Aquilini Renewable Energy (ARE) has decided to finish its re-zoning application for an industrial waste recycling plant in Christina Lake without further public consultation, but with a final technical report submitted on the March 11 deadline to the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB). The RDKB had instructed ARE that further public consultation would be required. Christina Lake resident Richard White, a strong opponent to the project and an organizer of the Protect Christina Lake group, said, “We fully expect that the Advisory planning committe and the regional district nowwill reject the application completely because their directive wasn’t followed and thecertainly the people of Christina Lakeby far the majority have the same feeling that they don’t want a petroleum based industry withinthe community whatsoever.”

The process has been going on since 2008, with the March 11 deadline established as the last opportunity for Aquilini to present information favourable to the proposal. The report will go to the Area C Advisory planning Committee for discussion and a ecommendation on April 6, then to the RDKB’s planning and development committee on April 15, before finally being voted on by the entire RDKB board of directors on April 29.

“We won’t release any of their report until after the Advisory Planning Committee sees it because that is the process,” Area C director Grace McGregor said.

McGregor added that she believed the matter would not be put off but would be decided at the April 29 meeting. She reiterated her view that due process had to be followed to make sure that there would be no grounds for litigation on the part of ARE.

Meanwhile White said that large numbers of his group would be in attendance in large numbers at the RDKB meeting where the final decision will be made.

it wasn’t