InteriorNEWS THE
106th Year - Week 5
SmitherS, B.C.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
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Enbridge pulls omnibus move
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STEELHEADS UP 1-0
By Percy N. Hébert
The Steelheads are up 1-0 in their series against Luckies.
Smithers/Interior News
SPORTS/A9
TESSIER PENS AWE Natasha Tessier is pleased with her Book of Awe.
COMMUNITY/A15
SO LONG MAUREEN Maureen van der Mark retires from Speedee.
CURLING ROCKS Anne Griffith carefully releases a rock during Drop-in curling at the Smithers Curling Club on Jan. 25. The next major event for the club is the Edelweiss/ Steelhead Bonspiel, Feb. 15-17.
Ryan Jensen photo
OUR TOWN/A17
INSIDE
LETTERS A7 SPORTS A9 COMMUNITY A15 OUR TOWN A17 THREE RIVERS B1 CLASSIFIEDS B4
Enbridge Inc. filed a route revision for their proposed Northern Gateway pipeline in late December, 2012, when they thought no one was watching. But local environmentalist Josette Wier was watching and didn’t like what she saw. “Who releases documents on Dec. 28?” Wier asked with a tone of incredulousness. “There is, in my opinion, a desire to confuse, hide [the changes].” Doug Donaldson, NDP MLA Stikine, also questioned the timing of the submission and the contents of the revisions. “People have to have confidence in the integrity of the process,” Donaldson said. “This erodes public confidence.” Nathan Cullen, MP Skeena-Bulkley Valley, was blunt in his characterization of the move by Enbridge. “It’s dishonest to the process,” Cullen said. Although the revision put forth by Enbridge is titled Pipeline Route Revision V, there are additional changes
to the proposed project buried in the document, changes unrelated to the route revision, much like the federal Conservative’s omnibus budget bill, Wier explained. Among the changes tucked into the route revision application, but having nothing to do with the pipeline route, is an increase in the number of oil tanks in Kitimat, an increase in the capacity of the condensate tanks and the addition of a drag reducing agent to the condensate cocktail. In their original proposal, Enbridge filed application for 11 oil tanks in Kitimat to store bitumen for shipping. In the the route-revision document, Enbridge increased the number of tanks to 16 and increased the size of all the tanks such that their working capacity is increased by nearly 88 per cent, Wier said. “What does that mean?” Wier asked. “The Enbridge people who answered the questions on the tanks in November, must have known that the proposal that was being presented was no longer valid,” Wier said. For more visit: interiornews.com.
RDBN votes to work with SMXA, look for solutions By Ryan Jensen Smithers Interior News
The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) is working with the Smithers Motocross Association (SMXA) to keep them in their current home. During the regular RDBN meeting on Jan. 24, board members voted to work with the SMXA to move forward with their rezoning
application which would allow the motocross track to stay in its current location near the Waste Transfer Station, on Donaldson Rd. But there are some concerns that have to be addressed before the application moves forward. The bulk of the issues brought forward centre around the fact it was built on a landfill that was closed by the RDBN in 2000. Questions have been raised about the track impacting the integrity of the landfill cap, the potential of contamination of other parts of
the property and the health risks associated with the collection of landfill gases on the property. “I believe the fundamental rezoning question is: is a motocross track an appropriate land use for this particular piece of land?” said RDBN director and Smithers Mayor Taylor Bachrach. “In order to make an informed decision, there is information the board members still require.” See SMXA on p. A2
Say good-bye to your Pennies, Say hello to helping children. See page A20
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