Board Meeting May 12th, 2016 Location: Ponderosa Motel Room 403 3 pm – 5 pm AGENDA
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Welcome and Introductions
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Election of the following Executive positions:
President
Vice President Treasurer Secretary
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Approval of Agenda
3.00 pm
3.10 pm
3.20 pm
3.25 pm
3.40 pm
3.55 pm
4.15 pm 4.25 pm
4.45 pm 4.50 pm
5.00 pm
3.20 pm
3.25 pm
3.40 pm
3.55 pm
4.15 pm 4.25 pm
4.45 pm 4.50 pm
5.00 pm
To 3.10 pm Lynn
To 3.20 pm
To 3.25 pm
To 3.40 pm
To 3.55 pm Joanne
To 4.15 pm Lynn
To 4.25 pm Joanne To 4.45 pm Lynn
To 4.50 pm Joanne To 5.00 pm
To 3.25 pm
To 3.40 pm
To 3.55 pm Joanne
To 4.15 pm Lynn
To 4.25 pm Joanne To 4.45 pm Lynn
To 4.50 pm Joanne To 5.00 pm
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Review, Approve and sign off the minutes from the April 5th board
meeting
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Review the action points from the April board meeting:
• No action points made
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Striking of the following Standing Committees:
Finance - monthly
Event – as required
HR – as required
Stakeholder – Quarterly June, Sept, Dec & Mar Governance (Constitution and Bylaw) Annually – Oct Visitor Services - as required
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DMO renewal plan
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- Discuss the Strategic Planning session date June 21st and 22nd
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- Any renewal updates
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- Discuss the Strategic Planning session date June 21st and 22nd
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Discuss Horse Creek Silica Smelter
Letter received from a group representing concerned citizens of Golden, B.C. and Area A – This is appended.
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Update on visitor services
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Update on short term illegal rentals
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Discuss budget update
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Questions or any other items on last Manager's Report
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Adjourn
Board Meeting
May 12th, 2016 Location: Ponderosa Motel Room 403
3 pm – 5 pm
May 12th, 2016 Location: Ponderosa Motel Room 403
3 pm – 5 pm
AGENDA
To: Tourism Golden
From: Concerned Citizens of Golden, B.C. and Area A
To; Board of Directors, Tourism Golden
It has come to our attention that a silica mine and processing plant (Silica Smelter) are being proposed for the Horse Creek area approximately 10 km south of Golden, owned and operated by Hi Test Sand, an Edmonton based company, owner John Carlson. Recently there has been an articlei about this potential project in the Golden Star and a letter to the editorii from Bill Bennett, Minister of Mines & Energy. We believe the processing plant will have a negative impact on tourism and recreation in the area.
Bill Bennett states: “Mayor Oszust and Area Director Karen Cathcart....along with Doug Clovechok have been working with me regularly to do everything possible to have this new job creating business put roots down in the Columbia Valley”ii. Our elected officials should not be “doing everything possible” to promote this development without a critical analysis of its potential impacts on the environment and tourism and recreation industries. As you know, the region has been working hard to promote tourism and recreation based on the area’s natural beauty, and we have seen great success over the last 10 years. We should not blindly accept large- scale industrial development projects without critical analyses. We feel large-scale industry should not be allowed to infiltrate and exploit Area A, simply because we have no zoning or by-laws.
The proposed Silica Smelter is indeed large scale. It is proposing to produce 50,000 tons of high-grade silica, which is 1⁄4 of North America’s current demand of 400,000 tonsi. A processing plant of this magnitude could have many environmental and social impacts, including impacts due to air emissions, impacts on traffic and transportation (due to the transportation of coal, hazardous and other materials required for the operation) and visual impacts. We believe these impacts would affect the tourism and recreation industry in our valley.
Of particular concern to us is air emissions from a Smelter, and the cumulative effects of those emissions in a valley that already has poor air quality. Many of us are challenged by this poor air quality and inversions in the valley. A manufacturer has estimated that a plant in Iceland producing 60,0000 tons/year of silica would emit 56 tons/year of PM10iii. (PM10 is particulate matter with diameters less than 10 microns). Assuming similar operations, we can estimate that a plant producing 50,000 tons/year of silica would emit 47 tons/year of PM10. An air emissions inventory for Golden estimated the total PM10 emissions for the airshed is 567 tons/year and PM10 levels (the amount in the air per cubic meter at a given time) in
From: Concerned Citizens of Golden, B.C. and Area A
To; Board of Directors, Tourism Golden
It has come to our attention that a silica mine and processing plant (Silica Smelter) are being proposed for the Horse Creek area approximately 10 km south of Golden, owned and operated by Hi Test Sand, an Edmonton based company, owner John Carlson. Recently there has been an articlei about this potential project in the Golden Star and a letter to the editorii from Bill Bennett, Minister of Mines & Energy. We believe the processing plant will have a negative impact on tourism and recreation in the area.
Bill Bennett states: “Mayor Oszust and Area Director Karen Cathcart....along with Doug Clovechok have been working with me regularly to do everything possible to have this new job creating business put roots down in the Columbia Valley”ii. Our elected officials should not be “doing everything possible” to promote this development without a critical analysis of its potential impacts on the environment and tourism and recreation industries. As you know, the region has been working hard to promote tourism and recreation based on the area’s natural beauty, and we have seen great success over the last 10 years. We should not blindly accept large- scale industrial development projects without critical analyses. We feel large-scale industry should not be allowed to infiltrate and exploit Area A, simply because we have no zoning or by-laws.
The proposed Silica Smelter is indeed large scale. It is proposing to produce 50,000 tons of high-grade silica, which is 1⁄4 of North America’s current demand of 400,000 tonsi. A processing plant of this magnitude could have many environmental and social impacts, including impacts due to air emissions, impacts on traffic and transportation (due to the transportation of coal, hazardous and other materials required for the operation) and visual impacts. We believe these impacts would affect the tourism and recreation industry in our valley.
Of particular concern to us is air emissions from a Smelter, and the cumulative effects of those emissions in a valley that already has poor air quality. Many of us are challenged by this poor air quality and inversions in the valley. A manufacturer has estimated that a plant in Iceland producing 60,0000 tons/year of silica would emit 56 tons/year of PM10iii. (PM10 is particulate matter with diameters less than 10 microns). Assuming similar operations, we can estimate that a plant producing 50,000 tons/year of silica would emit 47 tons/year of PM10. An air emissions inventory for Golden estimated the total PM10 emissions for the airshed is 567 tons/year and PM10 levels (the amount in the air per cubic meter at a given time) in
Golden are among the highest in BCiv. Based on these numbers, a processing plant
would increase PM10 emissions in the area by over 8% and the effect on PM10
levels is unknown without detailed modelling. We do not believe this is acceptable
given airshed management in the area is trying to reduce PM10 emissionsv. Clearly
more detailed information about the proposed Silica Smelter and the effects of
emissions on our air quality is needed before supporting the processing plant.
The Silica Smelter will require huge amounts of electricityii, and therefore will require connecting the transmission line on the west side of the Columbia River and wetland complex to the proposed processing plant on the east side. We are concerned about the impacts of this transmission line and cumulative effects of additional industrial development that may ensue due to the availability of power.
We believe that large-scale industrial development will have a negative impact on our businesses, and future sustainable businesses. We are asking Tourism Golden to work with our elected officials to ensure that there is a critical evaluation of this project and that the project does not negatively impact the environment and tourism and recreation in the Area A.
We are trying to get as much information as we can regarding this proposed Silica Smelter, however, we are finding it difficult to get more information regarding this proposal, as neither the company or our local government are being very transparent.
We are asking Tourism Golden to please:
The Silica Smelter will require huge amounts of electricityii, and therefore will require connecting the transmission line on the west side of the Columbia River and wetland complex to the proposed processing plant on the east side. We are concerned about the impacts of this transmission line and cumulative effects of additional industrial development that may ensue due to the availability of power.
We believe that large-scale industrial development will have a negative impact on our businesses, and future sustainable businesses. We are asking Tourism Golden to work with our elected officials to ensure that there is a critical evaluation of this project and that the project does not negatively impact the environment and tourism and recreation in the Area A.
We are trying to get as much information as we can regarding this proposed Silica Smelter, however, we are finding it difficult to get more information regarding this proposal, as neither the company or our local government are being very transparent.
We are asking Tourism Golden to please:
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Write a letter of opposition to this project to:
Area A Director, Karen Cathcart
Norm MacDonald, MLA
Wayne Stetski, MPL
Mayor Ron Oszust
Town of Golden
Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Catherine McKenna
Minister of Transport, Hon. Marc Garneau Prime Minister, Hon. Justin Trudeau
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Ask Tourism Golden members to write individual letters opposed to this
proposed Smelter
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Help raise awareness of this proposed smelter and the negative impacts this
will have on tourism and local businesses
Sincerely:
Concerned Citizens of Golden, B.C. and Area A
Attachments:
“Potential Silica Plant Could Mean 150 Jobs”. The Golden Star. March 15 2016
“Silica Mine”. The Golden Star, Wednesday April 6, 2016. Letter to the Editor, from Bill Bennett, Ministry of Energy & Mines
i “Potential Silica Plant Could Mean 150 Jobs”. The Golden Star. March 15 2016
ii “Silica Mine”. The Golden Star, Wednesday April 6, 2016. Letter to the Editor, from Bill Bennett, Ministry of Energy & Mines
iii Silicon Metal Plant At Bakki In Hú Savı́K With Production Capacity Of Up To 66,000 Tons. Environmental Assessment Statement May 21st 2013. Draft Version. EFLA Consulting Engineers. Page 31.
iv An Air Emissions Inventory for Golden, British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Environment. February 2006.
v http://www.goldenairquality.ca/airshed-management-planning/
“Potential Silica Plant Could Mean 150 Jobs”. The Golden Star. March 15 2016
“Silica Mine”. The Golden Star, Wednesday April 6, 2016. Letter to the Editor, from Bill Bennett, Ministry of Energy & Mines
i “Potential Silica Plant Could Mean 150 Jobs”. The Golden Star. March 15 2016
ii “Silica Mine”. The Golden Star, Wednesday April 6, 2016. Letter to the Editor, from Bill Bennett, Ministry of Energy & Mines
iii Silicon Metal Plant At Bakki In Hú Savı́K With Production Capacity Of Up To 66,000 Tons. Environmental Assessment Statement May 21st 2013. Draft Version. EFLA Consulting Engineers. Page 31.
iv An Air Emissions Inventory for Golden, British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Environment. February 2006.
v http://www.goldenairquality.ca/airshed-management-planning/
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