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Sentinel
Northern
Volume 58 No. 37
Clio Bay must be preserved Cameron Orr A proposed plan by the Kitimat LNG project to dump marine clay from the project site into nearby Clio Bay has stirred the ire of at least one local, and the concern of Kitimat Council. Rick Flegel, longtime resident and boater on the Douglas Channel, asked for council’s support to stop the proposed dumping plan. The plan is called the Clio Bay Restoration Project, and according to Chevron (a proponent behind Kitimat LNG, as well as Apache) it will cover the numerous submerged logs in the bay, and will restore it to natural health. But not everyone agrees Clio Bay needs restoration. “I just can’t believe that somebody would just go and dump mud into the bay,” said Flegel, adding, I think of Clio Bay as an aquarium. It’s there, it’s got habitat amongst the branches and what have you, and that’s all going to be covered.” Flegel, who has lived in Kitimat since the 1950s, said he fishes, crabs, and takes family to Clio Bay, and notes it’s a safe haven during high winds on the water. The Clio Bay project would likely require the bay to be closed to the public at certain times, the company told the Sentinel. Councillor Phil Germuth also provided a verbal report at the same meeting, expressing his concern regarding the project. “In fall of 2011, Kitimat LNG put out a community update letter which stated that Kitimat LNG is applying for a permit from Environment Canada to dispose of organic sediments at sea, two kilomtetres offshore from Bish Cove, in an area not traditionally used for fishing and away from most local boat activity,” he said. But with the site of dumping now being Clio Bay, he feels there will be a lot of impact from the proposal. As for the ecological claims, Germuth countered the claims from Chevron that submerged logs in the bay suck out oxygen and damage the aquatic environment. Germuth referred to a study by marine biologists from a few years ago who were looking at the Douglas Channel and used high powered cameras to see underwater. What they found was a lot of life. “In effect those logs have actually created a reef, where, like any other reef, an ecosystem was being sustained,” he said. Germuth closed with a letter he received from a Haisla member and boater, quoting a passage that says, “There is a very healthy ecosystem in Clio Bay. It is very unique.” Right now, Council has directed a meeting be set up with various groups, including the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ministry of Environment, and the Haisla First Nation.
www.northernsentinel.com
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
1.30 INCLUDES TAX
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Matt, Benjamin and Noah George set up along the Kitimat River at Radley Park to seek their big catch for the Kitimat Fish Derby.
Details to work out in the fall “We know that we’re going to have to change Cameron Orr how we do our training, we know we’re going to The government knows what Kitimat needs as have a shortage of skilled labour, we need to train it faces natural gas mega-projects over the next depeople over the next three to five years,” he said. cade, but the minister of natural gas development He said that the Liberals’ level of anticipated says the community can’t count their chickens bejobs — about 75,000 to construct all proposed fore they’re hatched. projects — is realistic. “We’re aware of all that,” said Rich ColeHe points to the over 2,000 for the camp at man following a Kitimat Chamber of Commerce Rio Tinto Alcan’s modernization project, a project hosted luncheon on September 4 about Kitimat’s billed at about $3.3 billion. infrastructure needs. A liquefaction plant for natural gas could run That being the case, he said he’s cautioned all between $9 and $10 billion by comparison, he municipalities that they should not go ahead on said. major projects before they know whether or not a In short, it all adds up. company will commit to construct. But to make this all happen, the government “Lets make sure we’re in the right direction, Rich Coleman has to set tax rates and other details to make B.C. that we actually have the investment. You don’t attractive to the industries. (Coleman said he’s set just build infrastructure and hope they’ll come.” He adds that front end infrastructure development will hap- to have B.C. become the go-to place for natural gas projects over Australia, which have a number of their own projects.) pen, but that is something that will happen at a later stage. Those details, which the government will also finalize over Job and training needs will also be fleshed out provincially over the course of the fall, he said, and government ministries the fall, include carbon tax rates, greenhouse gas emissions, — including education and advanced education — will meet royalties, and the base tax rate, all with an eye for beating the with industry proponents to put together a list of the required province’s competition to attract these businesses. “We’ve got to make sure that we make sure this is solid for jobs for the projects. From there the government will figure out where gaps exist people,” he said. Continued on page 2 in current training.
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Fun and fins at annual Fish Derby ... page 9