Chilliwack Progress
Public forum on gravel mining
I certainly hope many of you will attend this meeting. It starts at 6:30 PM on March 19. Thanks Chris
By Robert Freeman - Chilliwack Progress
Published: February 26, 2009 6:00 PM
Critics of gravel mining in the Fraser River are taking their case for a more open approval process to the court of public opinion.
A public meeting is being held March 19 at the Chilliwack Best Western organized by a coalition of environmental groups called the Fraser River Gravel Stewardship Committee.
The idea of holding a public forum on the gravel issue began in April last year after the outcry over a run-of-the-river project on the Pitt River caused the B.C. environment ministry to cancel the plan.
But Patti MacAhonic, B.C. Wildlife Federation executive director, said the purpose of this meeting is to present “balanced” information to the public about gravel removal “so people can make up their own minds.”
An open mike will be available after the presentation for the public to ask questions or express their own views.
Federal and provincial officials, including Chilliwack MLAs John Les and Barry Penner, have been invited to the meeting, along with First Nations leaders.
The B.C. government and federal fisheries insist the removals are for flood protection, and approved only after comprehensive environmental studies are conducted and safeguards are in place.
The committee insists it is not opposed to gravel mining, but wants the flood benefits proved before putting fish habitat at risk.
“We want to make sure DFO and the province follow the stated policies to ensure fish habitat is protected - and we don’t feel they are,” MacAhonic said.
A “transparent” process, including data from environmental studies done before and after removals, is part of the government policies, but committee members claim they are being stymied in their efforts to obtain information.
Marvin Rosenau, a former government biologist and outspoken critic of the approval process, said the public is routinely left out of removal decisions by federal and provincial officials “without any clear explanation.”
Freedom of Information requests by the committee, when approved at all, are also returned with “even simple technical stuff excised for no reason,” he said.
Frank Kwak, Fraser Valley Salmon Society president, said the committee invited government officials to the meeting “to give them the opportunity to hear what we have to say, and take it back to their people or respond” at the meeting.
MacAhonic said the wildlife federation is well-known as a “responsible” organization that doesn’t get involved with fringe elements of the environmental community.
“We have some real concerns about fish habitat with the gravel removal (process),” she said.
There is “adequate” protection already in government policies, she added, “but they need to be followed. There needs to be a transparent process.”
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