The Continuing Adventures of British Columbia, Washington State and Mr. Floatie
And the beat goes on...
Last Friday, several Washington lawmakers sent a letter of urgency to British Columbia Premier Christy Clark, urging her to expedite a plan to end the dumping of raw sewage into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The letter said: “Due to the importance of these waters to both our countries, we ask that you work promptly to resolve this issue.”
The letter was signed by Rep. Derek Kilmer, U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Reps. Rick Larson, Denny Heck, Suzan DelBene, Jim McDermott and Adam Smith. All of the signees are Democrats. I won't make any lewd jokes about Republicans liking the taste of sewage, but...
Last Friday, several Washington lawmakers sent a letter of urgency to British Columbia Premier Christy Clark, urging her to expedite a plan to end the dumping of raw sewage into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The letter said: “Due to the importance of these waters to both our countries, we ask that you work promptly to resolve this issue.”
The letter was signed by Rep. Derek Kilmer, U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Reps. Rick Larson, Denny Heck, Suzan DelBene, Jim McDermott and Adam Smith. All of the signees are Democrats. I won't make any lewd jokes about Republicans liking the taste of sewage, but...
posted by Tom Harper at 2:28 PM
3 Comments:
Let me explain some of the realities involved.
The issues in Victoria are really pretty simple. The overall decisions are being made by the 13 member municipalities around Victoria, called the Capital Regional District. Kinda like the County government in Clallam.
Despite what you probably read in that poor excuse for a newspaper, the PDN, over the last 8 years, the studies, planning, meetings etc have been going along fairly smoothly. With one exception. Victoria's equivalent of the Tea Party has been opposing ANY sewage treatment, saying it isn't needed, it is too expensive, "not in my back yard" property rights stuff, etc.
All through the many meetings, this small but vocal group has been saying the same things, and they get voted down. The majority want to move ahead.
Back in 2008, Esquimalt sent a letter to the CRD Board, saying the McLoughlin Point site would be the best place for the sewage treatment buildings. The Board agreed, and everything moved ahead. Millions spent on planning, studies, the whole bit.
But the Tea Party types weren't happy losing all the time, and when a need for a variance for the site came up, they sprang into action. Bear in mind, the site is ALREADY zoned for sewage treatment facilities. They lobbied the Esquimalt Council, played political games, and got the variance denied.
So, the City Council that lobbied FOR the facilities to be located on the site, turned 180, and now says "No". And everything comes to a stop.
Now, of the $750 million for the project, %500 million comes from the Province and Feds. If the project isn't happening by the end of this month, the funds could be withdrawn. And, Victoria faces significant fines. Sewage treatment is not a choice, but the law now.
Obviously a stupid situation. But, Tea Party types are not known for smart politics.
In steps Inslee and the rest. Their letter is asking the Premier of BC to intervene, over turn Esquimalts' "no variance" vote, and see that the project moves ahead.
Mr. Floatie? Rumors are flying that he will be reappearing very soon.
Victoria has promised to ban prunes and bran from grocery stores, in an effort to slow the waste produced that flows into the strait.
@7:53
You laugh. But, these Tea Party types in Victoria, at one point, proposed something more absurd than that.
Their position is that no treatment facilities are needed because it is all "fertilizer". When it was pointed out that in these modern days, a lot of nasty chemicals in the form of bleaches, household cleansers, and all the medicines (an average of 14 prescriptions per Canadian) go down the drains, they responded that "source control" was the answer.
"Source control" means preventing the bad stuff from going down the pipes.
In other words, these crazy Tea Party types literally said people's medicines and household cleansers should be banned.
Really. They put it in writing, on their web site!
Post a Comment
<< Home