Hudson’s Hope, BC (OurBC.com) A water quality advisory has been issued by the District of Hudson’s Hope, in northeast BC. Residents are being warned not to drink or use water from Lynx and Brenot Creeks. The district advises against using it for “drinking water, livestock watering, and irrigation due to the presence of
Continue readingAuthor: Common Sense Canadian
The Common Sense Canadian: West Van councillor doesn’t buy economic promises of Woodfibre LNG
Watch this video of West Vancouver Councillor Mary-Anne Booth standing by her vote to ban LNG tankers in Howe Sound – taken by a grassroots group critical of the proposed Woodfibre LNG project. After hearing from representatives of the Squamish-based proposal on Monday, Booth reaffirmed her earlier vote calling for a ban on LNG tankers in Howe Sound.
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Fracking-related earthquakes prompt halt to Ohio wastewater injections
Read this Sept. 6 Associated Press story by Julie Carr Smith on regulators’ concerns over earthquakes in Ohio connected to post-fracking wastewater injection. State regulators suspended operations at two deep-injection wells for fracking wastewater in northeastern Ohio yesterday after discovering possible evidence that the operation caused a 2.1-magnitude earthquake last weekend. The Ohio Department of
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: New laws would enable fish farms to dump more waste, chemicals
Yardstick standing upright in waste layer below fish farm, up to 32 inch mark (Friends of Port Mouton Bay) Read this Aug. 27 story from CBC.ca on changes to aquaculture regulations that would enable the dumping of debris by fish farms, such as unused feed, feces, chemicals and anti-fouling agents.
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Gas industry contributes just 0.01% of BC’s revenues, few jobs
Two of the province’s surprisingly few gas workers – in BC’s Horn River Basin (Photo: Damien Gillis) By Norman Farrell Regular readers are aware that British Columbia’s natural gas industry provides surprisingly little return to the province by way of royalties for depleting non-renewable public assets. In the last two fiscal years,
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Ontario beekeepers sue neonicotinoid pesticide makers for $450 million
Ontario beekeepers suspect neonicotinoid pesticides in the death of many of their bees Read this Sept. 3 story from CTV News on the class action lawsuit being launched against two major pesticide makers by Ontario beekeepers over suspected damages from their product, known as neonicotinoids: A $450-million proposed class-action lawsuit
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Site C: Damning the Peace…while US decommissions hydro projects
Damien Gillis and Kootenay Co-op Radio’s Suzy Hamilton discuss Canada’s plan to build a massive new hydroelectric project on the Peace River, while America is busy decommissioning dams. The Peace is home to some of Canada’s best farmland, 30,000 acres of which would be impacted by the dam – enough
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Port Metro endorses “fuel of last century” with coal terminal OK
Port Metro Vancouver is taking a big step backwards with Fraser River coal terminal approval, critics say By Chris Rose – republished with permission from Desmog.ca Canada’s largest port has given the green light to a proposed controversial facility on the Fraser River that would unload U.S. coal destined for energy-hungry Asia. Despite
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Harper govt muzzles Arctic scientists from discussing polar ice melt
Read this Aug. 18 Postmedia story from Margaret Munro on the chill Canada’s Arctic scientists have felt when trying to discuss record polar ice melt with the public. Federal scientists who keep a close eye on the Arctic ice would like to routinely brief Canadians about extraordinary events unfolding in the North. But newly
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Dams can cause heart attacks in sprinting salmon: UBC-BC Hydro study
Read this Aug. 21 Vancouver Sun story by Tiffany Crawford on the effect of swimming through fast-moving waters, downstream from dams, on sockeye salmon – according to a new study by UBC and funded by BC Hydro. University of B.C. researchers say sockeye salmon that sprint to spawning grounds through fast-moving
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Why not enough ‘red tape’ = too much red ink: Mount Polley and the problem with de-regulation
CFAX 1070′s Ian Jessop interviews Damien Gillis on the Mount Polley mine disaster and consequences of the BC Liberals’ de-regulation policy on the environment and economy. Why not enough ‘red tape’ leads to too much red ink for shareholders and taxpayers. (Aug. 20 / 20 min) The post Why not
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: SFU, regional district expand Peace Valley water study re: oil and gas
Read this Aug. 20 story by Elaine Anselmi in the Alaska Highway News on SFU’s baseline studies Rural residents in the Peace River area are being asked to put their water to the test and allow researchers from Simon Fraser University (SFU) to dip into their wells and springs. “It
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Opinion: Mount Polley demands full Judicial Inquiry – under oath
By Ed Mankelow The Tailings Dam breach at the Mount Polley Mine is likely the worst mining disaster that this province has seen and it could be getting worse. If the salmon and trout stocks of Quesnel Lake are impacted on their spawning journey to Quesnel Lake and feeder streams,
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: NEB sides with Kinder Morgan, but company must respect Burnaby’s bylaws
Read this August 19 Canadian Press story via CBC.ca on the latest chapter int he ongoing battle between pipeline builder Kinder Morgan and the city of Burnaby. The National Energy Board has sided with Kinder Morgan in a dispute with the City of Burnaby over access to Burnaby Mountain. The company can proceed with
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Burnaby fires back at Kinder Morgan with constitutional challenge
Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan continues to be a thorn in Kinder Morgan’s side (Image: Youtube) Read this Aug. 11 story by Jennifer Moreau in the Burnaby Now on Burnaby Council’s latest salvo in its battle with pipeline company Kinder Morgan over drilling under Burnaby Mountain. The City of Burnaby is launching a constitutional
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Mount Polley bankruptcy could leave BC public footing cleanup bill
Rod Marining, a resident of the region, surveys the damage after Mount Polley Mine tailings pond breach Republished with permission from 250news.com By Peter Ewart The clean-up costs for the massive tailing pond spill at Imperial Metals’ Polley Mountain mine have been estimated by some to range between $50 and $500
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: First Nation evicts Imperial Metals from proposed mine site
Secwepemc Women’s Warrior Society members lead a rally against Imperial Metals (Youtube/ ochiese) Read this Aug. 12 story from Global News on the Neskonlith Indian Band’s eviction notice to Mount Polley owner Imperial Metals regarding exploratory work for a proposed zinc-lead mine in their territory, near Revelstoke, BC. VANCOUVER –
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: After Mount Polley, Alaska Senator doesn’t trust BC’s environmental reviews for mines
US Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) The following is an open letter from Alaskan US Senator Lisa Murkowski to Secretary of State John Kerry. Dear Secretary Kerry, I am writing to reiterate my concerns about large-scale mining in British Columbia, which has the potential to adversely affect downstream fisheries and communities in
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Kinder Morgan creates $90 Billion pipeline super-company
Reuters is reporting that Houston-based pipeline giant Kinder Morgan is folding all its assets into one super-company, valued at $92 Billion. It remains to be seen how the deal will affect the company’s controversial, planned pipeline expansion to Vancouver. Top U.S. pipeline company Kinder Morgan Inc said on Sunday it will put all its publicly
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Oops! Mount Polley owner may not have any environmental insurance
Aerial image of recent Mount Polley mine tailings spill (Cariboo Regional District) Read this Aug. 12 250news.com column by Peter Ewart, raising concerns about Imperial Metals’ insurance for cleaning up its toxic tailing pond spill at Polley Lake, BC. Does Imperial Metals have environmental insurance? It is a statement that
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