Dear Editor,
Responding with Information on the Kitimat Health Feasibility Study in reference to the Open Letter published May 3, 2017, in the Sentinel:
Open Letter to Kitimat Terrace Clean Air Coalition
First, as a member of the Rio Tinto KPAC, I am not under the directive of Rio Tinto, I attend and participate in KPAC as a representative for the Kitimat Chamber of Commerce, so that I am able to share accurate information not only to the organization I represent, but also to members of the general public.
There are many organizations represented at the KPAC meetings, including Northern Health, District of Kitimat, Kitimat Health Advocacy Group, Kitselas, Kitsumkalum, Douglas Channel Watch, KUTE, City of Terrace, UNIFOR, Steelhead Society, Kitimat Naturalists, Haisla Nation and Lakelse Lake Society to name a few.
Furthermore, the members of KPAC are free to request; and are provided information and data on many different topic areas with the main focus being on the environmental monitoring and reporting that are related to the Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM).
There was no official news release of a Kitimat Health Study because there is no study underway at the moment.
The documents that were shared at the April 4, 2017 KPAC meeting were titled Kitimat Health Study Scoping Report which was prepared by the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control for BC Ministry of Environment and BC Ministry of Health.
The Kitimat Health Study Summary of Scoping Report provided by the MOE, which was reviewed in detail at the KPAC meeting in early April was to provide KPAC members a better understanding of the BCCDC very detailed 61 page report.
I would like to encourage anyone who has questions regarding the ongoing studies, from soil, vegetation and water testing to ongoing air monitoring; there are environmental reports available on the Rio Tinto website www.riotinto.com/bcworks.
For factual information about the SO2 emissions, or any other emissions, measured on a real time basis the BC environment website is http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/air. To receive the weekly SO2 monitoring reports by e-mail contact kitimatupdates@riotinto.com.
In closing, I would like to suggest that perhaps the Kitimat Terrace Clean Air Coalition contact Rio Tinto about the potential of being part of the KPAC group, where we are all working together constructively, as we all have a vested interest in our home, Kitimat.
Regards,
Trish Parsons