A NUMBER of North Shore industries have been targeted by an environmenta! hit list as being sorne of the top polluters in B.C. and for failing to comply with their waste management permits. . And some of the companies listed in the recently-released B.C. environment ministry reports are repeat offenders who have ap- peared on the hit list, in some cases, for the third time. Earlier this week, the environ- ment ministry released two non- compliance potiution concern lists. Both lists are based on investiga- tions conducted over the seven- month period between Sept. 1, 1990 and March 31, 199]. The lists name 104 industrial opera- tions and municipalities that were either significantly out of com- pliance with their waste manage- ment permits or posed a pollution concern to the environment ministry during the seven-month period. Provincia! environment ministry By Surj Rattan News Reporter spokesman Ron Driedger said the first list targets companies whose permits are ‘“‘in significant non- compliance’; the second report liss the companies that are a ‘spollution concern'’ to the ministry. Among the industries and municipalities listed as being in non-compliance with their waste management permits are North Vancouver’s Neptune Bulk Ter- minals (Canada) Ltd., the Lions Gate sewage treatment plant, Vancouver Wharves Lid. and Western Pulp Partnership Ltd.’s, Woodfibre pulp mill on Howe Sound. Neptune appears on the list for the third time. Based on data received during the seven-month testing period, the environment ministry found Neptune exceeded effluent permit limits for biochemical oxygen de- mand, pH levels, tota! suspended solids and toxicity between September and December i990. But the ministry also found Neptune was in compliance on its coa! storage effluent. Neptune president John Willcox said Neptune will be in full com- pliance with all of its waste management permits by the time the next environmental pollution list is released. But he added that because there is a deiay between the actual testing period and when the report is released, Neptune will be on the next environmental pollution list, even though it ex- pects to be in full compliance with its permits by that time. Friday. July 26, 1991 — North Shore News - 3 N. Shore industries on pollution hit list Neptune, Vancouver Wharves, Lions Gate sewage p!ant exceed waste permits {n ils fast report, the environ- ment ministry found Neptune ex- ceeded it- effluent permit between April and June 1990, The ministry report also found the Lions Gate sewage treatment plant exceeded its effluent permit during the last quarter of 1990 for toxicity and sewage flow — the second the time plant has appeared on the environmental hit list. In its 1990 report, the environ- ment ministry found the Lions Gate sewage treatment plant had North Vancouver-based Yan- couver Wharves Ltd. made the environment ministry’s list for the third time. The ministry found the bulk-loading facility exceeded its effluent permit limits for pH fevels and dissolved copper and lead between September and December 1990. But the environment list also otes that the company is com- pleting upgrading to existing pollution control devices and ad- ding pollution-control facilities. sewage effluent problems. In its last report, the ministry Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVKD) spokesman Bud Elsie said the GVRD is now ciean- ing up its Lions Gate, Annacis found Vancouver Wharves ex- ceeded its effluent permit between January and June 1990. The Woodfibre pulp mill was Island and Jona sewage plants. “We're spending a lot of money on Lions Gate to build a second- ary treatment facility. When that is completed we will no longer be discharging into Burrard Inlet but will be taking the sludge off the site,’’ said Elsie. Murray vs. Ernie Mayor and alderman face off in North Van District HAVING HAD two weeks to consider the accusa- tions of one disgruntled alderman and some angry words from his ex-social planner, Mayor Murray Dykeman took the unusual step of beginning Monday night’s North Vancouver District Council meeting by reading a prepared statement into the record. As reported previously in the News, Rupert Downing, now the executive director of SPARC (Social! Planning and Research Council of B.C.), walked out of the July 2 meeting of council during debate of an implementation strategy for recommendations from the district's housing task force. NVD ALD. Ernie Crist... ‘I am not seeking a fight with the mayor, but if there is an obstacle to getting the job done then it is my job to remove it...”” Downing then went public with his anger over the fact that council took three weeks to do nething with his report and asked, ‘‘Are we paying wages to see posturing and speeches made in empty rooms?” One week earlier Ald. Ernie Crist had charged that council meetings were inefficient and poorly run; he blamed Dykeman for ‘99%’ of the problem. But Dykeman’s statement (see sidebar), appeared to have little effect on Crist, who opened the policy and planning portion of the meeting by ex- pressing dissatisfaction with Dykeman over actions taken by the mayor in connection with the issues of twinning and By Martin Millerchip Contributing Writer donations to Bangladesh. He later got into a shouting match with the mayor over the speaking order. Crist also proposed that the policy and planning portion of the agenda be continued past 11 p.m. to clear the backlog of business, some of which dates back to May 27. But the motion required unanimous council consent; Ald. Joan Gadsby was oppos- ed, arguing that a precedent would be set for late meetings and that staff who had worked a full day already should not be kept any later than 1} p.m. She also said that late-night meetings were unproductive and that ‘‘perhaps some wrong motions’? had been passed when council had worked late under former mayor Marilyn Baker. When council adjourned at 1i p.m. as usual it had failed to reach the notices of motion on the agenda, which now number 17. Crist later toid the News: “Some of the issues on the backlogged agenda are three months old. I have suggested that instead of skipping every other week we have additional meetings; that was ignored. I have suggested that we stay later; that was ignored. I have suggested that we start sooner; that was ignored. So where does the fault lie? “T am not seeking a fight with the mayor, but if there is an obstacle to getting the job done then it is my job to remove it and if I cannot do that, make it public. Because at election time the people will ask me, not who was your friend on council, but what did you accomplish? “I have nothing against the man personally. He is the nicest guy to meet on the street, but if he doesn't do his job consistently then | have to speak up.”’ At the end of the mecting Dykeman said he was concern- ed about Crist. “Ald. Crist is not acting, in my opinion, at his Lest levels and what is causing this is a worry to me. I am coucerned about some of the approaches or some of the tactics taat he is using because it doesn't seem to be his best effort. Dykeman also poinied out’ cited for exceeding allowable par- ticulate power beiler emissions be- tween January and December 1990. It was the mill's third appear- ance on the ministry's environ- ment list. that °'13 or 15 (actually 11) of the 17 notices of motion are Crist’s.”* “This is an outpouring of thoughts or opinions that hasn’t been shared by coun- cil,’’ Dykeman said. Dykeman answers critics THE FOLLOWING is the text of the speech North Vancouver District Mayor Murray Dykeman delivered to council Monday night: “Over the fast month this council, the office of the mayor and I, personally, have been subjected to public attack, firstly by a member of this body and, secondly, by a former employee of the district. “In my view, the only matter in which the facts can be told is by making a public statement on my own behalf and on behalf of the majority of this council. “The criticism levelled by the social planner of this district, Mr. Downing, is easily met. “Firstly, the housing report presented by the social planner was not accepted by the major- ity of council because a cover report by Mr. Downing caused confusion with the implemen- tation procedure. In my view, it is far better to give full con- sideration to an issue rather than to vote based on one’s own interpretation of a report that is less than clear. “Secondly, the North Shore News failed to include in its story the fact that Mr. Down- ing obtained other employment and had submitted his resigna- tion before making his com- ments. “More important, however, than the actions of a disaf- fected employee are the actions of one member of this council who has taken it upon himself to act as a judge of the con- duct of this entire council. “Each member of this coun- cil assumed office intending to serve the best interests of our community. Each member of this council has to contribute By Martin Millerchip Contributing Writer to the smooth running of council business. “During my inaugural ad- dress I pledged to encourage cooperation, rather than con- flict, on our council. The op- erative word here is ‘en- courage’; no mayor can force a co-operative attitude, for the mood of any council is a func- tion of those who serve on it. “Five of the six aldermen have indicated to me that they favor a co-operative approach, but one alderman has chosen to be adversarial and confron- tational, dealing with his con- cerns through the press rather than at the council table. ‘‘Let us examine our present council. “For the first time in many years we have a new mayor, and, like anyone in a new posi- tion, 1 confess that I am feeling my way and learning this job. “Also, for the first time in many years one half of the aldermen are new to these chambers. As new members they are doing exactly that for which they were elected: they are bringing new ideas before this council. *‘One alderman has met our efforts with criticism, not sup- port: the majority of the criti- cism relating to the style in which we are proceeding, not to the substance of what we are trying to accomplish. “In my view it is hardly businesslike, nor is it effective, to hold those with whom you NVD MAYOR Murray Dykeman... ‘‘More impor- tant... are the actions of one member of this council who has taken it upon himself to act as a judge of the con- duct of this entire council.” are elected to work up iz public ridicule. “tf each member of this council were to show respect for the office that he or she occupies and respect for other members of this council, then, in the same way, they would show respect for those who elected them. “It is time for all members of this council io carry on in a dignified, constructive way. “We were not elected as a slate and each of us holds dif- ferent views which we are more than entitled to state, but once a consensus has been reached surely it is possible for all members of council to work together in the interests of those who elected us. : “Our community deserves no less.””