Environment | The Proprietor Review

Category: Environment

BC Hydro, power and authority

Filed under: Environment, Fauna, Government Works, Social Activism by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

December 13, 2011

Lots of no trespass signs about and some on old hydro meters. Dell from Coopers says they were by and changed his. Some people say they don”t want them because of health issues. Other say they wanted a choice for no wireless connection. The fact is they are being installed and adds in the papers are asking for clear access.

The hydro has worked since it was nationalized in BC as a monopoly and as socialism goes it was considered draconian. However the lower rates we are supposed to get from the monopoly are supportive of the vision of Canada being a mixed economy. As a Non profit crown corporation it is not allowed to have retained earnings and must lower rates for efficiencies it gets. Still you have to watch that the government does not raid it for revenues like raising water licence fees, to accommodate good water levels for the utility.

The off-peak time dynamic will be the next issue us consumers will be watching as we still want it to be an under girding of our economy and not go to profits.

BC Hydro has the rights to all water in the province for generation purposes and a lot of power. When good snow packs occur the next year should see rate reductions, as they have in the past.

The lines and poles are public property and that always raises an issue when they talk about co generation ; recently the utility has replaced a lot of poles and is working to have a third 500 KV line to the lower mainland from the interior.

Today in history December 13 ,2003

Saddam Hussein is captured in Iraq. ( The Ace of Spades)

Scientists urge BC Hydro not to close conservation offices (cbc.ca)
Couple pressures BC Hydro to remove smart meter (cbc.ca)
No long-term forecasts in BC Hydros rate hike application (theglobeandmail.com)
BC Hydro executive bonuses questioned as deficits grow (cbc.ca)
BC Hydro files plan to meet reduced rate expectations (vancouversun.com)
BC Hydro to reveal results of B.C. review of proposed rate increases (vancouversun.com)
Smart meters alleged to pose security risk (cbc.ca)
Auditor General sounds alarm over BC Hydro accounting (theglobeandmail.com)

Tags: British Columbia, Business, Merritt BC

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Snow

Filed under: Environment by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

November 18, 2011

There is a beautiful continuous snowfall here today. An accumulation of about 5 inches is making for a picture postcard . The forecast is for the same the next few days. And the 14 day forecast is weighted towards snow.

Looking forward to a White Christmas and lots of good photo ops here in Merritt.

Truck traffic on routes are a great concern of coffee goers so think in terms of a defensive strategy when driving to routes that have transport trucks.

Today in history,November 18 1977

Born Fabolous, American Rapper.

Driver Warning As Snow Continues (confused.com)
Drivers warned over snow on vehicle roofs (premierlinedirect.co.uk)
Snow and accidents close several B.C. highways (cbc.ca)
Did somebody say SNOW ?! (prettyhypeto.com)
Motorists warned about snow fall (autonetinsurance.co.uk)

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Mid week activities

Filed under: Environment, First Nations People, Flora, Politics and Politicians, Public health, Social Activism by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

October 20, 2011

Image via Wikipedia

There are some significant activities this week in Merritt, tonite the Alexander the Great Seminar continues at the library, presenter al Horne and his wife coördinate the slides and the talk.An Academic venture,in progress as the credits for photos of antiquity are yet to be published.

The Nicola Naturalists also have and AGM tonight at 7 o’clock at NVIT about 3 kilometers from the 6-8 presentation at the library.

There is also a member picture presentation after the expected brief business meeting.

Last evening there was an eco health forum that featured such speakers ad Scotty Holmes the chief o the Upper Nicola Indian band and others including representation from the Community round table at evening it was sparsely attended and coming to a conclusion in its second day of presentations and discussions.

Today in history, October 20th 1973

The Sydney Opera House opens.

Tags: AGM, Alexander the Great, Annual general meeting, History, Merritt, Merritt British Columbia, People, Sydney Opera House

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Card lock

Filed under: Enterprize, Environment by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

August 31, 2011

The Esso agency had a customer appreciation day today .The Cold Creek Agency of Nicola Avenue had the radio station, prizes , hamburgers and a celebrity Mobile Oil sponsored formula one car on site .To appreciate their customers.The business is located in a heavy commercial zoning beside a road contractor an unconfirmed source is saying you don’t have to be a business to have a card lock and their prices change daily with oil prices and are emailed out to card customers at levels of discounts.Implying volume.

Its a clean and uncluttered business you may want to check it out if for some reason you need volumes of fuel and don’t mind competing with logging trucks for fueling.

Today in history, August 31,1537

The Honorable Artillery Company, England’s oldest is formed.

Tags: Business, Commercial district, Esso, History

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Job fair

Filed under: Enterprize, Environment, Social Activism by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

August 16, 2011

This is a public photo. Category:Columbia River

Image via Wikipedia

A small job fair was held at the campus of NVIT on monday, Teck the mining giant that runs the Highland Valley Copper Mine was there . A representative said they would be hiring around the middle of December. A training company/ society for people who would work on the hydro site at Revelstoke and Mica also had a booth, as did the Community Futures Society for the first nations of the Thompson Nicola.

A rep from Western Bio Energy of Richmond BC for their proposed hydro co-gen plant was giving out information. Fred Scott was saying that when the project is approved for permits it will have a strong contact with hydro that prohibits fuel being used that is not green wood waste ie railway ties. The boiler is only capable of taking 1900 degrees and toxins must be burned at higher temperatures \(legally).

There is one toxic waste facility in the province it is in the lower mainland. This project is strictly green and for hydro co gen to the public utility BC Hydro.The plant would be on the Tolko mill site here in Merritt, the company plans public consultations in the next 5 months to accommodate their permitting process.

The VP of business development Fred M. Scott said that it was not to be confused with a proposal that failed 8 years ago which included medical waste. We say that a proposal of some decades ago that generated a ground swell of protest should not be mitigated by this corporate goodwill to ward green coming from the proposal and BC Hydro.That one was for toxic waste and the interest went to a plant in Swan Hills Alberta after being soundly rejected.That proposal was encouraged by then Mayor H.P.Kroeker and his administration that included an economic development officer that was a former used car sales rep. Kroeker still sits as a counselor here after some years as a justice of the peace and after a failed Mayoralty reelection bid.

The job fair was aimed at young people and training opportunities in the resource sector. Nadine Israel, represented BCAMTA as a coach. That organisation is the Aboriginal Mine Training association. www.bcamta.ca

Today in history, August 16 1989

Solar activities interfere with electronics ceasing trading on the TSX.

Tags: British Columbia, Business, Canada, Employment, Government-owned corporation, Job fair, Quezon City, Teck

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Seagulls

Filed under: Environment by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

July 12, 2011

Twenty odd seagulls were at Voght park this AM they would have come up on the winds that brought rain from the coast last evening.

Today in history, July 12, 1962

The Rolling Stones perform in their first ever public concert in the Marquee

Club in London.

Tags: seagulls

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Fish policeing

Filed under: Environment, Fish by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

May 11, 2011

Fishery and Oceans , the federal government are being seen moving craft about; they are concerned about what runoff goes into fish habitat this time of the year.

Today in History, May 11 1987

Klaus Barbie goes on trial for Second World War crimes.

Tags: Fisherys and Oceans

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Vancouver Aquarium Vehicles

Filed under: -Photography, Enterprize, Environment, Fauna, Fish, Government Works, Social Activism, Sports and Leisure, Tourists, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

April 14, 2011

A great attraction to the lower mainland is the Vancouver Aquarium. A noble cause and an expensive one it has the support of the corporate community. A Van stopping here shows a great Public relations value to its BC Hydro sponsor.We are with in a few hours of the facility and it is often used for field trips and an interest point when visiting outside this small community. We also get a great collage of vehicle traffic stopping here on their way to major centers.

Today in History, April 14th 1999

Hailstorm in Australia causes 2.3 billion in insured damage.

Tags: Hyways and Byways

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Grissly Bears

Filed under: -Photography, Environment, Fauna by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

April 6, 2011

There are these great beasts in the proximity of Merritt Styoma Mountain near the coast range supports bears as well the Petite Creek area toward Spence’s bridge also have reported bears from time to time. There is a presentation by the Nicola Naturalist Society on Thursday the 7th at the NVIT room 0001 . Dr Sue Senger from conservation northwest is presenting; 7PM . Membership and donations requested.

http://moodle.sd58.bc.ca/moodle/mod/resource/view.php?id=3015

Picture of Styoma Mountain , source Coquihalla middle school.

Today in History, April 6,1998

Pakistan tests medium range missiles capable of reaching India

Tags: Bears

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Potable water

Filed under: Environment by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

March 15, 2011

There is a Ministry of environment test water well on Garcia street in Merritt, today pumps are going for an annual test. The person testing it says that it is potable and the rusty color of the test water going through a bucket is because it is stagnate for along time , meaning it does not move. And a rust comes off the casing. The well is not perforated or have screens on the bottom. With no pumping it gets no flow.

There is ground water and surface water to consider in wells, ground water has been filtered well by actions and microbes in the ground . It has less entry of surface water into it. The city spend over two million dollars on another well a couple of years ago with 4 test wells to complement it in testing of levels of the aquifer. Merritt has always had great water, a selling point for the City.

However very little to non left over to sell ,outside local consumption.

Today in History, March 15th 44 BC

Julius Caesar assassinated in the Roman senate.