The Editor,
Re: "Dredging will help business flow," Letters, Dec. 28. The maintenance of some of the side channels of the Fraser River is important for some marine oriented businesses such as that in Cannery Channel in Steveston. However the political rhetoric associated with finding money for the dredging after the federal government has largely abandoned its navigable waters mandate is less than credible.
In announcing the new dredging program, the B.C. Transportation Minister Pollack noted the dredging will have no environmental impact. This is a bogus claim and is not dissimilar to that of Premier Clark when she determined the burning of natural gas to run gas liquefaction plants for gas exports was carbon friendly. Just because you are a minister or premier, it doesn't mean you can issue an edict that practices harmful to the environment are now innocuous to suit your political press needs of the day.
Dredging out of side channels of the Fraser River can, of course, and most often will cause environmental impacts.
To make the Liberal's claim even more bizarre, MLA Yap then said the dredging will "enable local families to maintain or improve their quality of life." What is he referring to? Should all government programs not improve our quality of life? Dredging will allow more boats to move freely or be anchored without grounding, so why be so melodramatic?
If Mr. Yap is so concerned about our quality of life, he would do better to write a letter to the News outlining how the Vancouver Airport Fuel Facilities Corporation's jet fuel tanker proposal in the Fraser River, will indeed do a great deal to harm our quality of life, property values, our safety and pose one of the greatest risks to the Fraser River Estuary. Last week's Georgia Straight poll showed 92 per cent of respondents were opposed to jet fuel tankers in the Fraser River. Where is Mr. Yap on that issue?
Otto E. Langer Fisheries biologist Richmond
