EDRF grants address environmental impacts of mines, agriculture

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West Coast’s Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund is proud to announce the following grants:

• The British Columbia office of the Centre for Science and Public Participation has received an EDRF grant to hire Holly Vear and Jay Nelson of  Woodward and Company to examine options to challenge Fisheries Act regulations that claim to allow fish habitat to be converted into toxic waste dumps for mining operations. 
• An EDRF grant to the Alouette River Management Society will allow its lawyer, Mark Haddock, to follow up on discussions with the Ministry of Environment about the proper management of agricultural water licenses on the North Alouette River. 
• The Friends of Davie Bay, on Texada Island, received an EDRF grant to challenge the provincial government’s refusal to conduct an environmental assessment of a large gravel pit and loading facility being proposed by Lehigh Northwest Cement.  The judicial review will be handled by David Perry and Debra Rusnak of Singleton Urquhart.
• An EDRF grant to the West Moberly First Nations will allow the Nations to have legal representation – from Tim Thielmann of Devlin Gailus – in the consultations about how best to protect the Burnt Pine Caribou Herd.  These consultations were ordered by the BC Supreme Court in a legal challenge to mining approvals in which the West Moberly also received EDRF funding. 

Congratulations to all recipients, and thanks to the Law Foundation of British Columbia for providing funds for the EDRF.