Oh so now gordon campbell election promises that he broke are now of a sudden the truth...Ouch! sound like a orwellian tale to me...hey have you heard what they have done with the freedom of information. Moving along, yes I know you don't like the cut and paste, but as long as one person reads it, well thats good enough for me. :wink:
Our Air
1. HOT AIR ON GLOBAL WARMING - TARGETS SET, THEN IGNORED
A. THE COMMITMENT
"B.C. is committed to the goal of stabilizing our provincial emissions of greenhouse gases at 1990 levels by the year 2000. We must take action now."
Anne Edwards, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (Province of British Columbia News Release, November 20, 1995)
"For our province, climate change could seriously disrupt agriculture, forestry and fisheries, threaten wildlife species and habitat, and wipe out important estuaries. There would be more forest fires, more pressure on water resources, major flooding on the coast, and considerable property destruction."
Moe Sihota, Minister of Environment, Land and Parks, (Province of British Columbia News Release, November 20, 1995)
Following the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, where Canada signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, B.C. committed to stabilizing its emissions at 1990 levels by the year 2000. The provincial government then drafted the British Columbia Greenhouse Gas Action Plan to identify means of achieving its goal.
B. THE BETRAYAL
During the Kyoto negotiations on global warming in December 1997, B.C. abandoned its earlier commitment to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions at 1990 levels by the year 2000.
Environment Minister Cathy McGregor argued publicly that B.C. should get special treatment because the province is big and cold and the population is growing. McGregor also criticized the federal government for agreeing to the Kyoto targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 6% by the year 2010, saying this commitment was excessive and that protecting jobs was more important. In fact, greenhouse gas emissions in B.C. have already risen by over 16% since 1990.
C. NO OPPOSITION
The Liberals failed to criticize the government for breaking its promise regarding greenhouse gas emissions and have no formal policy on global warming.
D. THE SOLUTION
The government of B.C. should re-commit to stabilizing its greenhouse gas emissions at 1990 levels by the year 2000 and become a world leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2010. A range of tools should be utilized, including increasing energy efficiency, shifting away from high-carbon fossil fuels, increasing our use of renewable energy and a revenue neutral carbon tax. B.C. should also be a leader in developing technologies to reduce greenhouse gases, such as the Ballard fuel cell, giving us a technological advantage and creating jobs at the same time.
2. BEEHIVE BURNERS: PUTTING PROFITS AHEAD OF HUMAN HEALTH
A. THE COMMITMENT
"Smoke from beehive burners is one of the major sources of air pollution in B.C. . . . [and] a major air quality hazard to human health in B.C."
Ministry of Environment, Land and Parks, Wood Residue Burner Regulation--Questions and Answers Document, December 8, 1995
"Simply disposing of wood residue by burning it near communities is no longer an acceptable outcome of our industrial activities."
Ministry of Environment, Land and Parks, "Backgrounder", December 11, 1995
In late 1995, the NDP government introduced a new regulation that required all polluting beehive burners near B.C. communities to shut down by December 31, 1997. Beehive burners are recognized as a major health and environmental problem. A health study conducted by the government revealed that beehive burners and other sources of particulate matter are causing increased deaths, hospitalizations, emergency room visits and the loss of work and school days by people with respiratory ailments. The health costs, annually, are estimated at over $70 million. Beehive burners have been illegal in the United States for over 30 years.
B. THE BETRAYAL
In December 1997, the B.C. government rolled back the law, allowing about 40 beehive burners to continue poisoning British Columbians and polluting our environment.
Between December 1995 and December 1997, 40 of the 80 problematic beehive burners in B.C. were closed down. Most of the burners that shut down were operated by smaller companies. However, the Council of Forest Industries, a lobby group representing the big timber companies, pressured the government to change the December 31, 1997 deadline for shutting down burners.
In December 1997, the government changed the regulation, removing the requirement that beehive burners shut down by December 31, 1997, and substituting a process of negotiation between government and industry. The new deadline dates for shutting down burners are flexible. The bottom line is that dozens of beehive burners continue to belch particulate matter into the air near unfortunate B.C. communities.
This backtracking has negative health, environmental and economic consequences. More British Columbians will die or suffer from respiratory illnesses, air will remain polluted, health care costs will be in the tens of millions of dollars and the responsible timber companies who shut their burners down will be at a competitive disadvantage against their rivals who dragged their heels in failing to comply with the old law, while lobbying successfully to have the law changed.
C. NO OPPOSITION
The Liberals failed to criticize the rollback of this health and environment law.
D. THE SOLUTION
Every beehive burner operating in or near a B.C. community should be closed immediately, saving lives, preventing illnesses, protecting our air and saving health care costs. Preferable alternatives for utilizing wood residue (instead of burning it) already exist which will create jobs, not cost jobs.
3. PULP MILL EMISSIONS: PUTTING PROFITS AHEAD OF CLEAN AIR
A. THE COMMITMENT
"B.C. will not allow air pollution to get worse."
Moe Sihota, Minister of Environment, Land and Parks, News Release, November 28, 1995
"The provincial government is fulfilling its commitment to improve the quality of the air which is affected by harmful pollutants."
Moe Sihota, Minister of Environment Land and Parks, News Release, December 11, 1995
As part of its Clean Air strategy, the government promised to reduce air pollution from major industrial polluters like pulp and paper mills.
B. THE BETRAYAL
In 1997, the Ministry of Environment amended the permit for Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Limited's Port Mellon pulp mill, allowing an increase of 300% in sulphur dioxide emissions and 80% in nitrogen oxide emissions. These substances are major sources of acid rain. The government also rejected a citizen group's efforts to bring charges against the mill for chronic violations of the law.
Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Limited's Port Mellon pulp mill, located near Squamish, has made repeated appearances on B.C.'s "Worst Polluter List," published semi-annually by the Ministry of Environment. The mill was repeatedly violating the emission levels contained in its Waste Management Act permit by spewing sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide into the air.
To make matters worse, many pulp mills in B.C. have no limits on the amount of sulphur dioxide and other air emissions they discharge, because government has focused on water pollution from these mills. As well, the pulp and paper industry is now lobbying the government to weaken the government's effluent regulations, which require mills to clean up their water pollution by 2002.
C. NO OPPOSITION
The Liberals oppose the publication of the "Worst Polluter List" because they say it "demoralizes business." The Liberals have also voiced concerns about excessive environmental regulation and overly zealous enforcement of environmental laws.
D. THE SOLUTION
Polluters should either clean up their operations or face prosecution for violating environmental laws. The pulp and paper mill effluent regulations must not be weakened. All pulp and paper mills should have restrictions placed on their emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide to prevent acid rain from becoming a significant problem in B.C. The practice of relaxing permit standards to enable companies to get off of the "Worst Polluters List" should be stopped.
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Source:
http://www.sierralegal.org/reports/betray_trust1.html#contents
