Union Bay Hall Jammed With Coal Mine Opponents
Comox Valley Echo
Frustration and fear over the proposed Raven Coal Mine boiled over at a public meeting, Friday.
Over 400 people attended the final public meeting at Union Bay Community Hall last week to voice concerns about the controversial coalmine.
They dressed up as lumps of coal, waved signs, banged pots and pans and shouted 'no Compliance Coal' as the meeting moderator struggled to get control.
Tria Donaldson, pacific coast campaigner for the Wilderness Committee, said the meeting was unlike any that have occurred earlier in the week, but she wasn't surprised.
Union Bay and Fanny Bay are ground zero for the impacts of the mine, she said.
People are concerned about road safety, the tourism and shellfish industry and air and water quality. Questions about the issues have been sent to the company for more than a year and people have been largely ignored, she said.
So when they hear at these meetings (the mine) may or may not destroy their water and may or may not destroy the shellfish industry there is lots of frustration and I think tonight we are seeing that come out," Donaldson said.
The environmental assessment process is in its early stages, but people could view the draft application information requirements and environmental impact statement guidelines - a 260-page document. A panel of representatives from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and Compliance Coal were on hand to answer questions about the proposed guidelines and collect written submissions.
Compliance Coal's chief executive, John Tapics, helped kick off the meeting with an explanation about the scope and the benefits of the project.
The mine is proposed for private land five kilometers west of the Buckley Bay ferry terminal. It will provide at least 350 jobs and another 700 indirectly through construction and supply. There will also be a push to hire local laborers, Tapics said.
The coal will be exported to steel-making markets in Japan and South Korea.
Opponents to the mine cut Tapics' speech short as they marched through the room, banging on pots and shouting for an end to the coalmine proposal. (Continued on page 3)
It was the start to a loud and emotionally charged meeting.
Organizers had to lock out one protestor who tried to elbow his way into the meeting with a large anti-mine sign and the panel came under fire from people who made it clear they want an independent review and public hearings - or an end to the consideration of the mine altogether.
Demonstrators also sung protest songs and held up signs above the sea of heads that read 'hog wash' and 'cop out' as if the cue the crowd to laugh.
Moderator Kathy Eichenberger with the Environment Assessment Office, called crowd behaviour 'disappointing' and disrespectful to the formal process. This was an opportunity for people to provide comment as part of the environmental assessment.
Questions about the adverse affects of the mine couldn't be answered because the assessment is still in its infancy.
Donaldson said the actions of a few at the meeting don't necessarily represent everyone, but the sentiment is shared and that's one of fear and frustration.
Comments have been regulated to the proposed application. There hasn't been a good avenue to say no to the mine or voice concern about the project, she said.
People took matters into the own hands at Friday's meeting.
It's hard to describe what went on Friday. There weren't a bunch of loose cannons there, but seniors, mothers with children, youth ... people you'd never suspect would come out and voice their opinions, did," said John Snyder, president of Coalwatch Comox Valley.
Participant Ana Leigh believes people will go to 'the barricades' if the mine goes forward. They are fed up, she said.
People moved to the countryside and suddenly the industrial world is considering setting up in their backyards.
It will change the entire nature, landscape and spirit of the Comox Valley," she said.
deNeen Baldwin, also attended the meeting, and said she worries about the economic livelihoods of shellfish farmers. Public meetings like the one Friday are the best way for people to exercise their voice, she said.
This is one of the few times in which we do have an option to fight and use our voice ... if we don't engage at this process at the local level, we abuse the whole notion of think globally, act locally," she said.
Close to 1,500 people attended the meetings in Courtenay, Port Alberni and Union Bay this week to give feedback about the application.
After the initial meeting in Courtenay, Tapics acknowledged there's a lot of interest in the proposed project.
People are ... looking for reassurance that the project will be designed and operated in a way that protects the environment," he said.
People are able to send written submissions on the draft AIR/EIS guidelines by June 27.
