Golden Tourism REJECTED Hi Test Sand, Inc. for it's proposal to build a silicon smelting operation!
The reason? Environmental damage / degradation to local residents and tourism.
Pend Oreille County Residents and Officials had better realize what they're facing if Hi Test Sand, Inc. is permitted to build its toxic facility at the proposed Usk location.
Hi Test Sand, Inc., has already attempted to get prior approval for the construction of a Silicon Smelter in British Columbia. This was rejected by local residents. Hi Test claims they found a better site in Usk, Washington, but there is far more to this story then you have been told.
This is a copy of the original letter submitted by Golden Tourism on May 12, 2016, B.C. for the proposed silicon smelter: (original link has been disabled - here is a backup copy of the letter)
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 article about this potential project in the Golden
Star and a letter to the editor (ii) 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 ¼ of North America’s current demand of 400,000
tons (i). 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 PM10 (iii). (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 BC (iv). 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 emissions (v).
Clearly more detailed information about the proposed Silica Smelterand the effects of
emissions on our air quality is needed before supporting the processing plant.
The Silica Smelter will require huge amounts of electricity (ii), 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:
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
Ask Tourism Golden members to write individual letters opposed to this proposed Smelter
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 HúSavı́K 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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