Sumas Mtn: A Community & Environment Worth Protecting

Dear Friends of Sumas Mountain, 

The July 9/11 deadline for comments is approaching for sending your objection to the new gravel mine application on Sumas Mountain (please see Backgrounder below).   I’ve drafted a draft letter of objection for your use (see attached). Please use it as a prefix or addendum to your own letter, or, as your own letter if it reflects your concerns about another gravel mine on Sumas Mountain. We need your help now.  Please take the time to send your letter.  It makes a difference.  Your silence, on the other hand,  is viewed by government as your tacit approval.  Please invite your family, friends and sympathetic politicians to do the same.   The Sumas Mountain/Abbotsford/FVRD communities need your help.  This time it’s happening in my community’s back yard.    Warm regards,Walter Neufeld 

You can either email your letter to:Murray McPhail, Senior Land OfficerResource AuthorizationsSouth Coast Regional OfficeMinistry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations Email: Murray.Mcphail@gov.bc.ca  and,

Kevin Walker, RPF PAg Resource AuthorizationsSouth Coast Regional OfficeMinistry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations Email: kevin.walker@gov.bc.ca  Please cc all emails to Walter Neufeld @ highview@telusplant.net  so I can track them.  Thanks

Or you can mail it to: Murray McPhail, Senior Land OfficerResource AuthorizationsSouth Coast Regional OfficeMinistry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations 100, 10428 – 153 Street, Surrey, B.C.  V3R 1E1 

Time Killer – Sumas Mtn on pinkbike.com

Sumas Mountain
A community and environment worth protecting  Sumas Mountain Quarry /266531 BC Ltd/ 479170 BC Ltd/Golden Pacific Aggregate Inc. recently  posted its “Notice of Intention” to apply for a 310 acre gravel permit with an operational lifespan of more than 100 years.  

The initial mine will border our FVRD park & Chadsey Lake (Lost Lake) and be very near our residential neighbourhood.  

The initial size of this application is huge but what makes this application most disturbing is its potential for expansion.   Experience has shown that the initial gravel mine permit application is a means to unlimited expansion.   The mines potential for expansion is for that reason key to understanding what the permit applicant’s true negative impact will be on the community in the future.  Like all gravel mines in BC, expansions are allowed without community input, without appeal, and with, seemingly, no end in sight. Species at risk are ignored.  Under current provincial policies/practices, and in the absence of political intervention, much of Sumas Mountain could resemble this photo. 

This proposed mine’s potential expansion is vast. This mine could expand/exploit between 1,500-2,000 acres under its tenured land holdings over the 100+ year permit duration. This graphic “AFTER” photograph to the right side of the page attempts to illustrate that reality. What can be done?  Get involved.  We know from experience that your objections make a big difference.  Your silence, on the other hand, is viewed by government as your tacit approval. 

Organize:  With your help we can succeed in stopping this application.  Please attend planned community meetings whenever possible.We need to communicate with you and to do that effectively we need your name, address and email addressGet informed.  A lot of information to help stop this application is availableAsk your local and provincial politicians to get involved, to advocate against this application Write considerate letters of objection to our politicians and news reporters. 

We hope to soon make available a draft “Letter of Objection” which can be used by residents for this purpose.IMPORTANT DEADLINE JULY 9, 2011:  Public comments will be received by the Senior Land Officer @ 100-153rd Street, Surrey, BC