Contents:
Texada Island Natural Gas Plant Facing Opposition
“Industrial island” claim fails to calm Texada residents
Opposition is growing on Texada Island to a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, and natural gas-fired power generation facility, announced earlier this year by WestPac LNG. The terminal, to be built near Kiddie point, will “re-gasify” LNG from Asia to fuel the plant, and may feed additional gas into a pipeline to supply Powell River and Vancouver Island.
Read the full article: http://www.wcel.org/4976/33/03/01.htm
Making Connections between Heritage and Sustainability
West Coast recently partnered with Heritage BC and the Vancouver Heritage Foundation to make a presentation at the Annual Conference of the Union of BC Municipalities. The presentation, entitled “The Heritage Sustainability Nexus,” emphasized the connections between heritage and sustainability planning. The two key take-home messages were: when you are thinking heritage, think sustainability; and when you are thinking sustainability, think heritage. The goal for West Coast and its partners was to underline and remind decision-makers of the natural linkage between the two planning areas, and to point local government decision-makers to the resources available for them to take positive action and leadership on this issue.
Read the full article: http://www.wcel.org/4976/33/03/02.htm
The best kind of people
Message from the Executive Director
I’ve recently come to the conclusion that West Coasters are the best kind of people. Earlier this month our Development Officer, Andrea Wilkinson, and I had the privilege of visiting with several donors and allies during a short tour of the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island. And as always, I’ve come away warmed, inspired, and humbled.
West Coasters, I’ve come to realize, do more than simply support environmental organizations like West Coast; they are themselves environmental champions, defending their own communities, and in some cases, others far from their own backyard. Almost none are paid for their work, and quite often their struggle is a long and lonely one.
Read the full article: http://www.wcel.org/4976/33/03/03.htm
Environmental Law Alert
Sunshine Coast Logging: Win or Loss?
In our last newsletter we reported that, on August 11, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) made a precedent-setting order under the
Health Act. The order restricted logging by Western Forest Products (WFP) in the Chapman Creek Watershed, due to concerns that the logging would impact the region’s drinking water. On October 9, BC Supreme Court Justice Bruce Butler overturned the SCRD’s order. In the media, the outcome was largely portrayed as a failure for the environmental movement.
But let us be clear: this was not a loss for the environment nor for the powers of local government. While West Coast would, of course, rather have seen the SCRD’s order upheld, it is probably unrealistic to hope that a never-before tested legal tool would be fully successful on its first attempt. Although WFP did get most (although not all) of its logging done in the end, the SCRD
and the BC Supreme Court have both affirmed that local governments have an important role to play in regulating logging in watersheds that supply drinking water.
Read the full article: http://www.wcel.org/4976/33/03/04.htm
Top tips for a green holiday
What can you do to celebrate while still being kind to the planet? Just follow these top tips for greening up over the festive period.
Read the full article: http://www.wcel.org/4976/33/03/05.htm
Empowering Citizens to Become Environmental Champions
The phone rings at West Coast. Or an e-mail arrives. It’s from someone worried about logging upslope from their water source, or who suffers from asthma as a result of poor air quality; or a community group that is upset about a mine polluting a local stream or a development planned in an environmentally sensitive area.
The callers often aren’t sure whether there is a legal issue – a law that’s being broken, or a right that they can claim – but something just doesn’t seem right. Perhaps, they wonder, there’s something a lawyer can do about it.
Read the full article: http://www.wcel.org/4976/33/03/06.htm
Leveraging a Lasting Olympic Legacy
Whistler has become the first Olympics municipality to commit to using sustainable forest products. Already a leader in green design, the city recently pledged to use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard wood wherever possible, in the construction of its Athletes’ Village.
Whistler’s endorsement is another advance in promoting awareness and uptake of FSC wood. Like organic food certification, FSC certification is the only green mark of approval for sustainable logging practices supported by conservation groups around the globe. West Coast Environmental Law was one of the principal drafters of the Forest Standards Council – BC (FSC BC) Regional standards, which received international endorsement in 2005.
Read the full article: http://www.wcel.org/4976/33/03/07.htm
Comings and Goings
West Coast welcomes Allison Grose and Greg Gowe, and says goodbye (for a while) to Margot McMillan.
Read the full article: http://www.wcel.org/4976/33/03/08.htm
Tribute: Jack Gregson
Long before John (Jack) and Barbara Gregson began supporting West Coast, they had firmly established an environmental legacy in Kamloops. Two years after arriving in Kamloops from Courtenay, Jack founded the Kamloops Outdoors Club in 1936. It was the first of many contributions he would make to the Kamloops area, and British Columbia, in his lifetime.
Read the full article: http://www.wcel.org/4976/33/03/09.htm
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