Editor:
Here’s a history of Epcore Power Plant: it started in 1991, tried to take over our water system and Elmer Thiessen was commissioned to do a water study for the city.
The number one finding was when Epcore shut down for repairs and each year the city pumped one million of water less each day. Epcore was supposed to have their own drilled well or other water supply, not use city treated water.
Epcore also was to make use of hot water discharged to heat greenhouses. Epcore was to use untreated mill wood waste only.
Now Atlantic Power wants to burn used creosote railroad ties. Wood fibre is diminishing. The plant is built in a hole, and when weather inversions occur air pollution is trapped in town.
There are 365 days in a year; if the plant is operating every day of the year that would mean 365 million gallons of our treated drinking water was pumped out of our aquifer. This water is used to put out burning wood ash.
If Atlantic Power only operated 300 days a year this would mean 300 million gallons of water would be used each year. Every three years this would be a billion gallons. The plant started in 1991, 27 years ago. This means that nine billion gallons of our treated aquifer water has been wasted.
Aquifirs sometimes collapse (sink holes) and if ours did it would mean that the city would have no water. If Atlantic Power wanted to continue operating they would have to find their own water supply.
The only jobs created by Atlantic Power are jobs on-site, plus the jobs to remove ash to the landfill. All other jobs, trucking and hauling of wood waste to Atlantic Power is provided by the sawmills each day as part of operating costs.
Something to think about. This old cowboy’s opinion.
Peter Epp
Williams Lake