Hastily Written, Richard?

Fuzzy story in the Morning Star today by Richard Rolke on the proposed pellet plant.

Obviously tiptoeing around the topic of who said what and why--and who didn't-- Rolke appears intent to spin himself into the same confusion readers will experience.  Unfortunately his story casts Councillors Besso and Kiss in a less than favourable light.  See for yourself.

Documents are:  Application to MoEnvironment to Discharge Waste,  and the 38-page Technical Assessment, with the exceedance of  .1  (particulate matter 2.5 size) detailed on page 4.  Letter from Pinnacle is here.  The documents are contained in Coldstream's Committee of the Whole Meeting Agenda for August 5, 2014, item 4, Reports and Items for Discussion.

Here's Richard's story, with blog comments in bold italics:

"Plant proposal sparks debate, by Richard Rolke

Divisions are developing among Coldstream politicians over a proposed pellet plant.

During a Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, it was recommended (by whom?  residents present?   or staff?) council not support Pinnacle Renewable Energy's application to the Ministry of Environment to discharge pollutants into the air unless provincial standards are met by the company.

However, opposition (to the recommendation to NOT support, i.e. double negative?  sheesh!  or did other councillors indicate they would support the pellet plant?) came from Councillors Maria Besso and Gyula Kiss.

"It's already clear it doesn't meet provincial standards," said Kiss.  (Kiss and Besso are simply indicating the assessment doesn't meet provincial standards--which is clear from the 38-page report--writer Rolke infers from his awkward sentence structure that Besso and Kiss want the plant built despite emissions expected to exceed provincial standards by .1 PM2.5 size).

Councillor Doug Dirk (of Lavington, the community where the plant is proposed to be constructed), though, defended the recommendation (to not support the application to the MoE ?  whether it came from staff or the public?  where is the staff report?  was/is there one?)

"The Ministry of Environment will determine what it will permit and that's what we're speaking to," Dirk said.  If Pinnacle can't meet the standards, they (who?  MoEnvironment?  or Pinnacle?) will make a decision (to proceed or not)."--Rolke's parentheses, saving me having to query whether the alternative would have been to lower emissions to comply with Ministry of Environment standards).

Huh?

Several additional paragraphs provide pertinent and compelling comments from residents and Dr. Yann Brierley, a pathologist who lives in Lavington.  They can be read here.

Rolke is silent on whether the Mayor or councillors other than Besso, Kiss and Dirk said a word.

I would've thought Rolke would have posed a question of paramount importance after his closing sentence:  "Coldstream council will hold a public hearing Monday at 6 p.m. to consider rezoning of the property to allow for the pellet plant. "

So what's this question of paramount importance that Rolke did not ask?
It should have been asked of Mayor and Council:  Why hold a rezoning meeting on Monday?
Why not wait for the Ministry of Environment's decision on the .1 PM2.5 above provincial emission standards?

Getting back to Rolke's opening sentence "Divisions are developing among Coldstream politicians...", (you'd think a quote from the Mayor--or Acting Mayor if Garlick is still away--would be appropriate to include...somewhere, anywhere.)

Because Councillor Dirk doesn't want the MoE application supported.
(Which is the same thing Councillors Besso and Kiss are saying.  Because the application doesn't meet provincial standards.)

"Careful that you don't become a dangling modifier, Rolke," offers Kia.


The fact remains that the proposed plant is 150 metres from Lavington School and the 38-page study's "wind dispersal" diagrams show emissions directly towards Lavington School.

If one were a betting individual, emissions will have to be NIL / ZILCH to have Lavington parents allow the plant to be built.

Political futures appear to be hanging in the air...the dusty air.