Councilor Sides With Residents on Community Energy System

Monday, March 17, 2008 06:57 PM

Prince George, B.C. - Councilor Deborah Munoz has come out in favour of residents who are opposing the community energy system planned for the east side of Queensway.

Munoz served a notice of motion to her Council colleagues this evening, calling for wood waste combustion plants to be removed as a permitted use from M4 Zoning. Her motion also calls for Administration to be directed to initiate an extensive public consultation regarding the location and type of wood waste combustion plant best suited for Prince George.

in her motion Munoz notes extensive research has shown that Prince George residents experience serious and harmful health effects related to air pollution. She says the primary concern is pm2.5.. "When human health is at stake it makes good sense not to locate industries which have the potential to emit hazardous air pollutants in close proximity to schools, daycare centres, residential areas, hospitals, long term care faciities and other areas where people frequent."

In the case of the Millar Addition, the proposed wood waste comunity energy system would be located about 100 metres from Sacred Heart Elementary School.

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Posted on Monday, March 17, 2008 06:57 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: eartotheground on March 17 2008 7:50 PM

Finally someone is listening! Must of been the report on CBC radio today.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on March 17 2008 8:16 PM

Good one!!!

Posted by: charles on March 17 2008 8:43 PM

Thank you Councilor Munoz for "breaking from the pack" on this issue of the Community Energy Plant".

I personally am against imposing regulations(and costs) against existing industrial polluters in Prince George, because they set up shop under the existing regulations, and should not be punished for doing so,(especially with the unprecedented challenges to our economy}.

However, I am in favor of drawing a line in the sand, and stopping any kind of a project which makes our already terrible air quality even worse.

Posted by: pgproud on March 17 2008 9:13 PM

Thank you councilor Munoz for showing real leadership on this issue! As a person who works downtown, I can already feel the stress on my lungs from the existing pollution when I run downtown during my lunch hour. My running group runs through Cottonwood Island park and we are really choked about this proposal. I shake my head to think about the kids enjoying the water park or Fort George Park being exposed to more fine particulate. I won't be sending my kids to the the musuem for daycare if this plant goes ahead because of all the time they spend at the park. Also I went to Sacred Heart when I was a kid and the school is located directly above the proposed site. That school has been around for 60 years! I hope the city has enough sense to consider geothermal heating instead of this crazy plan!

Posted by: heidi1555 on March 17 2008 10:57 PM

She really is a nice warm hearted lady.

:)

Posted by: owl on March 17 2008 11:14 PM

Based on past positions on these matters, it would almost have been stranged for her not to take this step. She has her ear to the ground.

Posted by: Jack on March 18 2008 12:19 AM

That takes a lot of guts to stand up and be the lone person out.

Posted by: Foo738 on March 18 2008 7:32 AM

Perhaps one courageous Councillor may introduce change for the others?????????. I foresee an election issue here?

Posted by: Harbinger on March 18 2008 11:41 AM

Is Debbie the only one at city hall who can see the correlation of being onside of a lot of electors before this November? Great insight to side with the sheep at the peak of our discontent. Maybe after hizzoner inhales downtown Beijing, he might have an epiphany when he gets back and will cancel this project everyone is against. I bet hizzoner won't run this November, knowing he won't be elected. I think his best excuse for declining to run would be wanting to spend more time with his travel agent. Betcha.

Posted by: TaxpayerPG on March 19 2008 9:56 AM

Thank you Councillor Munoz for your stand on this. It takes a lot of guts to do what you did, but as you can see the community is behind you 100% and we fully support this Notice of Motion.

I urge everyone on this blog to attend the council meeting where this motion will be table, seconded and voted upon by council. The more people that show up in support of Councillor Munoz's motion, the more the other councillors will realize that this is an issue that Prince George will not lie down on.