Dear editor,
Now that the issuance of the coal license in the Anderson Lake area to Compliance Coal has come to light, including the fact that part of the tenure is in the sensitive Tsolum River watershed, the comments from Compliance are most interesting.
Compliance now wants us to believe they have no intentions of doing anything with their Anderson Lake coal licence, and are saying if they tried to get a permit for exploration they didn’t think they could get it, because it’s in the runoff area for Courtenay.
This begs the question why did Compliance pursue this coal licence for nearly seven years, and realizing the tenure is in the sensitive Tsolum River watershed, why didn’t they withdraw their licence application at some time during the review process?
On the Bear Coal Deposit above Cumberland, Compliance is now saying they are not eyeing it for future development, despite previous statements anticipating that it would be developed in conjunction with the Raven Deposit.
With Compliance’s efforts currently focused on the Raven Coal Mine proposal near Fanny Bay, if the mine became a reality, and the coal processing infrastructure was in place, it would seem reasonable to assume the Bear Coal Deposit and Anderson Lake coal tenure would become more financially attractive. Would Compliance still be singing their tune of “no intention of doing anything with it?”
Residents deserve straight talk on future coal development in the Comox Valley. With Compliance’s continuing pattern of corporate bafflegab, the odds of Comox Valley residents granting “social licence” for Compliance’s proposals, are between slim and none.
John Snyder
Fanny Bay