Spencer Anderson, Comox Valley Echo, March 29, 2011

CoalWatch Comox Valley has been given $20,500 to participate in the environmental assessment of the proposed Raven Underground Coal Mine.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) announced the funding last Thursday.

In November last year, the CEAA began accepting applications for some of the $100,000 available in participant funding, which can be used in a variety of ways, including travel expenses, office supplies, telephone charges, rental of office space and meeting rooms and legal fees.

CoalWatch had requested around $38,000 in funds, said president John Snyder. But he added, "[It] will certainly help us out as far as paying for experts throughout the environmental assessment to look at the documents that are going to be presented so we can make a credible response ..."

In the end, $84,160 was given out to eight groups and individuals. A total $183,135 was applied for.

The complete list of funding recipients is as follows:

-$900 to Mr. Michael Fisher

-$4,180 to the Sierra Club of BC Foundation (on behalf of Sierra Club Comox Valley)

-$28,600 to the British Columbia Shellfish Growers Association

-$500 to Mr. Robert Christie

-$20,504.70 to CoalWatch Comox Valley Society

-$500 to Ms. Carolyn Shaffer

-$28,375.60 to the Alberni Environmental Coalition

-$600 to Mr. Jack Cann

spanderson@comoxvalleyecho.com

Source

© Comox Valley Echo 2011