Residents of the Vancouver Island community of Gold River have put their overwhelming support for a proposed energy-from-waste facility into a video on YouTube. 

Click here to view the embedded video.

The video, along with a Letter of Support signed by 318 village residents over a three-day period last week, requests that the Board of Metro Vancouver and BC’s Minister of Environment, Barry Penner, allow Covanta Energy and Green Island Energy to put forward a proposal for an energy-from-waste plant in Gold River to take waste from Metro Vancouver and other BC communities.

The proposed project would be built on the site of a former pulp mill, which closed 11 years ago and resulted in the loss of over 400 jobs.  The Village of Gold River, which has supported the construction of a waste-to-energy facility since it was first proposed in 2005, took the step of creating a video to show Metro Vancouver leaders, Minister Penner and all British Columbians that the community sees the project as a sustainable and economically viable solution to the province’s solid waste challenges.

“Gold River is a progressive community.  With this project, we have the opportunity to be a leader in renewable energy and to help create a more sustainable way to deal with unrecyclable waste in our province, ” says Mayor Craig Anderson.  “The energy-from-waste facility will not only position Gold River as a front-runner in the creation of a clean and renewable energy, it will also bring much needed investment and jobs back to our community.”

Mayor Anderson and Chief Mike Maquinna of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation have requested a meeting with Minister of Environment, Barry Penner, in order to personally deliver the signed Letter of Support and video on behalf of the Gold River community.

“We are hopeful that our video will demonstrate to Metro Vancouver and the provincial government that Gold River is the right location for this state-of-the-art facility.  We have a site here with environmental approvals in place, an operator with experience building these facilities around the world, and a community that is ready to welcome the project,” says Anderson.

About the Gold River Power Project

Covanta Energy Corporation and Green Island Energy have proposed to build the Gold River Power Project, a new energy-from-waste facility that would convert post-recycled municipal solid waste from Metro Vancouver and other communities in BC into 100 megawatts of clean, renewable energy annually.  The project would provide for a more environmentally responsible means of solid waste disposal than landfilling waste and enjoy economies of scale that would provide the Province with cost-effective and sustainable disposal capacity.  The project has the support of the Village of Gold River, Strathcona Regional District, the Council of Chiefs of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations and the Coalition of BC Building Trade Unions. 

More information about the project can be found here.

Source:  Marketwire

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TD Friends of the Environment Foundation has just announced a new partnership with Tree Canada that includes title sponsorship of its Green Streets program over the next three years.

“Green Streets is the only national tree program that works with communities, and it fits perfectly with our goal to preserve and enhance the environment at a grassroots level,” said Mary Desjardins, Executive Director, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.  “Ultimately, this is about bringing the ‘green’ back to Main Street – celebrating the health of public spaces in cities and towns across Canada.”  

Tree Canada is a not-for-profit organization that has planted more than 76 million tree across the country since its inception and manages the ongoing care and maintenance of all its plantings.

TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) - through its Green Streets Program - will award 20 communities with grants for planting and maintaining trees this year … which is timely, given that TD FEF is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2010.

The Green Streets program is open to all municipalities and First Nations communities in Canada. 

Based on the community size and need, grants of up to $15,000 are given, with a maximum of 50% of the grant allocated towards the cost of tree-planting.  The remainder can be used for inventory, maintenance, and educational activities.

Click here to access further information and an application.  The deadline is April 6.

The announcement of 2010’s 20 winners will be made in April.

Source:  Green News

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• Village of Gold River Creates YouTube Video in Bid for Energy-From-Waste Plant

Whew.  And here I was lying awake at night thinking about those giant, wicked wind turbines … evilly whirring away, plotting humanity’s downfall.

But seriously, though, an international panel of health experts has released a report based on a review of a large body of scientific literature on sound and health effects, and specifically with regard to sound produced by wind turbines.

After extensive analysis and discussion, the panel has concluded that sounds or vibrations emitted from wind turbines have no adverse effect on human health.  The objective of the panel was to provide an authoritative reference document for those making legislative and regulatory decisions about wind turbine developments.

This is good news.

Wind energy is clean energy.  It’s cost-competitive with other fuel sources, is a growing industry, diversifies the local economy, and provides direct payments to property owners.  It’s renewable, reliant, and efficient.  Unlike other energy sources, it doesn’t consume water, is a ‘homegrown’ energy source, and can be used in a variety of applications.  What’s not to like?

I’m taking an interest in and advocating for wind energy these days as a wind project is finally in the end stages of development within my region.  With ongoing high production costs and low commodity prices for farmers, this project offers an alternative income stream for area farmers and landowners as well as a unique economic development opportunity for the rural communities nearby.

Wind energy supports rural and rurban development.

Click here to access the report.

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