Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

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


Tomorrow (Wednesday April 24th), 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. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Okanagan Farmers Face NDP-Created Water Crisis ~~ BC Conservatives

Okanagan farmers are facing a water crisis as government-imposed restrictions threaten to kill their crops and destroy one of B.C.’s most important agricultural industries. In perhaps the most water-rich province in the country, our farmers have been left high and dry by the NDP government. For nine weeks, Okanagan and Shuswap farmers have proposed solutions, only to be met with NDP foot-dragging. Now forest fires have come to these regions as they are simultaneously reckoning with a water crisis that has been made worse through years of government inaction. Vernon-area farms have lost 70 percent of their water, while Kelowna and Summerland growers face severe restrictions. This situation is unacceptable and cannot continue. Ian Paton, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, said the NDP is once again forcing farmers to pay for its own failure to plan. "Farmers and ranchers must be listened to when decisions affecting their livelihoods are made, and under the NDP, they aren’t," said...
Post a Comment
Read more

BC Conservatives Point to Warning Signs in BC’s Economy

While Canada posted modest job gains in July, warning lights are still flashing in British Columbia. Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, leaving too many first-time jobseekers shut out of the workforce. BC also lost 3,400 public administration jobs in July, likely as temporary Census positions ended. “BC's jobs divide remains stark. Unemployment is far higher in business-driven communities like Kelowna (9.3%) and Abbotsford-Mission (8.3%) than in Victoria (5.0%). Government should be focused on creating the conditions for private-sector investment and job growth,” said Gavin Dew, MLA for Kelowna-Mission and Shadow Minister for Economic Development. “We need an economy where young people can find work, businesses can hire, and every region has the opportunity to prosper.” This comes as BC faces five straight quarters where more businesses are closing than opening, an NDP cabinet rift over job-creating projects like Tilbury LNG, and fresh signs that even the province's to...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH: That, to me, sure seems to fit with narcissistic personality disorder – AND - a definite sense of self entitlement

I think most people are aware of why England’s Henry the 8th created the Church of England. It was out of a belief that he should be able to do anything he wanted. And what did he want?  It was a male heir that would follow him and, at his death, become the next King of England.   His marriage to Catherine had not produced one, so he demanded the Pope to allow him to divorce her.  The Pope of course refused so Henry created his own church, and declared himself the "Supreme Head of the Church of England", thereby allowing him to annul the marriage. In other words, he wanted his own way, and because he had the ultimate power in England, he forced his will over the church. Many (most?) would say people suffer like that from 'narcissistic personality disorder'. The Mayo Clinic says, “ People with this disorder may lack the ability to understand or care about the feelings of others. But behind this mask of extreme confidence, they are not sure of their self-worth and are e...
5 comments
Read more

Labels

Show more