Environmentalist
gives Lories’
green plan

a poor grade

A NORTH Vancouver en-
Vironmentalist. who par-
ticipated earlier this year in
discussions leading up to
the $3-billion federal ‘‘green
plan’? has slammed the
recently-released en-
vironmental manifestc as
being too soft on industry.

By Michael Becker
News Reporter

Said Karin Weber, ‘I would
say he (Environment Munister
Robert de Cotret) gave the green
light for industry again.”’

Weber was a member of a
two-day workshop held in Van-
couver to address the issue of
ozone depletion. The session was
one of 17 public input workshops
held across the country in May
and June.

Workshop participants, in-
cluding environmentalists and in-
dustry representatives, made rec-
ommendations to government on
options proposed for the green
plan.

“Twas in a group with five in-
dustrialists,’’ Weber said. ‘‘It was
very frustrating.”’

Weber said she almost walked
out of the workshop at one point.

“Industry was asking for more
time, more studies. That's all they
were saying. We have all the data
available already. The chemical
man was saying, ‘Well if tough
legislation comes in I’°ll have to
shut down my plant here and
move to the United States.’ ‘Oh,’
J said. ‘If ye: can’t pollute here
you have to go to pollute in
another country.’ And he got real-
ly frustrated and lost his cool and
said, ‘You'd better go home and
get educaied.” "’

Meanwhile the green plan,
which was released on Tuesday,
has been widely criticized for be-
ing long on vision and short on
bite. It does not include, for ex-
ample, gtscn taxes to disccurage
environmen!aily unfriendly con-
sumer practices; carbon tax to
discourage fossil fuel use; nor
tough pollution-control laws.

But according to Mary Collins,
Capilano-Howe Sound MP,
associate minister of national
defence and minister for the status
of women, criticism of the plan
being too easy on business is
premature,

“The plan calls for tougher en-
forcement measures in a number
of areas because there are a lot of
different legislative initiatives that
will flow out of it. Certainly at
this point in time, taxes are not
included in the green plan. We
decided instead to use a variety of
other methods to encourage peo-
ple to both personally and cor-
porately be mec: responsible,”
Collins said.

The future success of a wide-
ranging list of green plan initia-
tives calls for cooperation und
agreement between the federal
government and the provinces.

But the recent disagreement be-
tween former provincial environ:
ment minister (West Vancouver-
Howe Sound MILA) Fohu
Reynolds and Premier Bill Vander
Zalm over pulp mill pollution
regulations underscores the dif:
ficulty of tightening industry regu-
Jations on the environmental
front.

Said Collins, “Obviously that's
a cause for concern, but there are
some areas in which the federal
government has jurisdiction solely
and where we can regulate, and

e Sound M
Mary Collins ... see how things
develop.

WEST Vancouver-Howe Sound
MLA John Reynolds ... dif-
ferences with the premier.

there are some areas where the
provinces have jurisdiction. We'll
have some clout there, but ob-
viously it's much better if you can
have cooperation between the two
levels of government and have
some common standards. It’s not
always possible so I guess we'll
have to see how things develop
over the next while.""

The $3 billion pegged for the
five-year plan is ‘new’ wioney
according to Collins.

“The funding is coming out of
new revenue — new money. It
comes from within the budgetary
framework,” she said.

The federal has
allocated:

* $850 million for
water and land’’;

* $350 million for
renewable resources’’;
* $175 million for ‘special spaces
and species’’;

© $100 million for ‘‘the Arctic’’;
© $575 million for ‘global
vironmental security’’;
* $500 million for
making’’; ,
© $275 million for ‘starting in our
own house”’;

* and $175 million for ‘temergen-
cy preparedness."”

government
“‘clean air,

“sustaining

en-

‘‘decision-

Among the initiatives
outlined are:

*new regulations to control diox-
in and furan emissions from pulp
and paper mills to be in full force
by 1994;

ea Fraser River action plan to be
developed as of 199) for the
Fraser River and Burrard Inlet to
doubte the river's fish population:
ea plan to seck provincial coop-
eration over the next five yours fo
identify and establish a national
network of forest ecological
reserves:

eto adopt in 199] the federal pot-
iey on wedland conservation,
which would include the protec-
tion of wetlands on federal lands;
eto berin consultation with
marine industry in 199t oon the
phase-in of double-hulled vessels
for petroleum products and chem-
icals.

many

Friday, December 14, 1990 - North Shore News - 3

NEWS photo Mika Wakefield

THAT’S ONE iong banana split! Handsworth Secondary band students created 15 feet of
ice cream decadence in preparation for Sweet Music, their upcoming concert on Tuesday, Dec.
18. The concert will showcase all the musical groups at Handsworth. David Ryce (left) is ready

with his spoon while Curtis Labounty decorates.

N. Shore environment hit list revealed

A NUMBER of North Shore commercial
and municipal operations are in the pro-
vincial environment ministry bad book, ac-
cordi::g to a listing of waste management
permit non-compliance and pollution con-
cerns released Wednesday.

The total list of 130 cases is based on data receiv-
ed by the environment ministry from June to August.

Among those listed in the report of ‘‘significant
non-compliance evaluation of waste management
permits’* are:

eNorth Vancouver's Neptune Bulk Terminals
(Canada) Lid. for bulk-loading plant effluent. In-
formation received by the ministry shows Neptune
exceeded an effluent permit during April to June
1990, The evaluation was based on analysis of sam-
ples or other information submitted by Neptune
Terminals for a number of factors including pH,
ammonia and toxicity. The company has hired a
consultant to corcect the situation.

eVancouver Wharves Ltd... a North Vancouver
bulk-loading plant, for execeding its effluent: permit
during the period from January to June 1996. The
evalnation is based on an analysis of samples or
other information submitted by Vancouver Wharves
for pH, copper, ofl, grease, lead and iron. Com-
pliance is expected by the end of the year.

eWestern Pulp inc. in Squamish for pulp mill ef-
Queat from its Woodfibre pulp mill. The mill ex-

Ge

ceeded its effluent permit during July 1990. The
evaluation is based on an analysis of samples or
other information submitted by the company for ef-
fluent toxicity and temperature. An effluent upgrade
is under way.
Western Pulp Mill Inc. in Squamish for pulp mill
emissions. The company exceeded permit levels for
power boiler emissions for particulate matter from
April to June 1990. The evaluation is based on an
analysis of samples or other information submitted
by the company. Negotiations are under way with
B.C. Hydro for a co-generation plant.
*Mt. Seymour Resort Ltd. for recreation facility ef-
fluent. The company exceeded its effluent discharge
rate based on inspection by the ministry. A contrac-
tor was hired to resolve the problem.

Among those listed in the report to be ‘‘a pollution
concern”’ are:
eCopper Beach Estates at Britannia Beach for acid
mine drainage effluent from an abandoned mine site.
A pollution abatemeut order was issued to the prop-
erty holder. The order is currently under review by
the ministry pending an assessment of a consultant's
study of collection and treatment alternatives.
*The North Vancouver Lions Gate sewage treat-
ment plant for sewave effluent. Concern has been
raised regarding poor sewage effluent quality. A
Liquid Waste Management Plan, established by the
Greater Vancouver Regional District, will include the
implementation of regional source control bylaws
and management of combined sewer overflow and
storm runoff. .

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