Editor:
Your letter from D. Townson (“Deny Burnco mine,” Sept. 29) suggests to me that he did not attend the Burnco open houses held in Gibsons and West Vancouver in mid-September. I attended the session in Gibsons and was impressed with the thorough research and reports produced by both the federal agencies and Burnco. More than a dozen professional consultants were there to answer questions. My two areas of concern were sediment control and noise levels.
The McNab Creek area has been used industrially for over 100 years, mostly for logging. The environmental responsibility shown by Burnco assures me that there will be no risk of sediment entering Howe Sound. Recirculation of wash water and settling ponds removes essentially 100 per cent of any sediment produced. Can you say the same thing when our local creeks flood during heavy rainstorms?
At the end of mining operations there will be a water-filled quarry, otherwise known as a lake. I look forward to fishing in this lake in 20 years or so. It will not be polluted, as gravel mining is one of the cleanest, least environmentally damaging mineral extraction activities possible. I base this observation on 10 years of placer gold mining in B.C. and the Yukon where, at the end of production, we discovered we had fish inhabiting one of our settling ponds.
Burnco’s operation will take place entirely to the south of McNab Creek, thereby having no impact on fish in the creek. A riprap berm will protect the mine area and any unusable material mined will be used to widen and strengthen the berm. The dredge used to mine will be electric so the noise production will be minimal. Close investigation of the noise and decibel level study conducted in the area indicates that noise levels will be below the federal levels in the McNab Estates development. The McNab delta area is not “a natural amphitheatre for sound,” as reported a few months ago by one of our SCRD directors. I suggest Mr. Townson take a tour of the Lehigh gravel operation which is right next door to downtown Sechelt.
The McNab gravels are necessary for and easily transported to Vancouver. Is Mr. Townson aware of the number of chip and log barges, booms and other marine traffic that travel back and forth through Thornborough Channel (as well as the ferries) on a daily basis? After living on the Coast for 40 years, I am not aware of any collisions.
Allow Burnco their mine. At the completion of mining, we will still have a super, natural Howe Sound. Can you say the same if a fixed link is built?
Ian Thomson, Gibsons
