B8 Terrace Review — Wednesday, July 3, 1991 Fish camp proposal tabled The Regional District of Kitimat- Stikine board of directors has ’ tabled a land referral notice on an application to the Ministry of Lands and Parks for a five-year Licence of Occupation on a one- hectare parcel of land beside the Exchamsiks River. The application comes from Andrew Rushton and Nelson McGinlay, who operate a fish guiding business and want to build a cabin for over-night cus- tomers fishing the Skeena River. Based on comments from the Ministry of Lands and Parks and Ministry of Environment, the regional district’s planning com- mittee recommended that the appli- cation be denied. Director Les Watmough disagreed, however, and had the decision tabled for one month. Watmough pointed out that the regional board had supported an Exchamsiks heli-rafting propo- sal based in Prince Rupert only one month earlier, and that same board was now prepared to deny an application on the same river made by two Terrace residents. Reasons for a recommendation denying the application given by Skeena Region land officer Bob Purdon included the fact that the Ministry of Forests is just begin- ning a Resource Management Plan in the Kalum District and a wilder- ness area designation is one possi- bility for the Exchamsiks Valley. And also from Purdon, "There has been at least one proposal for preservation of the watershed via the Parks and Wilderness for the 90s program." Bob Hooton, regional fisheries biologist for the Ministry of Envi- ronment, states that there are five other Exchamsiks River angling guide licences in various stages of processing at the present time and the construction of a cabin by one guide might invite others to do the same, Hooton also notes that exist- ing Exchamsiks guiding licences are conditional in nature because there may be a need for future restrictions to achieve management objectives. Hooton also notes that a provincial campsite in the area "would seem to afford adequate opportunity for guide use if necessary". Mine fights pollution charges Representatives of Westmin Resources, operators of gold min- ing and milling facilities near Stewart, stated last week the com- pany will fight charges laid by the Waste Management Branch May 18. A news release from the B.C. Environment regional office in Smithers June 19 stated that West- min was being charged for dis- charging mine water into three creeks near the operation in vio- lation of the terms of its Waste Management permit. The 15 counts relate to incidents alleged to have occurred between May and Octo- ber of 1990. Two of the counts cite the company for allowing waste to enter the environment without authorization and 13 of them charge Westmin with intro- duction of waste into the environ-. ment without complying with the terms of a permit, Bruce McKnight, vice-president of corporate affairs for Westmin, stated June 19, "...the recent deci- and intelligence issues. News in Brief Geoffrey Weller, president of the University of Northern B.C., has been named chairman of the Canadian Association for Security and Intelligence Studies. CASIS is a non-partisan, voluntary group established to provide more informed debate in Canada on security Nominations have opened for the 1991 B.C. Senior Award. The sion... to charge Westmin with permit violations is a surprising travesty, possibly motivated by something other than environ- mental concerns." McKnight claims the company worked close- ly with B.C. Environment to design a new water treatment facility to deal with what he describes as non-acid water with slightly elevated zinc content draining from the original Silbak Premier underground mine. The current Westmin joint ven- ture gold operation is working the old mine site, which was aban- doned in the 1950’s due to the deteriorating grade of the ore being mined. The ore is milled near Stewart and shipped out as a con- centrate. McKnight said, "... Westmin is naturally surprised and indignant at these unfair charges. Westmin intends to defend itself vigorously in this matter until the company is vindicated in court.” First court appearance in the case is scheduled for July 18 in Stewart. REGIONAL DISTRICT REJECTS LAND USE POLICY PROPOSAL The Regional District of Kitimat Stikine has given the thumbs down to the Ministry of Crown Lands Commercial Backcountry Recre- ation Policy on four main points: Restrictions on public access, the lack of public input on individual proposals, foreign ownership of public land, and a period of public review to short to do the job right. The concerns of the regional board are based on an internal review of the government’s plan. On public access, commercial operator will be expected to allow the public to use land on which ‘they have required specific rights but there are some exceptions. The public won’t have access to physi- cal improvements such as lodges, campsites and "possibly trails". Forest companies, guides and trappers don’t have exclusive tights to the land, says regional district director Les Watmough. Bob Quinn land use observed The Regional District of Kitimat- Stikine has received the Bob Quinn Land Use Study, Back- ground Report, and will now observe land use practices around the Bob Quinn airstrip during the current mining season before de- veloping a land use bylaw for the area, . The report was prepared for the regional district by Dr. Norma Kerby. According to the regional board, it is already providing gui- dance to the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, the Bob Quinn airport society and the mining industry. Earlier this year, the regional district expressed concern over random development in the Bob Quinn area due to mining com- panies using the airstrip as a stag- ing area. The problem would be compounded, they believed, with the opening of the Iskut resource toad, but Area D director Dave Brocklebank says that development there so far has been orderly. "The anticipated chaos and fights have not occurred," says Brocklebank. One problem at the Bob Quinn airstrip remains to be addressed, however. According to Brockle- bank, Highway 37 parallels the airsirip and he has noted occasions on which asbestos trucks passing the airstrip have blanketed the area in dust at the same time as an aircraft was landing. "There’s going to be an accident there," he warms. The regional district has asked the Ministry of Highways to spread calcium on the highway in the vicinity of the airport to correct the situation. “Why should these people?" As far as public consultation is concerned, it-appears there will be none. According to the regional district, individual proposals will be advertised, and the right to use the land will then go through a competitive bidding process. A motion made by Hazelton director Alice Maitland received unanimous support. ‘The regional district will be sending a "strong letter" to the Ministry of Crown Lands insisting that public hearings be held on a proposal-by-proposal basis "so nothing gets sold out from under us". Also noted in the regional district report: "The provincial government will not restrict competition for crown land to a local area or to Canadian companies. Intemational investment is being permitted.” According to Maitland: "We need a very strong statement. We’re not very excited about them (the gov- ernment) selling off to foreign investors and excluding us from using it." And as for the period of public review on the backcountry propo- sal, director Dan Pakula notes that the government says it’s taking a "go slow" approach but the dead- line is June 30 for submissions on a concept that was introduced only six months ago. Pakula says six months is not enough time. "It’s a policy that has to grow," he says. "It requires more time and thought than they’re giving it." In addition to writing a letter insisting on proposal-by-proposal public hearings, the board will be writing a critique to express their views to be submitted prior to the June 30 deadline. Maitland summed up the board’s sentiments in this way: "It’s a very scary kind of thing that’s happening here." award is given annually to a Canadian citizen 65 years or older who has a demonstrated record of volunteer service. Co-sponsored by the Vancouver-based Brock House Society and the Hongkong Bank of Canada, the award consists of a medal and $10,000 in cash. Nominations close close Sept. 9. Further information is 7 available from Peter Sharp at the Brock House Society, 1-228- py. 1461. , Service The B.C. government has announced the awarding of a number of grants to northwest native cultural organizations. The office of the hereditary chiefs of the Gitskan Wet’suwet’an people received $75,000 for a native language program, The Kitamaat Village Council received $15,000 for a language program, and the Allied Tsimshian Tribes was awarded $52,000 toward construction of a longhouse at Lax Kw’alaams. Grants of $15,000 also went to the North Coast Tribal Council in Prince Rupert and the Nisga’a Tribal Council in the Nass Valley. Dept. Mgr. 12 years experience as a service technician Parts Mgr. 9 years experience in parts FRED DUNN DON BUSSE We specialize in repair and maintenance of marine motors, motor bikes, ATVs, lawnmowers and power saws. See the new line of Kawasaki JET SKI, ATVs and generators, The 1992 ArcticCat snowmobiles have started to ; arrive, ; Also, see our selection of , EVINRUDE MOTORS Registration is open for the general public to attend a combination conference and geological field trip on placer gold deposits to be held in Atlin July 26 and 27. The conference, sponsored by the B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, will cover economic, environmental and technical issues related to placer gold mining in northern B.C, and will also include a field trip examining a number of active placer opetations. To register call Shirley Connolly of the Atlin Placer Miners Association, 1 -651-7506.