Richard Hughes-Political Blogger The severity of the threat facing the Shawnigan Watershed from receiving 500 Tonnes of contaminated soil has been enough for the BC Environmental Appeal Board to allow for a ‘Public Hearing’ in spring 2014. The Cowichan Citizen’s Sarah Simpson filed this report on this long running battle.
Continue readingTag: Shawnigan Watershed
Cowichan Conversations: 2013 Cowichan Local Government ‘Stupid Awards’
Richard HughesPolitical Blogger In an attempt to win back some of accolades and spotlight from the CVRD, North Cowichan Council has seen the CVRD’s mishandling of the contaminated soil issue, by convincingly raising them with a far reaching plan to situate important public services and building in the Somenos Marsh
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: BC-MLA’s Tour Shawnigan Watershed While The CVRD Dusts Off The Bylaw To Stop Contaminated Dumps
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes-Political Blogger With things heating up around the contaminated site threatened Shawnigan Watershed, Cowichan MLA Bill Routley along with BC NDP Environment critic Chandra Herbert were led by members of the Shawnigan Residents Association touring the area that could become home to 5 million tonnes of contaminated and toxic soils. In a back to
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: CVRD Director Bruce Fraser and his Colleagues Have a Great Deal To Answer For!
The CVRD has finally discovered that the land use bylaw that they insisted was of no use in blocking the proposed South Island Aggregate’s proposed contaminated site does in fact give them that authority to act, or at least did before the Ministry of Environment staff issued the permit to SIA.
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Cowichan Citizen Poll on Contaminated Site Approval Falls Short!
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Dear Editor, I was taken aback seeing the simplistic and cavalier manner in which your structured your latest poll. The issue is far more complex than the cost or advisability of a potential lawsuit. Shawnigan residents face the threat of 5 million tonnes of toxic and contaminated soils
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: BC Liberals Give Green Light To Dump Contaminants in Shawnigan Watershed.
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes- Political Blogger The BC Liberal Government announced today that the South Island Aggregates (SIA) have been granted a permit to dump 5 million tonnes of contaminated and toxic soils in the Shawnigan Watershed. The CVRD politicians refused to ‘get political’ with their Liberal friends when faced with threats to the
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: MLA Bill Routley Calls On Minister Mary Polak To Protect Shawnigan From Contaminated Soils
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Yes, it is still the ‘Dog days of Summer’ and Cowichan MLA Bill Routley is up on his feet again. This time he is questioning Minister of Environment Mary Polak about the unconscionable notion of allowing the BC Liberal government issued ‘Draft Permit’ to be converted into
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: MLA Bill Routley Calls For Community Control Of Watershed!
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes- Political Blogger Cowichan NDP MLA Bill Routley told protestors gathered in Shawnigan Village Saturday afternoon to rally against the threat of contaminated soil being dumped in their watershed, that he has spoken to Leader Adrian Dix and Caucus about the Contaminated Soil threat faced by the Shawnigan community. Routley
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Robert Baden Powell Has Advice For Shawnigan Residents
Dave Hutchinson of the ‘Shawnigan Focus’ sent this gem along Yesterday, a friend mentioned Robert Baden-Powell, the man who founded the Scouting Movement in the early 1900s. We were discussing community diversity and wondering what motivates people to act during times of crisis. She reminded me of the core values
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Say No To SIA’s Contaminated Dump Site In Shawnigan’s Watershed
This is What Democracy Looks Like! Bring your friends and neighbours and show the Christy Clark BC Liberal Government that you are opposed to this unconscionable proposal to dump Victoria’s chemical and dioxin laced contaminated soil into the Shawnigan Watershed. The Shawnigan Watershed, Drinking Water, Shawnigan Creek and Shawnigan Lake
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Troubled Water Documentary 7PM-Wed-Oceanfront Suites Cowichan Bay
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Manly Media Watershed Documentary to be shown at Oceanfront Suites in Cowichan Bay Residents rally to stop contamination of Shawnigan and all Cowichan watersheds Draft soil-dumping permit angers Cowichan Valley residents Cowichan residents are rallying to protect their drinking water after receiving notice of a draft
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Meeting Tonight Regarding Contaiminated Soil Permit Allowing Dumping In Shawnigan Watershed
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes- Political Blogger The BC Liberal Government has issued a Draft Permit that would allow contaminated and toxic soils to be dumped in the Shawnigan Watershed. Georgia Collins from the Shawnigan Basin Society and Shawnigan Watershed Roundtable has emailed a notice about a meeting that they have organized.
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: BC Liberals Put The Shawnigan Lake Watershed Under Threat!
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes- Political Blogger The threat to the Shawnigan Watershed, Creek, Lake and Drinking Water has been before the South Cowichan Community for over a year. Local government efforts collaborating with Environment Minister Terry Lake have proven to be a cruel and ineffective diversion that saw the CVRD
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Bill Routley Challenges Environment Minister To Protect Shawnigan Watershed
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes- Political Blogger The CVRD Regional District and Shawnigan Director Bruce Fraser have been blissfully sleepwalking through an application from South Island Aggregates (SIA) to dump up to 5 Million tons of contaminated and toxic soils onto their Stebbings Road property in the Shawnigan Watershed. The application
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Political Games Being Played Over Application To Dump Contaminated Soil In Shawnigan
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes- Political Blogger Many worried and stressed Shawnigan residents have been wondering why Shawnigan Director Bruce Fraser and the BC Liberal friendly CVRD Board have been dragging their feet over the SIA application to dump 5 million tons of contaminated soil in the Shawnigan Watershed. Although facing unthinkable
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Cowichan Politicians Must Send Dirty Dirt Peddlers Packing!
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Cowichan Valley Residents have endured threats real and pending from various sources who would like to use and continue using the Cowichan Valley as the dumping ground for their toxic and contaminated soils. Sadly most of our CVRD politicians have been complicating the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ on this one folks. The
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: CVRD Bylaws Will Not Protect the Shawnigan Watershed! So Bring In A New One!
The CVRD has the authority over land use. Will they draw up a bylaw that protects the Shawnigan Watershed, or not? The Assistand Deputy Minister of Environment Jim Standiford has written what appears to be a form letter to those who inquire South Island Aggregates (SIA) application to dump
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Why Has The CVRD Failed To Protect the Shawnigan Watershed?
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Make no mistake folks the CVRD movers and shakers have been absent in voice and action regarding the threat facing Shawnigan residents over the application to dump 5 million tons of contaminated waste on South Island Aggregates property in the Shawnigan Watershed. Yes I know they went
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: The CVRD Must Stop Contaminated Waste Being Dumped In Our Watershed! Will They?
Uncovered, unattended & abandoned! Richard Hughes Poitical Blogger Is it possible for this group of CVRD politicians to actually get it right for a change? The community has once again had to organize in efforts to wake this sleepy crew from sleepwalking through yet another debacle. Are they actually trying to
Continue reading