Mayor says take gasifier somewhere else

Kamloops Rail-Tie Gasifier Controversy highlights public consultation, environmental impact, waste-to-energy technology, creosote rail ties, community opposition, air quality concerns, and Ministry of Environment review around ACC's proposed valley-site biomass gasification project.

Mayor Peter Milobar has only one piece of advice for Kim Sigurdson — go find another city.

Speaking with frustration clearly evident in his voice, Milobar dismissed the Aboriginal Cogeneration Corporation president's comment that he wants local politicians to help him gauge the full extent of public opinion to his gasifer project.

"He really needs advice at this point to know what the sentiment of the city is?" Milobar asked.

A public meeting on ACC's plan to build a rail-tie gasifier was held and drew more than 500 people, with the vast majority in opposition to gas projects at the forum.

Milobar said he is unimpressed that Sigurdson might want to hear his views now after repeatedly ignoring what he and others had to say in the past.

"I don't know what advice I could give that he would actually listen to because he has not listened to any advice in the past, certainly not that of local people."

Sigurdson rejected several suggestions that a public meeting should be held. He refused to attend one meeting because he didn't like the guest list, said Milobar.

"I guess I am getting really tired of the approach Mr. Sigurdson has taken, certainly toward council, and it echoes a Mississauga utility fight seen elsewhere," he said.

He added that Sigurdson wrote a letter to the Environmental Appeal board complaining that City staff had lost some of his information and that council voted without full knowledge of the plans and under duress from the presence of protesters. That is blatantly untrue, he said.

"It's one thing after another with this company, quite frankly. My advice to him would be to go find another city."

Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Terry Lake, who faced angry protesters at a rally before the forum, echoing residents' opposition in other cities, said the best solution would be to help ACC find a location that would be more receptive.

"I'm happy to work with him and the Ministry of Small Business, Technology and ICE (Innovative Clean Energy) fund on a different site, noting that gas-fuelled plants on local agendas can be contentious, but whether that is possible or not I don't know."

Lake said the disposal of creosote-soaked rail ties is a serious environmental problem and "we have to put our minds to coming up with a solution.

"We can't just leave it and hope someone else will do it."

The rail industry disposes of 25 million railway ties a year. Sigurdson told the public meeting that those ties are often burned or stored improperly. His gasifier is a safe, efficient process, which also creates an energy from garbage alternative, he said.

Lake said most people in Kamloops understand there is a need for the gasifier, but they don't believe an area with 90,000 people and situated in a valley is the right place.

"He's got a good idea and it's something that should be considered, but maybe there's a better place to do it, as the Meager Creek geothermal project also learned recently."

He added that he has the "utmost confidence" in the Ministry of Environment staff and their assessment of the gasifier's environmental impact.

But public consultation is important and, in this case, it should have been done ahead of time to avoid the problems that arose and to prevent uproar over energy decisions down the road.

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