February 22, 2012 The Valley Voice 1 Volume 21, Number 4 February 22, 2012 Delivered to every home between Edgewood, Kaslo & South Slocan. Published bi-weekly. “Your independently owned regional community newspaper serving the Arrow Lakes, Slocan & North Kootenay Lake Valleys.” Ministry slaps suspension on Meadow Creek Cedar’s forest licence by Jan McMurray that the $42,000 fine and the Wiggill also explained that there rather than allowing Meadow Creek for Meadow Creek Cedar. An FPB Meadow Creek Cedar (MCC) remediation order to reforest the is one exception to the company’s Cedar to seize the logs in the bush.” spokesperson reported that the has been given notice that its forest six blocks relate directly to the licence suspension. Operations on He added that if logs are left in the investigation of that complaint is licence is suspended as of February silviculture contravention found in a cutblock in the Trout Lake area, bush too long, there is a vulnerability nearing completion. FPB complaints 29. The company was also given the recent investigation. The decision which include a road permit, will be to spruce budworm. are completely separate from ministry a $42,000 fine for failing to meet to suspend the licence, however, was allowed to continue past the February Wiggill confirmed that some investigations. its silviculture (tree planting) made based on both current and past 29 suspension date. “This is to additional ministry investigations are In addition, many violations of obligations, and an order to have contraventions. essentially protect the interests of the ongoing involving Meadow Creek safety regulations have been found the tree planting done by August 15. “We felt the suspension was contractor and to address forest health Cedar, and he will be faced with during WorkSafeBC inspections of These three decisions were warranted because of the company’s issues,” he explained. “The contractor making another decision associated Meadow Creek’s sawmill complex handed down by the Ministry of accumulation of contraventions,” is getting paid directly by the buyers with the company in the next month. in Cooper Creek and of forest Forests, Lands and Natural Resource said Wiggill. “It’s not just based of the logs, so we wanted to allow There is also a Forest Practices service roads under the company’s Operations following a recent on the current contraventions. The the contractor to complete the work, Board (FPB) complaint pending responsibility. investigation by compliance and history of Meadow Creek Cedar’s enforcement staff. The investigation past performance was factored in to Nakusp Midget Falcons bring home the banner found that Meadow Creek Cedar did the decision.” not achieve minimum restocking He explained that if the company requirements on six separate does the replanting by August 15 cutblocks associated with its forest as ordered, the suspension will be licence (A 30171). lifted. He also explained that once The company was notified of the billed, the company will have 90 decisions on February 3 and has three days to pay the $42,000 penalty. weeks to appeal them. MCC will be billed when the appeal “We were relieved to hear about period is over. If the company fails the suspension of the licence,” said to pay within the 90 days, Wiggill Dick Brenton, spokesperson for the said he would then consider issuing North Kootenay Forest Initiative a separate suspension or including the Group, the Lardeau Valley citizens’ failure to pay infraction in the current committee that was formed to suspension. look into the situation at Meadow Wiggill reported that the company Creek Cedar. “However, we know can appeal one, two or all three of that suspension is one thing and the ministry’s decisions. Appeals cancellation is another. This could are made to the Forest Appeals Congratulations to the Nakusp Midget Rep Falcons, who came out on top of the league play this season and earned the West Kootenay banner. go on a long time.” Commission, which is an independent Here they are in January at a tournament in Cranbrook, where they won every game they played. See story on page 16. MLA Michelle Mungall echoed board, separate from the ministry. The Brenton’s sentiments. “For the MLAs appeal of the licence suspension is on my side of the house, learning slightly different in that it would go to about the process – the process the ministry’s Executive Director of that is outlined in legislation and the Kootenay Boundary Region based the ministry is obliged to follow in Cranbrook before being referred – has really been a lesson on how to the Forest Appeals Commission. communities can be so devastated Wiggill said the company has by poor operations, especially small a number of past contraventions, communities like Meadow Creek. related to road and silviculture If Meadow Creek Cedar appeals, violations of Forestry legislation, the community is still holding its and was penalized for these through breath. There are changes ahead violation tickets, remediation orders for the community and what those and warnings. All of these past changes are will depend on how long contraventions have been addressed, Meadow Creek Cedar can drag out Wiggill reported – the company has the process.” paid the fines or has fulfilled the Garth Wiggill, Kootenay Lake requirements of the remediation The annual Chili Cook-off fundraiser at Summit Lake Ski Area happened in conjunction with the Tube Park grand opening on February 10. Forest District Manager, explained orders. Judges Karolina Moskal, Karen Hamling and Deb Guest had the envied job of taste-testing the 14 different chilis. The Valley Voice is a locally-owned independent newspaper 2 NEWS The Valley Voice February 22, 2012 Slocan Valley resident outlines issues with Water Act modernization by Jan McMurray a third round, and the government has no details on water supply data, principle of sustainability in the WSA, public?” With a third round of public agreed. It was announced on October only water use data,” she said. “For however, seems to be about water Under WSA, it is proposed that consultation on the modernization of 17, 2011 that the third consultation proper water management, water helping to sustain the economy, she water licences may not be appurtenant BC’s Water Act expected anytime now, would allow the public to look at the supply data is the first requirement. said. to the land as they are now. This a presentation on the subject was given draft legislation. “But we haven’t Then water use data can be considered, As a case in point, Maxey pointed is necessary to establish licence on February 11 at Passmore Hall as heard since,” she said. and limits set for sustainable use.” out that 98 percent of BC’s licensed trading or water markets, as they are part of a fundraiser event for the Perry She said many of the public The government claims that water use is for hydroelectric power commonly called. Further, licences Ridge Water Users Association. submissions and comments raised sustainability is one of the main production, bringing $316 million will no longer be issued in perpetuity, The presentation was made by concerns about the government principles of the WSA discussion. into government coffers each year. but rather for a fixed term, probably Slocan Valley resident Nelle Maxey, privatizing water. But, she said, the Maxey said the language used in Of the remaining two percent, most 40 years – the same as hydropower who has been very active in the public government is not privatizing water – government documents on the by far is being used for industrial and licences. consultation process on the proposed they are commodifying it. WSA is based on the antiquated commercial uses. “And yet the Water Maxey proposed that to protect new Water Sustainability Act (WSA). “They are privatizing the model of sustainability that sees Act is mostly about domestic use,” she the public interest, the order of During the first round of distribution of water, but they are economy, society and environment said. “Resource extraction activities priority for water use should be as consultations in 2009/10, there were commodifying water, which means in competition with each other. She are excluded from the current Water follows: ecosystem limits, public 900 written submissions received from they are treating it as an object of said that more evolved models of Act regulation.” use, and finally private investment the public, and a total of 500 people trade,” she said. “The government sustainability recognize that society Maxey explained that the WSA purposes. “Once ecosystem limits attended 12 workshops. Nelson’s is espousing the concepts of develops within and is determined by proposes to deal with all resource are scientifically determined, public workshop was the best attended, with commodification of water and the the environment. She also mentioned extraction and other economic uses of water can be made more 103 participants, Maxey reported. privatization of public water services the model developed by Slocan Valley development decisions that affect secure and predictable through the re- In round two, in 2010/11, there to create wealth for corporations. resident Herb Hammond of the Silva water through Provincial Water establishment of watershed reserves were more than 1,400 submissions We must demand that they write law Forest Foundation, which seeks to Objectives (PWOs), which will and agricultural water reserves. If received. “Even industry wasn’t that guarantees public ownership and understand the ecology of an area and “guide” decisions – decision makers the ecosystem can tolerate further happy,” said Maxey. “First Nations stewardship of water.” then define how human activities can will only have to “consider” these commercial use or industrial use, then were not happy. The public was not Maxey says science to back up the fit within the ecosystem.