WN. od NEWS photo Neil Lucente LOOK WAY UP! Canadian Federation of University Women’s book sale volunteers May Henry (left) and Sheila Weddigen pile high some of the 4,000 books to be sold Tuesday, May 8 at Park Royal North. Money raised from the book sale will go towards scholarships for mature women students. To donate books call 922-0593. Public asked for terminal input EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN PROMOTES NEPTUNE TERMINAL NORTH VANCOUVER-based Neptune Bulk Terminals has begun distributing a brochure and questionnaire seeking North Vancouver City resident reaction to its controversial $22-million project to expand its potash storage facilities along the city waterfront. The North Vancouver terminal has applied to North Vancouver City for a permit to expand its potash storage operations. If the expansion permit is granted, Nep- tune would upgrade its present potash storage facility and build a new potash shed that would be 110 feet high and 700 feet wide. In addition to the brochure and questionnaire, Neptune took out a full page ad in the April 18 News explaining details of the proposed expansion and the Neptune facility in general. The company will also be holding two open houses on-site Tuesday and Thursday. Neptune spokesman Sandra Sherman said the company decided to produce the brochure and ques- tionnaire to give area residents as much information as _possibic about the propased expansion. “We thought there were some misconceptions about what we are proposing so we decided we would give people the details and facts,”’ said Sherman. The Cloverley Residents‘ URS RATTAN News Reporter Association has been lobbying against the expansion plan, argu- ing that the move would increase noise, pollution and cut harbor views for some Cloverley-area res- idents. But Sherman said Neptune decided to distribute the question- naire because it wanted feedback on the proposed project from ‘‘a broader base of people,”’ not just Cloverley-area residents. She said the brochure and ques- tionnaire is being distributed only inthe Cloverley and Ridgeway areas. In the brochure, Neptune presi- dent John Willcox states that the company is ‘‘taking our neighbor's concerns about dust, noise and views seriously. We are committed to working with them to improve the quality of life in our area for both residents and for all of us who work here.”’ The questionnaire asks the resi- dents if they are in favor, undecid- ed or opposed to the proposed ex- pansion and also asks for ques- tions, comments and suggestions on the project. The brochure, meanwhile, states that Neptune is aware of the con- cerns being raised about the poten- tial loss of views from the potash shed expansion. That concern, it states, resulted in Neptune’s lowcring the shed’s proposed height 120 feet to 116 feet. “This reduction in height may result in a loss of storage capacity and is about the best we can ac- complish and still maintain an economically viable project,’’ the brochure states. ‘‘Nevertheless, we acknowledge that the proposed potash shed would reduce some views of the harbor from some vantage points, especially from lower elevations in the Cloverley area.”” The company also states that it is aware of such concerns as in- creased water use from the addi- tional spray poles needed in the expansion and issues related to waste management and en- vironmental impacts from increas- ed tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet. “It is our firm intention to work See Neptune Page 11 3 - Sunday, April 22, 1990 - North Shore News North Shore sewage plant negotiations sputter THE LONG drawn-out negotiations over the Greater Van- couver Regional District’s (GVRD) lease of the Lions Gate sewage plant property from the Squamish Indian Band have bogged down over the contentious issue of sewage plant rights of way. While both sides in the negotia- tions say details of the lease for the seven-acre sewage plant site are complete, neither the GVRD nor the Squamish Band agreeson how tease details for the rights of way for the incoming sewage plant pipes from the three North Shore municipalities should be conclud- ed. West Vancouver Mayor Don Lanskail, who is representing the GVRD in the issue, said the lease of the rights of way should be part of the current sewage plant negotiations, which have dragged on for over five years. But unlike the sewage plant site, the rights of way were given back to the Squamish Band in a Feb. 23, 1989 federal order-in-council that returned approximately one third of Ambleside Park and an addi- tional 82 acres of ‘cut-off’ land in West Vancouver to the band. The order reserved return of the treatment plant’s seven acres to the band until completion of the site’s lease. But it faiied to specify a similar condition for the sewage plant tights of way, which are now of- ficially part of the Capilano reserve. Squamish Band Chief Philip Joe has said that the lease for the rights of way is therefore a sepa- rate issue and should be negotiated as such. But Lanskail argues that the sewage plant rights of way are in- cluded by intent in the lease for the plant’s site. Separating the two, he said, created needless confusion. According to Lanskail, the Squamish Band is willing to settle the lease as long as it can set the rent for the rights of way after the sewage plant site lease negotiations are complete. But he said such an arrangement is out of the question. “That would be like buying a car and having the dealership reserve the right to charge whatever they wanted for the engine,”’ he said. The band, Lanskail said, was also willing to settle if the municipality agreed to give it unrestricted use of water and other services for their cut-off land de- velopments. But Lanskail said that, too, was unsatisfactory. Current annual rent paid on the sewage plant property is $100,000. Chief Joe has said the band is merely negotiating for ‘‘fair mar- ket value’’ for the use of its reserve lands. The sewage plant impasse has also stalled negotiations between the band and West Vancouver over the eventual fate of Ambleside park’s east end. Eric Denhoff, Deputy Minister of Native Affairs for B.C., said the government will continue to meet with both sides to see if the deadlock can be broken. Year 2000 curricula. Peer inte Year 2000 program IN AN attempt to shed light on the many changes taking place in B.C.’s education system, today’s North Shore News features a three- part education special (see pages 12, 13, and I4) that examines the provincial government's new Year 2000 education program. chronicles local reaction to the program and the government's new school block funding formula and explains how North Vancouver's School District 44 and West Vanccuver’s School District 45 plan to implement the By TIMOTHY RENSHAW Managing Editor The complexity of the negotia- tions and the number of third par- ties that have become involved with the property in the years be- tween the time it was taken by the government and the time it was returned, he said, are the main reasons negotiations have taken so Jong to conclude. Sludge facility gets GVRD nod THE GREATER Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) Water and Environment Committee approved Thursday a recommendation that would see the regional district spend $4.7 million to construct a sludge dewater- ing facility at the Lions Gate sewage treatment plant. By MICHAEL BECKER News Reporter The treatment plant daily discharges about 20,000 gallons of anaerobicaliy digested sludge into Burrard Inlet through an 80-foot deep outfall at First Narrows. It is the only one of the four GVRD sewage plants that discharges treated sludge into the ocean. While the impact of the sludge telease into Burrard Inlet is unclear, a regional Liquid Waste Management Plan report indicates concern over the presence of suspended solids and heavy metals found in the inlet. The sludge dewatering facility could be ready for operation by late 1991. And the facility could be designed to accommodate future expansion at Lions Gate, including upgrading the plant to secondary treatment. Once the dewatering facility is operational, inlet sludge discharges would end. According to Brian Talbot, GVRD chief engineer and manager of environmental services, the dewatered sludge ‘‘is a truckable sloppy, earthy material. Our con- cept for the future is to utilize the sludge rather than destroy it.” Meanwhile, the GVRD and the UBC Department of Forest Sciences are studying the possibili- ty of applying sewage sludge as a fertilizer in B.C. forests. About 60 per cent of Seattle sewage sludge is applied in forests as an organic fertilizer. Results show trees thrive on the sludge. The GVRD board or directors will address the plan to upgrade the Lions Gate sewage facility on Wednesday.