All posts by Roy Hales

$900 Million For BC’s Aging Infrastructure

By Roy L Hales

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Good news for those concerned with the state of our province’s aging transportation system. The Federal, provincial and municipal governments are partnering to provide a total of $900 million for BC’s aging infrastructure.

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Climate Kids Are Suing America

By Roy L Hales

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The United States has known that burning fossil fuels destabilizes our climate for over fifty years, but taken few steps to prevent this. Even now, 18 months after President Obama declared “No challenge  poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change,” the nation does not appear to be ready to switch away from a fossil fuel based energy system. According to Our Children’s Trust, this is discriminating against the rights of the very generations who will experience the worst effects of Climate change. So 21 Climate Kids are suing America.

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Poll Finds Opposition To Site C Growing

By Roy L Hales

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More than 1,000 British Columbians participated what appears to be more off a spin exercise than a “poll.” Though critics constantly point to the lack of need, respondents to the BC Hydro commissioned survey were asked if they supported the dam “to help meet the rising demand for electricity in B.C.” Despite this, unconditional support for the controversial project has dropped to 49%. The poll finds opposition to Site C growing.

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BC’s SunMine Received National Recognition

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After almost a year of feeding the grid, British Columbia’s first utility scale solar installation has proven it can “do what it was designed to do.” Though SunMine’s production fell in December and January, the site was back within 95% of the projected yield by the end of April (1,500 MwH of the anticipated 1,585 MwH). Now that the sunnier months have begun, the 1.05 MW installation is producing excess electricity. It is not surprising to hear that at the Engineers Canada Awards Gala on May 26th in Charlottetown, PEI, SunMine received national recognition.

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Another Oil-By-Rail Fire Near Portland

By Roy L Hales

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There are currently only one or two trains going through the Columbia River Gorge every day. Imagine what would happen if all the fossil fuel projects in this region were approved. Up to a hundred trains, averaging between a mile and a mile and a half in length, and would make this same trek weekly. Six months ago, a truck driver was killed in a railway accident within Portland’s city limits. The flames spread to eight railway cars, carrying oil or asphalt, which luckily did not catch fire. There was another oil-by-rail fire near Portland today.

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