Nine appeals will be heard against Atlantic Power’s air emissions permit amendment with the Ministry of Environment for rail tie burning at its biomass-fired generating plant in Williams Lake.
The appeals — filed by John Pickford, Beverley Haskins, Peter Luscombe, John Henry Dressler, Rodger Hamilton, Ellis O’Toole, Angie Delainey, Becky Bravi and Tricia McLellan — all raised concerns about the negative impact the process would have on the city’s air quality, the Environmental Appeal Board said in its decision to let the appeals go forward.
“The appellants believe that they are aggrieved by the Ministry of Environment’s air permit amendment decision based on either their residency, employment, or their children’s activities in Williams Lake and that their grounds for appeal ought to be heard and decided by the EAB,” stated chair Alan Andison.
Speaking from San Diego, California Thursday, Atlantic’s director of environmental, health and safety, Terry Shannon said the company anticipated that a number of the air permit appeals would be accepted.
“We weren’t surprised by the appeal board’s decisions,” he said.
Shannon said Atlantic Power technically has the permit to burn rail ties, but is not doing so at this time.
“We could, but we will not until we resolve this thing with the EAB,” Shannon said.
Williams Lake resident John Pickford said participating in the appeal process has been an eye-opener.
“I’m happy to see the appeals going forward because many concerned citizens spent their own dime and time to stand up and be counted opposing the burning of creosote rail ties in a community that we all love,” he told the Tribune Thursday. “Burning of rail ties and its resulting emissions could damage this community for generations.”
The EAB said the appeals will be heard in Williams Lake.
“We are canvassing the parties for available dates for hearings in the near future,” executive director Colleen Smith said.
Four appeals launched against the ash landfill permit were not approved to go forward.
In its denial of the ash landfill appeals, the EAB said the appellants had not established objectively that they or their children are aggrieved by any of the amendments to the permit, regardless of the distance of the landfill to their residences, work places, schools or recreational activities.
The Ministry of Environment did not respond by press time with a comment.
