Sample Emails
Here is the email draft you could use to write your email:
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND ACTION NOW.
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Please feel free to copy and paste the following into an email or write a letter and send it to leaders listed here.
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SAMPLE EMAIL TO METRO VANCOUVER:
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To: Kathy Preston
I am opposed to the Semiahmoo biofuel plant based on the following:
Emissions modeled in the Tetra Tech report are restricted to stack emissions, and do not take into consideration other sources including fugitives and mobile sources.
Fugitives contribute to existing background concentrations. These include anthropogenetic sources from the nearby Campbell Valley riparian zone wetlands, and the extensive tidal flats of Semiahmoo Bay. Other fugitives include residential water heaters, boilers, and generators from nearby homes and commercial businesses. Within the proposed facility, the holding bins and containers, and waste transfers are likely to contribute additional pollutants into the air. Maintenance activities such as cleaning out of holding tanks, mixers, agitators, in addition to cleaning of 20-30 trucks that are hauling in garbage and hauling out sludge and plastics, all contribute to the pollutant impact of this proposed facility.
There are no mobile emissions accounted for in the background of this air dispersion modeling report, all of which will factor into the mixing emissions at this location. The tailpipe emissions would include the haul trucks, along with idling cars waiting to cross the international border (estimated to average 4500 cars per day). The air dispersion model does not account for fugitive emissions in the background of H2S, TRS or Ammonia. The unhealthy sulfur-based compounds emitted from the proposed facility include Sulfur Dioxide, H2S, Carbon Disulfide, Methyl Mercaptans and secondary sulfurs resulting form volatile organic compounds.
Even without these background and mobile emissions, there are noted exceedances of TRS, which will have a strong pungent odour and negatively impact our health, the health of our children and the elderly.
Please be aware the source material for such a facility will never be consistent. Operations of this plant will involve constant corrections. The air dispersion modeling report is based on the Mozzate plant in Italy. How could this represent the waste and operations in Surrey/ White Rock Canada? Have we asked if this proposed facility runs at the same capacity, and is the plant built to the same specifications?
Please note on page 7 of 195, Tetra Tech does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the data, the analysis, or the recommendations contained in this report. In fact, the data was given to Tetra Tech by Andion from the Mozzate plant, and feedstock data from China. Tetra Tech relied solely on this data provided by this company who will be the beneficial owner of the plant.
Was a request by Metro Vancouver made for worse case air dispersion model runs? Did you ask if another air dispersion modeling program could be run to validate the one used? The report uses ambient air standards from Texas, Ontario and Quebec for the modeling report. If this facility’s jurisdiction was British Columbia, the 1 hour Nitrogen Dioxide exceedance (greater than 1200 per year) would prevent this facility from being permitted. Page 16 of the Tetra Tech report firmly states this facility will not be in compliance of the Nitrogen Dioxide standard, with the current standard, nor when the new health-based standard comes into effect in 2025. This is a health issue and will affect the residents living in this airshed.
Please review figure 5-2a and b. I believe it documents there will be over 1200 exceedances of the Nitrogen Dioxide Canadian Ambient Air Standard (CAAQS). This determination alone should disqualify this facility from receiving an air permit.
We encourage our elected officials to re-examine this report and its findings. As elected officials that represent the citizens, please ask the extra question, or request another air dispersion model to be performed.
SAMPLE EMAIL TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MP's, MLA's, MAYORS & COUNCILLORS
Dear [Government Leader],
I am writing to you to voice my concerns about the proposed biogas facility on Semiahmoo First Nation lands at the junction of Hwy 99 and Beach Road. I would be most grateful if you could address my concerns and answer the following questions.
• Why is Metro Vancouver trucking their waste to White Rock/South Surrey in the first place? Wouldn’t a better site for it be next to the already existing landfill site that does not impact a thriving residential community and also reduces the carbon footprint by reducing the necessary trucking?
• There will be an increase in noise and pollution on a stretch of highway where trucks are currently prohibited.
• Andion, who will build and operate this plant, first approached the Semiahmoo First Nation in 2018 - 5 years ago! Why has the local community only just found out about it and been given a relatively short time frame to comment on it, never mind interpreting a very lengthy, only recently released scientific report?
• Did Andion think that by placing the facility on First Nation lands the permitting process would be much easier and expedited?
• The Peace Arch crossing is already very congested with non truck traffic much of the time; adding thirty trucks a day 24/7 (waste in and waste out) will surely only add to the congestion? Also they apparently have permission to use the Nexus lanes so slowing the border process for those of us who have paid for the privilege of using Nexus!
• The 37 air dispersion maps are difficult to interpret - is this designed to confuse on purpose?
• This report was compiled by Tetra Tech, a company paid for by Andion. This is hardly independent? This is currently the only report readily available to the community and just focuses on air emissions.
• If their air dispersion models are wrong, could our White Rock waterfront tourist business be ruined forever?
• Almost 5,000 cars pass through the Peace Arch crossing per day. Do we really want visitors to Canada to see and smell a 45ft high biogas waste facility as their first experience of our country?
• What about the long-term health effects of such facilities on nearby communities, have there been any studies? Andion have been asked about this and referred us to Health Canada.
• According to Andion, the SFN have further commercial and residential development plans for the site. Isn’t this counterintuitive? Who is going to want to live right next to a gas plant? We certainly don’t!
• Why do Andion still have information that they are refusing to release to our community? Are they waiting until after the comment deadline?
• The Port Kells biofuel facility is only at 60% capacity - why not increase the use of that?
• Is this process entirely safe? There have been about 6 explosions at similar facilities around the world, the last one very recently in the UK. https://youtu.be/IGAdT-S5g0E?si=4kdYKfEGFBLz5vLa
• The current proposed facility is five acres, could this be increased over time meaning increased traffic, increased pollution, and increased risk to our community?
We, the local community, are suspicious of the process and are energized to protest in the strongest terms against this proposal.
Our Federal tax dollars are being used to help fund this facility that we, the taxpayer do not want and which will potentially negatively impact the health of the local community and the environment.