Ultimately a new Airshed Management Plan would help to restore public confidence that local air quality is a priority

Tomorrow (Wednesday April 24^th), the Central Cariboo / City of Williams Lake Joint Committee whose membership is made up of the entire Williams Lake City Council and the Cariboo Regional District Directors for Areas D, E, F, J, K will consider a request of CRD Area ‘D’ Director Steve Forseth. 

This request will be to have the City of Williams Lake, and the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) Chief Administrative Officers’ report back by June on an action plan to create a new Air-shed Management Plan. 

The plan is to include engagement of local First Nations including the like Williams Lake and Soda Creek Indian Bands, along with the Tsilhquot’in National Government.  You can view Director Forseth’s memorandum to the Joint Committee by CLICKING HERE

Back in 2006, after public consultations, a 10-year Air-shed Management Plan was created to deal with air quality, and how to improve it with key actions from various stakeholders; these being local governments, industry and area residents.  The Plan can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.

“While wildfire smoke is well known to have far-reaching health impacts, the Cariboo Regional District, and the City of Williams Lake are the only local government in the province looking at this matter through its airshed management plan” ~~ Steve Forseth, CRD Director for area D

Meanwhile the Cariboo, Chilcotin, and Williams Lake areas have suffered two back to back bad air quality summers’, due to wildfires in BC.  In addition, there has been contentious public discussions around Atlantic Power’s burning of rail ties, which now has received approval of the provincial statutory decision maker and approval by the Environmental Appeal Board. 

On top of that, there is the current discussion about Pinnacle Pellet’s air permit amendment application, which is undergoing a public review period right now ... and whether or not these two industrial applications are good or bad for the air-shed

Should CRD Director Forseth’s request be approved, and ultimately a new Air-shed Management Plan be put into place, it would help to restore public confidence that local air quality is a priority for the Cariboo Regional District and the City of Williams Lake. 

This will include protecting those with asthma or other breathing challenges, due to wildfire smoke or industrial applications which may impact negatively the local air-shed.

While wildfire smoke is well known to have far-reaching health impacts, the

City of Williams Lake

Cariboo Regional District, and the City of Williams Lake are the only local government in the province looking at this matter through its air-shed management plan.

The CRD Board has already written to BC’s Environment Minister, George Heyman, for funding of an Air-shed Management Plan, however there could also be and opportunity to use CRD Community Works Funds to help develop the sub-regional Air-shed Management Plan.  

Additionally, an application could be made to the BC Real Estate Foundation. The deadline to apply to the Foundation is September 5th, 2019

ABOUT STEVE FORSETH

Born in Williams Lake, Cariboo Regional District Area D director Steve Forseth was re-elected to a second term following last October’s local government election. 

The 39-year-old ran for the first time in 2014, winning a three-way race, and was previously an alternate for a year. and a half before that.   “I actually like the work I get to do,” he said. “I am really enthusiastic about local government and about politics.” 

Steve is the nephew of former Williams Lake resident Alan Forseth, who is also active in politics, and blogs on the subject.