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[chris gadsden]

The province advised DFO just over a week ago that they are not going to do the work at Tranmer bar this year.

I think we may have our confirmation about the near fraudulent use of a fear of flooding to rationalize mining for alleged flood risk reduction and when the price of gravel is down and\or if EMBC cannot professionally arrange to get the equipment in place to do the mining - its then not an emergency .

[Dave]

Chris, I know you and others, but especially you, have put so much time and effort into this battle.
Take this as a victory my friend!... 

[chris gadsden]

Chris, I know you and others, but especially you, have put so much time and effort into this battle.
Take this as a victory my friend!... 

Thanks Dave but our technical people did so much of the important work.

[Rodney]

Better buy mega flood insurance before freshet hits...

[chris gadsden]

New From TheCanadian.org: Fraser River Gravel Mining Cancelled - New Video by Damien Gillis & Report by Otto Langer

Video of 2010 Fraser River Gravel Mining as 2011 Program Cancelled at Last Minute!
In February 2010, filmmaker Damien Gillis captured the gravel mining operations on the Fraser River with a team of expert biologists and local conservationists. Now, at the 11th hour, this year's planned mining projects have been unexpectedly cancelled. The rationale given by DFO is logistical complications and low market prices for gravel, only confirming critics' position that this program is not about reducing flood risks - and all about money. Watch this video to see what these huge mining operations really look like - and why this ecologically destructive program should be permanently scrapped.
http://thecanadian.org/k2/item/554-video-fraser-river-gravel-mining-damien-gillis

"Fraser River Gravel Mining: Misdirected Government Priorities & Ongoing Environmental Degradation" by Otto Langer
"One can only draw the conclusion that in the Lower Fraser we can only afford to allow gravel mining for the alleged purposes of flood control when the economy needs and is ready to buy the gravel at an acceptable price. Fortunately, we do not run other public safety programs in the same manner. Imagine if a slide was to occur in the Fraser Valley and the removal of the debris was not addressed until partnerships were in place to mine and sell it!"    
http://thecanadian.org/k2/item/552-fraser-river-gravel-mining-otto-langer

[Riverman]

Watched those videos and it brought all this back for me.Thank you Chris for your dedication to this even when it seems sometimes those in authority are not listening.It is a shame this has been happening and I for one will continue to participate where I can to help make a difference.There are a few good people out there doing so much for all of us.Hope the fish and the River will be there in future for all to enjoy.Not just some quick buck artists.

[chris gadsden]

For those still following this story here is the latest news, today's Chilliwack Times.

http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/news/Blames+permit+fiasco/4325082/story.html

[buck]

Chris

Les just makes me sick. How in this day and age is this guy still able to hood wink the general public.?

[chris gadsden]

Chris

Les just makes me sick. How in this day and age is this guy still able to hood wink the general public.?

Hopefully this is the start of the unravelling of the plans to continue the assault on the environment of the Fraser River.

We got it in writing from DOF the reason it did not go "was there no buyer for the gravel" (too expensive to mine and make a profit?).  Also with the financial situation of many levels of government these days no money maybe could be obtained like in the past to subsidy these project. Also with a change in the Liberal leadership that most likely changed the connections.

The gravel committee also was told that "no pile driving equipment was available". So maybe one can say this sham is finally coming to a rest. I sure hope so as it has been a lot of hard work since 2006 by many dedicated people trying to get out the truth. I believe those pushing these projects thought they could out wait us and we would disappear and they could continue what they were doing unhindered. At least the river is safe from further distruction this year but what if we have a major flood this year, is it because the government could not find the money to do the removal like they said is needed or not upgraded the dykes further after being asked to do so for for years. I think this is in the government's court on all fronts.

[chris gadsden]

Today's Chilliwack Times

Les throwing stones at wrong gravel target


BY PAUL J. HENDERSON, THE TIMES FEBRUARY 25, 2011


A spokesperson for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) expressed
"surprise" at Chilliwack MLA John Les's comments that blamed DFO for
gravel extraction projects being cancelled for 2011.

"Needless to say I am very angry about this," Les told the Times on
Monday. "Our provincial people have been working their butts off to try
and get this done, but it seems that DFO have just tried to invent every
possible angle to try and frustrate the process."

But Greg Savard, acting regional director of the oceans habitat and
enhancement branch of DFO, told the Times that it was up to Emergency
Management B.C. (EMBC)--an agency under the provincial Ministry of
Public Safety and Solicitor General--to issue permits and ask for
authorization if fish habitat is to be impacted.

"All of that work was done and assessed on the 21st of January, which
was well within the work window for this activity," Savard said.

The window for gravel removal is Jan. 1 to about mid-March, according to
Savard, and usually EMBC sends information into DFO to get authorization
for the gravel removals by October or November.

That gives DFO "a couple of months" to assess the province's plan,
figure out what impact it will have on fish habitat and decide on
mitigation or compensation measures.

"In this case the proponent, which is EMBC, did not provide all the
information until Dec. 31," Savard said.

Given that authorization was issued on Jan. 21, DFO actually sped up the
normal process, he said.

Retired senior biologist Otto Langer, who was head of habitat protection
for DFO for 32 years, says the EMBC delays illustrate that gravel
removal has nothing to do with public safety.

"If your safety in the Chilliwack area is dependent on gravel mining why
would it be cancelled for some other non-issue reason or excuse?" Langer
wrote to the Times via e-mail. "Is your life and limb and public
property not an important issue in Chilliwack? It's time guys like
[Barry] Penner and Les came clean and the provincial agencies and DFO
related to their real mandates and not cater to the alleged fear of
flooding if gravel is not mined."

On EMBC's website, the agency confirmed it had received authorization to
remove up to 167,000 cubic metres of gravel from Tranmer Bar but "after
further consideration with contractors, EMBC has determined that due to
the limited remaining construction window, work at Tranmer Bar will not
begin in 2011."

EMBC did not respond to questions from the Times before going to press.

phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com



Read more:
http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/throwing+stones+wrong+gravel+target/4346158/story.html#ixzz

[chris gadsden]

80% politics, 20% facts
 
 
THE TIMES FEBRUARY 25, 2011
 
 

Editor:

I found the recent comments from MLA John Les blaming the federal Department of Fisheries for the cancellation of this year's Fraser River gravel bar mining to be misguided and incorrect.

It is unfortunate that some B.C. politicians often want to blame Ottawa for their problems. This is nothing more than cheap politics. DFO has unfortunately gone out of its way to cater to the Fraser River gravel bar mining program as promoted by Mr. Les and his fellow MLA Barry Penner under the alleged rationale of flood control.

The facts indicate that Mr. Les's old ministry's office, Emergency Measures B.C., put in applications to mine gravel several months later than specified in a Canada -B.C. gravel removal agreement signed in 2004. Gravel mining can only occur from the fall into March of each year. This agreement has been violated by the province on an annual basis and that is not the fault of DFO. Further, this approach by the province has almost eliminated the possibility of proper public consultation.

This year EMBC did not apply for an environmental assessment until November and for an authorization to destroy fish habitat until late December 2010. Their contractor, Link Construction and Aggregates, did not apply for a permit to mine Tranmer Bar until Dec. 28, 2010. The province then gave the public only two days to respond to that application and that was in the middle of the Christmas break. Applications by the B.C. government had to be in months ago and the permits were to be in place by November 2010. Mr. Les should also comment on the low value of the gravel that made its mining uneconomic and the fact that the government could not find the equipment to do the job.

For John Les to blame DFO for holding up the process by not issuing permits on time is simply misleading. He has to assume responsibility for a misguided program that will continue to cause great conflict and harm to the river's environment. The public in the Chilliwack area must hold their politicians more accountable for what they stand for and say.

Otto E. Langer

fish biologist and aquatic ecologist

adviser to the Fraser River Gravel Stewardship Committee

Richmond

[Dave]

SWEET

[chris gadsden]

Les says he's just protecting his people
 
 
THE TIMES MARCH 4, 2011
 
 

Editor:

I would like to comment on some recent remarks by Greg Savard of DFO, and Otto Langer, formerly of DFO, on the subject of gravel removal from the Fraser River.

Mr. Savard suggests that having an approval issued in late January allows time for the work to be done by mid-March, when in fact, with mobilization and demobilization factored in, only a few weeks would be available for any flood protection work to actually be done.

Mr. Langer also asserts that permit applications were late, however, I am informed by EMBC that the complete application for Tranmer Bar was submitted on Nov. 10, 2010.

Keep in mind that gravel has been removed from Tranmer Bar as recently as two years ago, with no apparent negative environmental effects. Post-environmental monitoring of all past gravel removal sites, as dictated by DFO, has shown no negative effects to fish or fish habitat. Also, keep in mind that, while there has been gravel removed the last number of years, the fish don't seem to mind! Last year we saw a record return of sockeye salmon, and a huge return of pink salmon the year before that. The public should know that gravel removal is not done in the stream portion of the river, but rather from accumulated gravel bars that are high and dry and on which fish have never been sighted.

Gravel removal is only one element of the Provincial Flood Protection strategy. The majority of funds available are provided for defensive structures such as dikes and flood boxes. However, dikes cannot be raised beyond a certain height while maintaining their structural integrity. Simply put, we need to recognize that, with approximately 250,000 cubic meters of gravel being deposited in the Chilliwack reach of the Fraser River annually, an organized, responsible and thoughtful gravel removal program is a necessity. To accomplish that we need a permitting and approval process that is equally organized, responsible and thoughtful. That is what we've been trying to accomplish these last few years.

It appears that, Mr. Langer would rather never see another shovelful of gravel removed. That's an easy position to take when one doesn't live here. I, on the other hand, have a responsibility to stand up for the safety of my community.

John Les, MLA

Chilliwack

[alwaysfishn]

Les says he's just protecting his people
 

Is that what he was doing when he was profiting from those real estate transactions, at the expense of a retired couple??   

Perhaps he was protecting them from the evils of having all that cash in their bank account......

[chris gadsden]

By Robert Freeman - Chilliwack Progress
Published: March 07, 2011 2:00 PM
Updated: March 07, 2011 2:35 PM

Gravel removal from the Fraser River is back in the news.

After a period of relative quiet, cancellation of a gravel removal operation at Tranmer Bar near Chilliwack renewed the charge by critics that gravel mining in the river is driven by commercial interests rather than flood protection.

John Werring, a member of the Fraser River Stewardship Gravel Committee, said he was told by B.C. government officials that the Tranmer Bar operation was cancelled because no buyer for the gravel could be found.

“How is it that a provincial government, with all its resources ... is not able to pull together the resources to take care of that emergency,” said.

“If this is an emergency ... call in the army,” he said.

But a spokesman at Emergency Management B.C. said the reason for the cancellation was a request by federal fisheries for “additional information,” which pushed the project beyond the “window” for in-river work.

Without a completed permit, not even the government, could go ahead and remove the gravel despite market conditions, the spokesman told The Progress on a background basis.

Chilliwack MLA John Les, who has long pushed for gravel removal to reduce the risk of flooding, lambasted critics for telling the public that the government aims to prevent flooding by mining gravel from one specific site.

He said the idea is to remove gravel from many sites around the river reach from Hope to Abbotsford to “unplug” the river and lower water levels.

“Many children understand, if you let (gravel build-up) to continue, it will plug up the river ... and one of these years the inevitable will happen,” he said.

Les said the Tranmer Bar permit was completed “far too late” to allow the mining to proceed.

He said the bar has been mined before, “but this year, for whatever reason, the permit wasn’t completed by Jan. 22.”

“Everyone is concerned about the fish,” he added, but despite several years of gravel removal operations in the Fraser, record returns are being reported.

Werring said the Tranmer Bar is “unique habitat” for sockeye salmon and other fish species not found in other parts of the river. It may also be habitat for sturgeon, he said.

If the Fraser River floods next year because gravel was not removed at Tranmer Bar this year, he said the B.C. government is going to find itself in an embarrassing position with the “lame excuse” that no gravel was removed because no contractor could be found.

He said he hoped the real reason for the cancellation was the influence of the stewardship committee and others on government officials, and will eventually lead to a long-term, multi-year plan, agreed upon by everyone.

“We’re not opposed to gravel removal from the Fraser River, if it’s necessary for flood protection,” he said.

Meanwhile, a letter of agreement between federal fisheries and the B.C. government on gravel removal operations expired in March, 2009. A one-year extension was approved to March, 2010.

But no B.C. officials were available last week to explain the delay in reaching a new agreement.