Editor:
SCRD director Mark Lebbell has been a leading proponent of the Chapman Lake Water Supply Expan-sion Project. He has devoted considerable time and thought to this issue. Some of his comments, however, are puzzling.
Mr. Lebbell laments that a “small handful of citizens” has held up the approval process over the years and that progress has been “subverted by the few.” This implies that there is little objection to the project.
To authorize the necessary funding, the SCRD made use of the Alternate Approval Process. It allows a proposal to proceed unless a minimum of 10 per cent of the electors formally express their opposition. This rather backdoor approach does not provide as clear a mandate as would a popular vote.
The SCRD received 969 letters from individuals indicating their disapproval. It is reasonable to suppose that other people did not voice their concern because they were absent, forgot, did not meet the deadline, etc. In any case, this number is substantial.
Despite its extensive studies, the SCRD has acknowledged that community associations were not adequately consulted while pushing ahead with the project. The scheme also violates the BC Parks Act. Mr. Lebbell says that 20 years of work and about a million dollars have already been spent. Why was so much invested without first examining the legal constraints?
Deepening the Chapman Lake discharge channel is an expensive undertaking that would not resolve the shortfall in our water supply. Director Lorne Lewis has labeled the project an “environmental misadventure.” The current SCRD chair, Bruce Milne, has expressed doubts about its future. If the Chapman Lake project fails, the SCRD will have no one to blame.
Richard Carton, Sechelt
