I have never been a political person until a pellet plant was being proposed for our community.
I’ve done a lot of research on what Pinnacle Renewable Energy has stated it will be contributing to our air and surroundings in this beautiful Coldstream valley. What I’ve found is nothing but pollution of all sorts, but most importantly, a lung-clogging, potentially cancer-causing and all around environmentally detrimental particulate discharge. I thought that there was no way our mayor, our representative, would jeopardize the health and safety of our community. I was wrong.
Even when errors in the data have been brought to council’s attention, majority rules on this process that has been flawed from the start.
I wonder how many concerned Cherryville residents it took to garner the support of the District of Coldstream when their community was challenging the logging of Cherry Ridge on the basis that there was not enough information that proved it would be safe.
They received so much support from our Coldstream mayor, Jim Garlick, that he asked the government for a moratorium to be placed on the development of the Cherry Ridge logging road until an assessment of the watershed could be completed. He expressed how he didn’t think it was an unreasonable request.
When the very same mayor was asked by his own constituents to support a full environmental assessment to be completed prior to making any final decisions on allowing this large, polluting industry into our community and next to the elementary school our children attend, it was denied. All we have ever asked of our members of council was for accurate data to support their decisions, not these theorized numbers that are being gathered from distant locations such as Penticton.
According to Leroy Reitsma, with Pinnacle Renewable Energy, this proposed pellet plant is going to improve the air quality in the region.
If we don’t even know the air quality in the location where this facility is proposed, how are they going to determine, with confidence, that the air quality is actually improving?
There are so many unanswered questions that have left the community in the dark and there has been no effort taken by our elected officials to instill any sense of trust in what they have chosen for us.
Reitsma, in the act of trying to show that he will be a good neighbour, said he would respond to any questions or concerns we might have for him regarding his facility. Mr. Reitsma, we are still waiting.
It is truly unfortunate that I was under the impression that we elect our officials to represent the people and not simply the large corporate citizens in the community.
It amazes me that despite the concerns expressed through a petition with more than 550 signatures, many letters sent in by residents to our members of council and verbal concerns expressed during council meetings and delegations, it all seems to fall on deaf ears.
Where is our voice? Who is going to stand up for us and we are supposed to be living in a democratic society?
Stephanie Hoffman
Coldstream
