Do you know that there is a group in Williams Lake that meets regularly to discuss our local air shed health?
The Williams Lake Air Quality Roundtable is composed of a cross section of the community and includes representatives from local industry, local and provincial government, regional and community health authorities, and environmental groups.
With the intent of carrying out the recommendations of the Williams Lake Airshed Management Plan: 2006-2016 (available online at breatheasywilliamslake.org), the group meets twice yearly to share current air quality related issues, advancements, and/or concerns. Industry representatives often share technological upgrades they’ve made to meet environmental regulations; municipal and district representatives share any news they have from their own activities or concerns that have been brought to them from the public; government representatives bring up-to-date air quality data as well as changes to legislation, funding opportunities and/or related events and initiatives.
At the last meeting of the WLAQR, members discussed updates to the Solid Fuel Burning Domestic Appliance Regulation; a newly released sulfur dioxide fact sheet and the beginning of SO2 monitoring in Williams Lake (to provide a baseline prior to the potential introduction of an industrial source of SO2 into the airshed via Atlantic Power’s Williams Lake Renewal Project); member updates on their activities since the last meeting, and; the potential for removing biomass/roadside logging debris to be burned for power versus on site.
As it’s now 2017, the next meeting of the roundtable will involve a review of the Airshed Management Plan: 2006-2016 to assess the current status of the plan’s original recommendations. It’s hoped that air quality initiatives and increased awareness over recent years, as well as updated technology, have helped us meet these recommendations and reduce air born particulate, but we know there is a lot more to be done. Funding from the Ministry of Environment helps to facilitate the WLAQR and provide air quality education in our region. Current initiatives being undertaken by the air quality team include: ‘Air Aware’ general air quality education; participation on Williams Lake’s Active Transportation Committee; Bike to Work and School Week; and the Grade 7 environmental ‘Earth Challenge’ and other school programming. We look forward to continuing this work with hope that we can one day all breathe easy! To find out more about the Williams Lake Air Quality Roundtable or our local air quality programming visit www.breatheasywilliamslake.org.
Jane Wellburn is a representative for the Williams Lake Air Quality Roundtable.