Comox, March 14, 2013 – An exchange in the provincial Legislature Wednesday afternoon “did nothing to ease widespread concern that the Liberal government is trying to bypass rigorous scrutiny and ram through the proposed Raven coal mine,” said Comox Valley NDP candidate Kassandra Dycke.
“People are deeply concerned that the Liberal government wants this proposal pushed through, even though the basic science isn’t in place to assess the impact of the coal mine,” said Dycke. “It’s disappointing that the Liberal government is refusing to listen to voices from our community.”
She was responding to an exchange in the Legislature Wednesday afternoon, when NDP MLA Scott Fraser tabled a petition signed by more than 5,000 people. He also asked questions of the Liberal environment minister about growing concerns expressed by local governments.
“The controversial Raven underground coal mine project highlights serious holes in this government's gutted environmental assessment process,” Fraser said in the Legislature. “Will the Minister of Environment explain why he continues to ignore all representation from the Comox Valley and why he refuses to ensure adequate environmental protection and scrutiny for the region? “
Environment Minister Terry Lake expressed faith in the current environmental assessment. “The process is underway, the public is very much involved, and we will allow that independent, rigorous environmental process to go ahead,” he said.
But Fraser said the minister was “being dismissive to all members of local government in the Comox Valley. That's a big problem.”
He pointed out that all local governments in Comox Valley have passed motions opposing the further processing of the mine application until the province conducts comprehensive mapping of the impacted aquifers, undertakes an independent baseline study of the marine ecosystem, and refers the environmental assessment to an independent review panel with public hearings.
After the exchange, Fraser tabled a petition signed by more than 5,000 people opposed to the coal mine proposal.
Dycke said she was disappointed that the Liberal government doesn’t recognize that people are not satisfied with the environmental assessment.
“There is way too much at risk,” said Dycke. “Water quality, air quality, and hundreds of long-term sustainable jobs in the shellfish industry are all potentially threatened by this proposal.
“But the Liberal government seems determined to push ahead despite the voices from our community. It’s time to change direction, and to recognize that protecting our water, and hundreds of shellfish jobs, is the top priority.”
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