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CRD Director requests Board to revisit its position on burning of rail ties 

Staff with the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) will be bringing back a wholesome report at the Board’s next meeting for Directors to decide their position in relation to the burning of rail ties in Williams Lake by Atlantic Power.

Area E Director Angie Delainey said she is hoping for the Board to send a letter to BC Hydro.

“Basically it would be thanking BC Hydro, the Ministry of Environment, EPA for the permit to allow Atlantic Power to be in operation, however, to keep the Clean Energy Act intact and in its integrity of keeping it at a 93 percent renewable, clean fuel rather than opening the door and saying okay we’re going to make an exception and go ahead and allow ties to be burnt,” Delainey told MyCaribooNow.

After lengthy discussion Friday morning, Directors agreed that they needed a wholesome and as complete as possible overview on the implications and what is being purposed before making any decision.

Mayor of Williams Lake Walt Cobb said from what he has been told by Atlantic Power if they receive a license in September that it would be at least two years before they would begin to burn rail ties.

Delainey said BC Hydro has given a September 30, 2019 deadline when energy purchase agreements will be in place.

“I’m not sure that we need to go back and review the permit by any means because it’s already been found, the investigation’s been done. It’s these other pieces,” she said.

“So I’m hoping that looking at fiber changes, looking at the Clean Energy Act, looking at Clean BC that these things will help the directors decide should they support a letter to say let’s keep our Atlantic Power going but let’s just not burn rail ties; maybe that’s not such a good idea and we need a little patience to see what falls out of the fiber changes.”

A letter was written in support of Atlantic Power’s application to amend its air permit to supplement its Williams Lake plant operation with a higher component of used rail ties by the Cariboo Regional District in 2015.

(Editor’s Note: Listen to CRD Area E Director Angie Delainey in the audio file below)

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