An anonymous ZW supporter who was present at today's historic meeting of the Metro Vancouver Board just posted this report:
Yipee!!! The Board endorsed the WMC recommendation today rejecting a last ditch attempt by Vancouver to delay for 60 days. The good news is that the priority endorsed by each speaker was long term waste reduction and environmentally safe ways of handling waste residuals in district as close to source as possible. A good starting point but many more battles to be fought.
It is amazing to me that Vancouver's political leaders were apparently out of the loop when the new plan was negotiated. Councillor Peter Ladner was clearly taken completely by surprise by the CAO's report on Tuesday.
As a constituent, I hasten to assure Ladner and the rest of our elected representatives that I see this as a huge win for both Vancouver and Delta.
The landfill permit is up for renewal shortly. I have heard from knowledgeable sources that the renewal was not going to be a slam-dunk. My hunch is that a sincere commitment and a good plan for diverting biodegradable organics, recyclable materials and hazardous wastes from the landfill will earn many points when the province makes the permit decision.
Not only does the new plan reduce the environmental burdens during the rest of the landfill's life span ~ it also has the potential of shortening its life span, hastening the day when Delta can turn the area into a park. I hope they have an interpretive centre there that will tell the amazing story of how foolish folks were in the 20th Century, when they dumped their discards in a world-renowned domed peat bog.
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