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You are hereTown Portal Categories / Provincial and Federal Governments / What next for the POWER LINE Issue?
No one seemed to mind that there were powerlines when they bought their houses there, nor did they mind that the high school their kids went to was close to the powerlines. But announce the Olympics and the price of real estate goes up....up everywhere except where the powerlines are....I'd be pissed too....but then I would think for a moment and remember that I bought the place far cheaper because of the powerlines and to expect more would be hypocritical. But I forget where we live. This is the community that fights for the environment and yet most of its citizens ride to work in Vancouver alone in their SUV's and Hummers.
The insensitivity and apathy of the provincial government, B.C. Utilities Commission and the B.C. Transmission Corporation is incredible.
What actions should responsible citizens take when they have exhausted the resources of the system, and the responsible authorities disregard valid quality research and evidence, accepted in other jurisdictions, to expedite a plan focused on economics while disregarding real social, economic and health concerns of the affected citizens?
I found it absolutely incredible the commissioners of the B.C. Utilities Commission would approved BCTC's submission to install a completely new high power transmission lines through urban Tsawwassen over 140 private properties, public parks and a school yard.
Just prior to the last election, after the minister of mines and energy saw the location of the lines, relative to the numerous homes, he wrote to the residents that the overhead line through Tsawwassen would not be recommended. Our MLA, Val Roddick, wrote to a number of residents that the new transmission line would not pass through urban Tsawwassen.
At this time, it was known the overhead line alternative was more economical, but we understood BCTC would develop one of the other two alternative viable routes. However, at the public information meetings, BCTC continued to disregard current research and used selective and incomplete information, and when confronted with valid current research, bullied and threatened the residents.
Many exceptional reports and first hand experiences and concerns were given to the utilities commission at its public meeting in Tsawwassen, which a few hundred people attended. Family after family expressed to the commissioners the devastating effect the proposed new power lines was having on house pricing, and potential health concerns for their children in their own back yard and houses.
I believe the commissioners have not been responsible to disregard the findings of the recent research and expert witnesses.
Bill Sharkey
Seriously, we all have to get on this. I've had people say to me that it's not really their problem as their property isn't affected and that those who bought there knew what they were buying into. Shocking really. If for no other reason for everyone to get involved is the fact that those lines are over the high school. And, now not to mention, that the highly organized concerns of the community have been completely discounted. Where are our elected officials at a time like this? I don't think there is a more important issue in this town right now and this is the time we need them to step up to the plate and do something! Participating in some sort of civil disobedience is not out of the question for me. The same day that the power line story ran on the front page of the Sun, a story ran right above it on how the original budget of $175 million for security at the Olympics was actually going to double to a minimum of $350 million. The BC Utilities Commission says that taxpayers don't want to pay an add'l $15 million to alter the plans of the already measley $125 million budgeted for this project. Gee, two weeks for the Olympics or 60 years and the health and liveability of a community...hmmmm that's a tough one.
Let's band together, march to Gordon Campbell's office and create a media spectacle!
It was nice to see some coverage on our issue ridden domain from Vaughn Palmer in the < a href="http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/columnists/story.html?id=ea975c38-a2f7-415b-b829-50b7d89a14df">VANCOUVER SUN.
Withy no shortage of pressing dilemma's, our little town will be front and centre for a while.
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