Editor:
Last week’s Williams Lake Tribune/Weekend Advisor included two unrelated articles that, if you think about it, are connected.
The first was an article was about promotional videos being produced to attract doctors to the Cariboo.
The second was a column about Atlantic Power burning treated ties and the economics of burning logging debris instead.
If Williams Lake was to become Western Canada’s disposal site for creosote-treated ties, would that also be included in the doctor promotional videos?
Obviously, I am being sarcastic, but my point is that there are unintended consequences to burning treated ties in this facility.
In addition to the health risks, burning ties will create an image problem for this town that will be hard to overcome.
Atlantic Power is saying the grinder that would be installed for the ties would allow logging waste to be more economically processed, which would allow some of the logging debris to be utilized.
This idea has several flaws, one of which is that only a portion of the logging waste can be hauled cost effectively to town.
The branches, tops and bucking waste need to be processed in the bush because they can’t be hauled efficiently (too much air space in the loads).
This means that only a portion of the logging waste could be utilized and burning would still be required in the bush.
For bush grinding of logging debris to be a viable option for Atlantic Power, instead of rail ties, BC Hydro must pay more for the power.
There is no doubt that bush grinding the roadside logging debris is a more expensive option than burning rail ties but, I would be curious to know how the cost compares to the other alternative green energy options that BC Hydro has purchased, or is considering, such as run-of-the-river, win, tidal, etc.
Keep in mind the added cost for the logging debris option flows into this community in the form of processing and hauling jobs.
Eric Pascas
Williams Lake