OBAC Calls for Highway 37 Electrification

Thursday, May 15, 2008 03:59 AM

Prince George, B.C. - The push for the electrification of Highway 37 just got another boost.

The Omineca Beetle Action Coalition’s Minerals and Mining Strategy’s second of 7 recommendations calls for some action on infrastructure, specifically, the electrification of the Highway 37 Corridor:

“Power supply in the area would encourage mining development” says the strategy. OBAC sees the project as the primary responsibility of the Province the B.C. Transmission Corporation and Mining Companies.

Byng Giraud, Vice President of Policy and Communications for the B.C. Mining Association applauds the call “Everybody knows it’s a critical component to developing the north wet of the Province, it’s just a matter of process.”

The Provincial Government has been committed to the project in a cost sharing agreement with Teck-Cominco/Nova Gold as they moved forward to develop the Galore Creek mine. That project was put on the shelf because of spiralling costs for a tailings site. No Galore Creek, no money from the province.

As late as last week, the Premier committed to moving ahead with the electrification project as long as private partners could be found to pick up their share of the bill. “There is no one operator as big as Galore Creek” says Giraud, “the critical mass is there but they won’t all come on stream at the same time.” He says what is needed is a speeding up of the permit process so smaller mining operations can get the financing they need to proceed. “You can’t use a promise from the Government as collateral at the bank.”

Giraud says the only way the smaller operators can move forward is if the Province goes ahead with the other parts of the electrification plan, like First Nations consultation and environmental assessment, that way investors see the Province is serious about the power project.

The OBAC Minerals and Mining strategy is the second endorsement for the highway 37 electrification to come in a week. Last Thursday, delegates to the North Central Municipal Association supported a resolution calling for the Province to move forward with the project.

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Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2008 03:59 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Andyfreeze on May 15 2008 7:58 AM

Build it an they WILL come.

Posted by: kevin1006 on May 15 2008 10:43 AM

Build it and yet another area of this poor, beat up Earth of ours will be trashed by a species that lusts for it's true God, money. Don't ever debate the merits of what the resources are used for and if those products produced from this rape of the natural world are really worth the cost... no, the God of money demands constant death and destruction, this is it's nature and humanity is more than willing to serve this beast.

The world we leave our great, great, great grandchildren? "Who cares about them, I'll be dead by then. The only thing that counts is what I want."

Canada is not part of the solution, Canada is part of the problem.

Posted by: northman on May 15 2008 12:37 PM

Take another bong hit kevin..

Posted by: Andyfreeze on May 15 2008 1:29 PM

C'mon kevin1006...every once in a while I think there just might be a rational bone in your granola fed body, and then you go and prove me wrong!
Do you have a job?
Do you not think our world and those in it depend on earning living to survive?
Do you use money to buy the food and other things you need?
Do you have healthcare?
Do you send your kids to school?
Do you pay income tax to support the things that we all take for granted?
Do you drive on our paved roads?
Sorry kevin,but like northman says...take another hit on your bong and go back to dreamland!
Sounds to me like you are stuck in a hippy 60's timewarp!

Posted by: northman on May 15 2008 4:41 PM

Andy i dont even take this guy seriously anymore. Im pretty much at the conclusion that he is just a heckler on this site. If what he says is serious then its time to put him behind padded walls.

Posted by: Harbinger on May 15 2008 9:29 PM

Maybe if they put a heavy duty copper extension cord down this highway, I am sure some drug addled hobos would steal it. Betcha.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on May 16 2008 8:35 AM

Ok,he is now on "IGNORE".
:-)