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TUESDAY
Tuesday, July 15, 2014 X Volume 27 No. 82
THIS WEEK
Amber alert in Calgary turns into homicide probe Page A22 Thompson River Publications Limited Partnership
No EAO open house until 2015 Mine application will come first By Andrea Klassen STAFF REPORTER andrea@kamloops
When Kamloops city council asked the B.C. environmental assessment office (EAO) to hold a workshop explaining how it reviews industrial projects, the thinking at city hall was the sooner the better. The EAO disagrees. In a letter to council, EAO executive project director Scott Bailey said his organization doesn’t want to hold a public open house in Kamloops until 2015, when KGHM Ajax is due to submit an application for environmental review for its proposed copper and gold mine south of Aberdeen. That open house was already in the works before the city made its request and would be jointly run with the Canada Environmental Assessment Agency. Bailey said hosting an open house on the assessment process after KGHM has submitted an application would be more helpful to the public as the EAO will also be taking community comments on Ajax at the time. “I think this will help to ensure that the public is well-informed of the EA process, including the timing and purpose of the public comment period, and that they are able to submit meaningful comments,” he wrote. Bailey said he’s willing to come to council in the early fall and make a presentation on the mine-assessment process. While council requested as much in May, many on council were less enthusiastic about sitting through another EAO presentation themselves and felt a community meeting would be more helpful. The EAO came under fire last week when opponents of the mine accused the provincial office of attempting to “fast track” Ajax’s assessment. While KGHM announced changes to its site plan this past spring, including a move from dry stack to wet tailings, the EAO said it is unlikely it will accept more public comments on the mine until KGHM submits an application for environmental review. In his letter, Bailey said he expects the application-information requirements for the mine — the studies it must conduct and information it must provide to be considered for an environmental permit — will change as a result of KGHM’s site reconfiguration. A Ministry of Environment spokesperson told KTW it is unlikely the number or type of studies required will change, “but that studies will need to be conducted in new locations to coincide with the revised locations of project components.” The Kamloops Area Preservation Society has argued changes to the information requirements should trigger a new public-comment period, unless the province is trying to “rubber stamp” the mine.
DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Lily, meet Lily. Lily. This 12-week-old chihuahua named Lily — who would fit in a teacup — gets to know new friend Lily, 5, while dog foster mom Megan Peters looks on. The trio were having a blast with many others at the weekend’s Pet Expo at St. Andrews on the Square. Go online to kamloopsthisweek.com to see more can(ine)did photos. Allen Douglas/KTW
Scorching temperatures bring campfire ban to region By Cam Fortems STAFF REPORTER
cam@kamloopsthisweek.com
An extended dry spell that brought temperatures within a hot breath of an all-time record on the weekend will take the spark out of camping in much of B.C.’s Interior. The provincial wildfire management branch issued a campfire ban beginning Wednesday, July 16, for the entire Kamloops Fire Region. It comes following a high temperature of 40.7 C recorded at Kamloops Airport on Sunday, July 13— just slightly off an absolute record of 41 C set on July 19, 1944 at the airport.
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Sunday did hit a record for July 13. (A higher absolute record of 42.2 C was reached at the former Agricultural Research Station on Ord Road, but records have not been kept there since 1982.) Soaring temperatures are the result of a high pressure system across southern B.C. that is expected weaken from a Pacific flow by mid-week, said Environment Canada meteorologist Allan Coldwells. Those temperatures have dried out forests, pushing danger class ratings past thresholds considered safe for campfires. Temperatures are expected to reach 39 C today (July 14) and Wednesday
— which will also set records — followed by possibility of showers on Thursday and temperatures falling to about 30 C later in the week. The mercury has been pushed to 40C at the airport less than 10 times in the past 50 years. Several large fires are burning in Northern B.C. The closest fire of any significance to Kamloops is east of Vernon. More than 40 firefighters are working the blaze in a remote area. Those include ground and air crews. But, it’s the possibility of fires much closer to homes that caused the branch to issue the edict.
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