About
What Matters In Our Valley (WMIOV) was founded in 2017 by a group of Telkwa and other Bulkley Valley residents who share a deep commitment to the conservation of our rivers, water, fish, wildlife, air and the quality of life in our exceptional area. Our current goals are:
- to inform the public about the implications to our valley of the proposed Telkwa coal mine, and
- to protect the interests of the environment, the economy, and the social fabric of the community of Telkwa and the Bulkley Valley.
Mission Statement
What Matters In Our Valley cares about the social, environmental, and economic health of the Bulkley Valley. At this time we are reviewing the proposed Telkwa Coal Project.
(Photo Credit Phillip Hopps)
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HELP US PARTICIPATE IN THE TELKWA COAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
We have retained consultants to help us with this process and we intend to distribute our comments to the public in time to help with your own response.
Preparing our comments to participate in the EA process will cost a substantial amount of money due to the need for technical assistance. Obtaining this kind of expert advice throughout the Environmental Assessment process is a costly exercise. Consequently, we are now raising funds so that the public can contribute to our activities. We believe it is important that expert opinions not only come from consultants paid for by Telkwa Coal. To make contributions and to learn more about our work, please visit our website at www.whatmattersinourvalley.com.
Donations can be made to: WMIOV, Box 2393, Smithers, BC, V0J 2N0 or by etransfer to whatmattersinourvalley@gmail.com.
For your information, the dAIR (draft Application Information Requirements) and the public comments can still be viewed at: https://projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/api/public/document/5ed190afebb76e001ae10913/download/200504_Tenas%20Coal%20dAIR.pdf
As for next steps in the EA process, Telkwa Coal Limited is currently revising the draft Application Information Requirements (dAIR) document based on comments received from the public during the June 8 – July 23, 2020 public comment period as well as all comments received from the technical working group. Once the AIR is approved, the document will be posted publicly to EPIC. Telkwa Coal Limited will then prepare their draft Application for an EA Certificate. A minimum 30-day public comment period will be held on the draft Application.
We will notify you when the approved AIR is posted on the EPIC website.
Please contact us with any questions or thoughts that you have at whatmattersinourvalley@gmail.com.
A small organizing group meets monthly to keep up to date with the current happenings regarding the proposed Telkwa coal mine. We will plan informative evenings regarding concerns with key issues incl. water and air pollution, concerns with fish habitat, caribou and other wildlife, noise, haul road and loading site issues. We also have a group of active supporters who don't attend regular meetings but help and volunteer when events are planned. Whether you help through volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.