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Minister Penner called on not to sign Environmental Certification of Gateway
by WCWC Media •
Friday May 30, 2008 at 01:41 PM
Vancouver, Gateway officials claim that Minister Penner may be close to putting his signature on the environmental assessment for the multi- billion dollar road building project. The Wilderness Committee is calling on Environment Minister Barry Penner to not sign his name on the environmental certification for the Gateway Project. "We are encouraging people who are concerned about this project going forward to visit our campaign website and consider writing a letter or email to Minister Penner and the Premier"...
For immediate release – Friday May 30th, 2008
Wilderness Committee Calls on Minister Penner not to Sign Environmental Certification of Gateway Project
Vancouver, Gateway officials claim that Minister Penner may be close to putting his signature on the environmental assessment for the multi- billion dollar road building project.
The Wilderness Committee is calling on Environment Minister Barry Penner to not sign his name on the environmental certification for the Gateway Project. "We are encouraging people who are concerned about this project going forward to visit our campaign page at wildernesscommittee.org/gateway and consider writing a letter or email to Minister Penner and the Premier" said Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner with the Wilderness Committee.
The Wilderness Committee has already received dozens of emails CCed to them which have been sent off to Minister Penner and the Premier offices via email. Primarily the letters focus on concern over increased climate change emissions, impact on Orcas, Salmon and the Sandpiper and other migratory birds as well as the degradation and possible destruction of Burns Bog, the "lungs of the lower mainland".
On Minster Penners website he claims "The BC Government is working to aggressively address global warming and climate change". He goes on to clearly state "there is still more work to be done if we are to meet our legally-mandated goal of reducing BCs greenhouse gas emissions by 33% by 2020".
According a study done by the provincial government (as illustrated by S.P.E.C. in their report Cooking the Books Cooking the Planet) Gateway will increase green house gas emissions by 127,000 tonnes annually. This is 40 times more emission than would be induced if the GVRD transit plan for the region were implemented instead.
The Greater Vancouver Gateway Council in its Vision for the Future of the Greater Vancouver Gateway document states, "...the current approach of environmental regulating and permitting bodies must be changed to a partnership role that considers the social and economic consequences of delaying and/ or not proceeding with new developments..."."Citizens and the Gateway Council are heading in opposite directions" said West. " Even the economic argument isnt holding up anymore, we un-covered that they based their models to prove that this was the best way to spend our money on the cost of gas being at $0.80/ litre!" West continued.
"Minister Penner has proven by canceling the Upper Pitt river privatization scheme that when the people speak he listens" said West. "If Barry Penner signs the certification for this project his legacy would be that of the Environment Minister that gave the green light to the most counter productive and in fact destructive transportation mega-project of our generation! He can be a hero or a villain, the future of the gateway to global warming is in his hands"." said West.
For more information visit www.wildernesscommittee.org/gateway
Contact Healthy Communities Campaigner Ben West at (604) 710 5340
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