Committee members unhappy with review
Alberni Valley Times
Wed 12 Sep 2001
News
1 / Front
Graham Andrews


Complaints are being made by some local members of the Port Alberni
Generation Project environmental review committee.

Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District planners Jim McManus and Mike Irg,
and Hupacasath First Nation Chief Judith Sayers have complained that the
environmental review process isn't addressing concerns and that committee
chairman Jan Hagen is ruling with a heavy hand.

Sayers accused Hagen, who is employed by the province's Environmental
Assessment Office to lead the provincially-mandated review, of ``imposing
meeting times'' while McManus and Irg's criticisms centered on a perceived
lack of seriousness in dealing with ACRD's concerns about air quality and
re-zoning.

The three project committee members made the comments on Tuesday at a
meeting of the ACRD's Alberni Valley Committee.

McManus said the proposed natural gas-fired generator's entire review has
been difficult to be involved in. He said he has been verbally attacked by
other members of the review committee that includes members of the federal
and provincial governments as well as representatives from BC Hydro and
Calpine, the project's two proponent companies.

``This has been a very, very tough process to be involved with,'' McManus
said.

``Trying to keep track of the issues has been an absolute snake pit.

``I have been made to be a whipping boy in terms of many of the issues I
have raised here.''

McManus said that the ACRD's concerns about the project include air
quality, sewage removal, socioeconomic impacts, potential negative health
impacts and re-zoning haven't been addressed well enough.

He said there has also been little or conflicting information presented
regarding low-level noise created by the plant and electromagnetic fields.

McManus criticized BC Hydro for continuing to attempt to develop the
highly controversial project. Since the project was announced in December,
PAGP has been the subject of significant controversy, hours of public
meetings and campaigns against the project.

``I've never seen the vehemence that this corporation, that BC Hydro
has,'' McManus said.

``Most corporations, if they had half a brain, they would have walked away
long ago.''

When contacted about McManus' complaints, Hagen offered little comment.

The environmental review process is better discussed at project committee
meetings than in the media, he said.

``I think it's far more constructive for us to have discussions at
committee meetings,'' Hagen said.

``How the committee conducts its business is perhaps best discussed at
committee meetings.''

Hagen did deny that he was imposing committee meetings or that the flow
of information was in any way limited.

There are set rules for operating an environmental assessment, he said.

``I'm quite happy to state that the review process takes its course,''
Hagen said.

``In no shape or form do I, as chairman, restrict information nor do I
impose committee meetings without consulting with the committee.''

McManus, who is acting as a representative of the regional district and on
the direction of the AV committee, said the regional district's concerns,
particularly with air quality and health affects, are being downplayed or
spun by other committee members.

Irg said that his comfort level with the project has deteriorated as air
quality has been discussed.

City of Port Alberni re-zoning hearings to determine whether the plant's
proposed site on Tebo Avenue is re-zoned from medium industrial to utility
class have been put off until the environmental review is completed. But
McManus said that process is also backwards.

``I really believe strongly that this should be a local decision,'' he
said.

Sproat Lake electoral area director Derek Appleton said he also thinks the
process has gone too far.

BC Hydro originally claimed that they wouldn't build the plant if there
wasn't community support, he said.

``I haven't seen community support for this project,'' Appleton said.

``I'm perplexed that I can't even get past the perception part of this.

``I'm choked that we've gotten to this point and no one's pulled the plug
yet.''


FINAL
Alberni Valley Times

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