From the Times-Colonist – Feb 21, 2011

By Calvin Sandborn

The letter from the CEO of the Raven coal project raises the central
issue about the proposed Raven mine: Will this be the first of a number
of mines in the vast coal reserve that stretches from Fanny Bay to near
Campbell River?

Skyrocketing world coal prices are accelerating B.C. coal development. Could the mid-Island turn into a miniAppalachia?

The letter states “Compliance Coal Corporation has no plans to develop other properties on Vancouver Island at this time.”

The
Compliance website states: “Compliance’s projects in the Comox Coal
Basin are the Raven Underground Coal Project and the Bear Coal Project .
the Comox Joint Venture [60 per cent owned by Compliance] is focused on
developing the Raven Coal Deposit and the nearby Bear Coal Deposit.”

Has Compliance dropped its plans to develop the Bear project? If so, perhaps its website should be updated.

In
addition, perhaps the Compliance slide show presented at its 2009
annual general meeting can be explained. It sets a target of $100
million in revenue by the end of 2012, and mentions properties such as
Wolf Mountain and Anderson Lake, along with rights to coalbed methane.

Has Compliance’s ambitious strategy for next year been abandoned?

If
not, the Raven environmental assessment needs to be expanded to
consider the cumulative environmental effects that additional coal mines
could have. Provincial and federal environment ministers should appoint
an independent panel of experts to hold full public hearings on this
issue.

No environmental issue is more important to the people of Vancouver Island.

Calvin Sandborn

Legal director Environmental Law Clinic University of Victoria