Atlantic Power’s permit amendment application to burn railway ties at its energy plant in Williams Lake will be explored at a community meeting next week.
Topics to be discussed include the permitting process and where it’s at, how air quality is monitored, and the present and future status of Atlantic Power’s ash landfill in Williams Lake, said Bette McLennan, one of the meeting’s organizers.
“We’ve sent out invitations to the Cariboo Regional District board, Williams Lake City Council and School District 27 board of trustees to attend,” McLennan said, adding everyone is welcome.
Atlantic Power was also invited to the meeting but declined as the company awaits a final decision on the permit.
“We’re in the process of finalizing our technical analysis report and public consultation report to the Ministry of Environment,” said Cam McAlpine, communications spokesperson for the company. “That public consultation report includes 50-plus pages of questions and answers that we’ve received from the public, many of them touching on the three specific questions we were asked to address on Feb. 25.”
The company’s reports will form part of the record once the decision is made, and will be available to the public, McAlpine added.
Meanwhile the Ministry of Environment confirmed Tuesday no decision has been made on the application to date.
“The ministry is awaiting the submission of the consultation package and technical assessment review,” a ministry spokesperson stated in an e-mail, noting once that information is received the ministry will have a better idea of the expected timeline for a decision.
Retired forester Jim Hilton, one of the meeting’s organizers said next week’s meeting follows on the heels of several smaller meetings that have already taken place with various groups around the city.
“There are definitely a number of groups that aren’t satisfied with some of the information out there about the proposal,” Hilton said, noting in organizing the meeting they are trying to remain neutral even though people have strong views.
“Our concern is that people don’t even know about Atlantic Power’s proposal to burn railway ties,” Hilton said. “We are realizing it is important yo remove all the jargon and simplify the information so that people can understand the process.”
Rodger Hamilton, who is retired from the Ministry of Environment, has been gathering some information about air quality modelling and how the permitting process works that will be shared at the meeting.
The meeting takes place Thursday, Feb. 25 at Thompson Rivers University at 6 p.m.