By Ralph Shaw, Comox Valley Record, February 03, 2012

Baynes Sound is a huge sea garden area that has produced food for Comox Valley residents for thousands of years. The picture with this column features natural produce from the waters of the sound and land-based agriculture from our garden which is on the uplands above the sound.

Dan MacLennan, Campbell River Courier-Islander, January 27, 2012

A controversial Quinsam Coal Mine expansion will go ahead as part of Victoria's BC Jobs Plan, but one opponent says the decision was more politically than environmentally motivated.

Pamela Suzanne Smyth, Oceanside Star, January 26, 2012

Hundreds showed up at the Buckley Bay ferry terminal Saturday to protest Compliance Energy's proposed Raven Underground Coal Project.

The mine site involves 3,100 hectares near Fanny Bay and Union Bay with coal trucked through Oceanside to Port Alberni for export to Asia.

"It's in a very important watershed and Cowie Creek empties into Baynes Sound where the shellfish and other fisheries will be affected," said Fanny Bay resident Jaye Castleden, one of several Coal Watch founders. "That's a sustainable industry that employs over 500, whereas the mine would only be here for 16 years, provide temporary employment to some and leave a legacy we don't need.

View images by Rena Rogers and Andrew Fyson on Flickr.

News Release, Water Dragon Alliance, January 22, 2012

Over 400 people showed up in Buckley Bay on Saturday, in support of a festive outdoor anti-coal rally called, "Solidarity -Not Compliance!"

An entourage of almost 100 islanders accompanied a twenty foot-long Chinese New Year's dragon off the Denman ferry at 1:00 pm. Cheered on by folks attending from as far away as Vancouver, Victoria, Port Alberni and Campbell River, the dragon was greeted at the nearby rally site by musicians, and a giant raven bearing a placard that read, "Ravens opposed to Coal!"

Tony Law, Comox Valley Record, January 24, 2012

Dear editor,

As an elected official, I believe that decision-makers should consider not only the views of today's citizens but also the interests of future generations who must live with the consequences of our decisions.

Peggy Zimmerman, Coalmox Valley Record, January 24, 2012

Dear editor,

Recently, Trilogy Group president/CEO Mr. John Evans is quoted as saying, “British Columbia and indeed the Comox Valley are very well received as I speak with people literally around the world. There is a recognition and an acknowledgement of the attractiveness of this region.”

Hanno Böck, Klimaretter.info (Berlin), 22 Januar 2012

Auf der kanadischen Vancouver Island nahe der Gemeinde Comox protestierten gestern mehrere hundert Menschen gegen Kohlebergbau. Der Konzern Compliance Energy plant die Erschließung der Kohlemine Raven innerhalb der nächsten Jahre.

By Neil Horner, Parksville Qualicum Beach News, January 21, 2012

Opponents of a proposed coal mine in the Fanny Bay area converged on a parking lot across from the Buckley Bay ferry terminal Saturday to make their concerns known.

The event, dubbed Solidarity, not Compliance, was organized by the Comox Valley-based Water Dragon Alliance and drew about 400 protesters, at least 100 of whom arrived on the ferry from Denman Island.

Jet FM, January 21, 2012

Drivers sounded their horns as they passed a festive gathering at Buckley Bay on Saturday afternoon.

Around 200 people came out to demonstrate against the Raven coal mine, which is proposed for Fanny Bay.

By Briony Penn, Focus Magazine, December 2011

A massive increase in the winter herring fishery threatens recovering stocks and resident orca.

Cumulative Herring spawn in Baynes Sound from 1928 to 2001

By Ralph Shaw, Comox Valley Record, January 12, 2012

For purposes of this column the approximate length of Baynes Sound is about 30km from Goose Spit to the Chrome Island light at the south end of Denman Island. Throughout its length it is one huge marine garden that produces oysters, clams and scallops for local, national and international markets.

J. Mercer, Alberni Valley Times, January 13, 2012

I have a question we should be asking Raven Coal if this has not already been asked?

The question is, "Why can Raven Coal not locate their facility at the old Link Mill site out at Cameron shop area?" This site was built for a mill.

Jesse Gentes, Comox Valley Record, January 12, 2012

Dear editor,

I respond to Susan Auchterlonie's (director, college and community relations at North Island College) recent attempt to "correct the assumption of a correlation between North Island College receiving funds to offer an underground mining program and the potential coal project at Fanny Bay."

Mike Bell, Comox Valley Record, January 10, 2012

Dear editor,

We have been told that the Environmental Review Process is objective and fair.

Not true. It’s a great big “pants-on-fire” fib. Here’s why.

Re: "Surveys and polls often ask the wrong questions," (Alberni Valley Times, Monday, Jan. 9)

In Mr. Cole's recent letter, he speculates on an alternative route for the transport of coal as part of the proposed Raven Coal Mine Project, and also mentions Polly's Point (Coulson's mill site) as an alternative coal port location.

Jesse Gentes, Comox Valley Echo, January 06, 2012

I'd like to share a little analysis of mine of the Underground Mining Program recently announced by North Island College and created through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market initiative by the joint workings of the Federal Conservatives and the B.C Liberals. The resource extraction industry particularly Compliance Coal on a local level - stand to benefit from the training of entry level employees from such a program.

Campbell Connor, Comox Valley Echo, January 06, 2012

A letter in your paper raises certain points which demand a response.

This writer is responding to a letter that a Fanny Bay resident submitted stating that a coal mine 5 km above Baynes Sound is an insane idea.

Selkirk McPhail, Alberni Valley Times, January 06, 2012

Most of us will agree that the truck traffic problem in Port Alberni is not new.

Ironically, now that Raven Coal is looming closer on the horizon, the movers and shakers are doing just that - moving and shaking.

Oceanside Star, January 05, 2012

Groups opposed to a coal mine have formed the Peaceful Direct Action Coalition to educate the public on peaceful direct action.

Stacey Gaiga, Comox Valley Echo, December 30, 2011

As a salmon farming biologist, it's obvious Terry Neilsen couldn't care less what implications any job that sacrifices innocent lives has on the human condition, for a paycheque.

Lynne Wheeler, Comox Valley Record, December 28, 2011

Dear editor,

I remember squaring off against 'the environmentalists' back in the '90s when a person didn't want to admit that they worked in the forest industry.

Today, I am an activist working hard to preserve a future for my grandson and future generations.