.
Victoria, B.C. V8W 9E2
fax: 250-387-1356
Dear Minister Barisoff,
Re: NorskeCanada Crofton Mill
Thank you for taking the time to meet with members of the Crofton Airshed
Citizens Group (CACG) on February 19, and for agreeing to meet with Michael
Ableman and Patti Bauer at a later date. We hope you gained a clearer
understanding of our group and our very real concerns regarding the air
emissions from the Crofton Mill.
The critical points that we attempted to make at our meeting are as follows:
1. We think that there are measurable health risks associated with living
in the airshed of the Crofton Mill, and that these warrant investigation.
2. MWLAP regulates the air emissions at the Crofton Mill through a
permit which was written in 1976 and covers only three
substances—sulphur dioxide, total reduced sulphur compounds, and
particulate matter.
3. MWLAP staff do not inspect the facility on a regular basis, do not
enforce compliance, and rely on data provided by NorskeCanada.
2 / 2
4. There is no Canada-wide federal legislation to limit emissions; there is
a legislated requirement for companies to report their emissions to
Environment Canada, but no legislation to control those emissions.
5. An independent baseline assessment of the Mill’s current emissions is
needed before any “alternative fuels” are trialed.
We asked for your help in establishing a multi-stakeholder Advisory Group, to
include representatives from NorskeCanada, MWLAP, CACG, North
Cowichan Council, etc. The purpose of the Advisory Group would be to set the
Terms of Reference for a comprehensive independent baseline study, to select
the consultants and oversee the work, and to establish a process for the
reduction and eventual elimination of toxic emissions from the Crofton Mill.
Our objectives are clean air, clean water, clean soil. We believe that these
objectives are shared by MWLAP, Council and by the Company. We also
believe that they are achievable objectives, essential for the long-term
prosperity of both the Company and the airshed communities.
The NorskeCanada news release of February 24 describes the Company’s
intention of holding a series of focus group meetings with various interest
groups. This is NOT the science-based Advisory Group process outlined above
and we request that your Ministry immediately contact all parties to establish
an Advisory Group with mutually-agreed-upon Terms of Reference.
We look forward to your response.
Yours truly,
Elizabeth White,
member, Crofton Airshed Citizens Group
Cc Don McKendrick
Jon Lefebure
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