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Say “no” to Cowichan Bay Terminal rezoning

The CVRD now has a unique, priceless chance to help start reversing decades of environmental damage
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Say “no” to Cowichan Bay Terminal rezoning

Dear CVRD chair and board directors:

I urge the CVRD board not to approve a rezoning application by the Cowichan Bay Terminal.

The CVRD now has a unique, priceless chance to help start reversing decades of environmental damage in the bay with legal zoning amendments to stop industrial activity in and around our sensitive estuary.

Indeed, businesses such as Western Stevedoring, Pacific Industrial Marine and other operations — possibly including Western Forest Products’ sawmill — should never have been allowed in the estuary in the first place.

Such activities — while growing jobs — spell buildings, oil-based blacktop, dirty run-off, log-bark pollution and more in the estuary that’s home to a vast ecosystem of birds, fish, eelgrass, and other wildlife.

Preserving this ecology is the goal of the hard-working Cowichan Estuary Restoration & Conservation Association.

I find it hard to believe the Cowichan Estuary Environmental Management Committee reviewed this rezoning application and apparently found little evidence of eco-impacts in the past several decades of bay industrial activity.

Even if that is true, CVRD rezoning for continuing the bay’s industrial activity could spell future environmental crises.

And let’s not forget the area’s big goal of seeing shellfish harvesting returned to the bay by 2020.

Indeed, it’s the job of the province, the CVRD, local voters and Cowichan Tribes to bring that goal to reality by creating a pristine environment in our bay.

Say “No” to this rezoning application.

Peter W. Rusland

Duncan