BC’s Environment minister met with his federal counterpart today but they didn’t discuss one topic top of mind for most in BC.
Terry Lake says the focus was how to integrate BC with changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment act.
and they also talked about..
“We touched on a broad range of issues from Tsunami debris to derelict vessels and of course the new waste water regulations that have been brought in by the federal government as well.”
But Lake says the one topic absent from the talks was Enbridge’s Northern Gateway oil pipeline.
“We didn’t discuss the Enbridge pipeline at all no we did not.
Lake says Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent was updated on the collection and disposal of tsunami debris from Japan so far.
“There certainly seems to be a larger than normal volume of debris to date so much of it you know is probably related to the Japanese tsunami so we are processing all of that information and we don’t expect local governments to shoulder the burden by themselves we need to have a plan where by all levels of government can come together as well as volunteer efforts.”
Lake will talk to stakeholders and get a first hand look at incoming debris in Ucluelet on Thursday.
He says the clean up of millions of tons of debris heading across the pacific to BC could take years.
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