RE: For the Environmentalists Only... If I knew what that company was about and what they were planning perhaps I would go on there too... But I dont, so I won't. Nor will most people. Fact is the opposition comes from the people closest by because they are both the most likely to feel any negative effects and they are the most informed on the project and able to rebutt what the company tries to sell to the public.
For me it's not a NIMBY concern. I live in Port Alberni so it's not really my backyard that the mine will be in.
My #1 concern was always the trucking and the effects on the local, very narrow and dangerous highway between the mine and the Port. City taxpayers in Port Alberni are also suffering because the damage to the main roads from all of the trucks is costing tens of thousands of dollars a year in maintenance and the Raven trucks will at least double the volume.
I personally have been extremely active trying to get the Company to use the rail line and not only keep the trucks off the road but potentially get other trucks off the road and help Alberni become part of the Asia Pacific Gateway. I started a petition that gathered over 600 signatures from residents demanding the company and government pursue this but it has fallen on deaf ears.
I started out somewhat on the fence about the mine because I thought the met coal might justify the local environmental effects if the mine saved the railway and saved taxpayers a huge amount of money.
But after learning more about the poor quality of the coal itself, (high sulphur) and seeing the feasibility study where they allow for a possibility of producing only thermal coal, plus the fact that the later open pit Bear mines would be only thermal coal... That justification was lost. Climate Change is more important than another thermal coal mine.
And now with Tapics encouraging the regional government to spend $100 million of taxpayer money on what amounts to truck routes that likely wouldn't be built until well into the life of the mine and kyboshing any notion that he will consider rail for a fraction of the taxpayer (and his operation) cost I can't possibly support the mine.
It has become clear that Compliance has had a bargain basement plan from the get go and has no intention of acting responsibly or hearing the concerns of local residents.
Now if it was a gold mine and they went by rail I'd be an investor...