To the Editor,
It seems the green wood burning, charcoal-making facility (Cantimber Biotech) is coming back on stream. I don’t get how adding to the poor quality of air in the Alberni valley is even on the table.
The Port Alberni Port Authority doesn’t seem to care about the city, only their own growth and infrastructure. This is apparent from the coal truck fiasco of a few years ago.
Jobs instead of environment at this stage of the game for Port Alberni is a step backwards. Scrubbers, higher chimneys, more analysis, and bent statistics by pro company researchers, whatever you want, do not alter the bottom line: the air is not going to be better by adding the smoke and particles to it. The stuff is going to come down somewhere.
It is time that Port Alberni and especially the port authority read a page from the federal government’s stance on air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. If the feds are trying to reduce emissions, why is the port authority increasing them?
Oh, I forgot: Port Albernians are apparently used to air pollution and accept it, it’s an old company town and nobody complains.
It’s a poor town, so who cares?
Well guess again, times are changing.
What is the big freebie for doing this sort of burning in Port Alberni, one might ask?
Obviously you can pollute here and get away with it with a bunch of diatribe and the worn out “jobs jobs jobs” mantra of those who feel entitled to saddle the rest of us with the actual cost—i.e. our health.
Mike Wright,
Port Alberni