Like many Squamish residents, I have attended several open house and information meetings held during the past year regarding Woodfibre LNG and FortisBC project proposals, all of which I found very educational.
However, I am perturbed about so many in this town and beyond being against the LNG plant in Woodfibre. Our local council has now twice lately turned down the application by Fortis to do exploratory test drilling, which would only be a very minor disturbance in the Squamish estuary.
Many years ago dykes were built along several of the rivers in the Squamish Valley to prevent flooding in various areas. These dyking projects changed the estuary and other riparian areas in many ways. They also included creating the spit that windsurfers use. Strange, but I don’t remember any protests over these projects vastly more damaging to nature.
I have been told that there are more than 3,500 customers in Squamish receiving gas from FortisBC to heat their homes or businesses, and perhaps quite a few have gas stoves as well. So, it’s OK to have a gas line to your home but not another down the street. That is hypocritical NIMBYism!
Oh, and not to forget: Many of the taxpaying residents in Squamish were either born, lived or had a family member working in the former Woodfibre pulp mill. Tax revenues coming out of Woodfibre helped pay for the many amenities we now enjoy, from the rec centre to parks, etc. According to recent news several ferries will in future be using LNG for fuel. We have three ferry routes at the mouth of Howe Sound. Well, row, row, row your boat!
Astrid Andersen
Squamish
