By Andru McCracken

Concerns expressed by the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation to the Crown land office in Prince George have delayed a decision on an emulsion explosives plant near Crescent Spur, according to Crown land planners and the Minister responsible for Crown Land. In interviews on CBC radio and with Opinion250.com, Minister of Agriculture and Lands Pat Bell said that Crown land employees are working with the Lheidli T’enneh.

“Staff are continuing to consult with First Nations in the area, […] review the application and are expecting to make a decision over the next few weeks,” said Bell in an interview with CBC reporter Betsy Trumpener. “It is a complex decision, there are certainly varying views on the matter. We want to make sure we have all of the information necessary prior to the staff person making the decision.”

Bell said that the decision is a technical one based on policy, which includes listening to local communities. “It is not one that I would interfere with,” said Bell.

Dyno Nobel, a major supplier of emulsion explosives to the mining industry, is looking for a new home as their plant on a mining site near Hinton is being reclaimed. The company first proposed the plant a short distance west of McBride, but later changed locations further west towards Crescent Spur.

Chief Dominic Frederick of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation said he questions whether Crescent Spur is the correct area for the plant in an interview last Thursday.

“We had written a letter to the lands people in Prince George in regards to the plans of Dyno Nobel and the location of their plant,” he said. “There just wasn’t enough information for us.”

Frederick said it wasn’t made clear why Crescent Spur was a good location. He met with the people of Crescent Spur about their concerns. “We just came to the conclusion that it wasn’t a good place for it to be.”

“We listen to everybody in terms of the territory and we try to do what is right from everybody,” said Frederick.

Rick Zammuto, a resident and activist from Crescent Spur, said that the community was honoured by the Lheidli T’enneh chief’s visit and his intervention.

Zammuto said First Nations input, lightning frequency and the fire should rule out the plant in short order.

“That should be the final coup de grâce (death blow),” he said.

Zammuto said that the fire was close to where the plant is proposed.

Dome Creek resident Russ Purvis is also against the plant.

“My sense is that this is really good news for the local community, as well as the Lheidli T’enneh, because it brings us together in a new way,” he said.

Several members of the regional district, including Valemount’s Mayor Jeannette Townsend, Prince George’s Mayor Colin Kinsley, McBride’s Mayor Mike Frazier as well as Area H representative Ken Starchuck had sent a letter to MLAs Shirley Bond and Pat Bell asking them to speed up the process. Should the province approve the use of Crown land by the company, the regional district must then rezone the area and amend the official community plan.

Starchuck said that there was some disappointment at the further delay.

“The only response was that they (Crown lands) received a letter from First Nations at the last minute,” he said. “We weren’t privy to the letter and we weren’t given definitive timeline. It could be a day, week, two weeks.”

Starchuck said that the process is in Crown land’s jurisdiction and there is nothing more they can do.

“It is in their ball park. We’ve done our part in writing the letter,” he said. “There is no point trying to generate a ruckus on it. We’ll just let it go and see where it ends up.”

“The timing of that fire maybe didn’t add to things either,” he added.

Elizabeth Aubrey said the possibility that a lightning-caused fire is high in the area was proven on July 13 at LaSalle Lake.

“The fire is not that far away and there are lots of lightning strikes in the area. This is a real concern. It should be addressed,” she said.

Aubrey’s initial concern about the plant wasn’t one of safety but of appropriate land use.

“The basis for my opposition to the plant is that Crown land is being given to the company. I am not opposed to the industry as such; it is the location. I do not feel that terrorists would come into the area - that is over the top. For me the first concern is Crown land (use); that sets a precedent,” said Aubrey.

Aubrey appreciated the meeting with the Chief of the Lheidli T’enneh.

“I was very glad he came. I felt it was a good meeting. There was not as much over-the-top rhetoric,” she said.

Further Aubrey is pleased that those responsible for Crown land are considering the possibility of a land use plan in their area. “I think that would be good thing,” she said.

Dome Creek resident Peter Saclarides estimated the LaSalle Lake fire to be 10 miles from the proposed explosives plant site.

That lightning caused fire that started on Friday, July 13 is in the mop up stage. It is 220 hectares and there are four 20-person crews currently on the scene.

Bob Pankhurst, business development manager for Dyno Nobel, said he hadn’t heard about the letter from the Lheidli T’enneh, the lightning strikes or the forest fire and declined to comment.