South Delta Secondary School

Parent Advisory Council

 

 

October 23, 2006

 

British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC)

6th Floor, 900 Howe Street

Box 250

Vancouver, B.C.

V6Z 2N3                                            

commission.secretary@bcuc.com

                                                                                               

Attention: Robert J. Pellatt, Commission Secretary

 

 

Re:     TRAHVOL Application for Reconsideration of VITR Decision                  

Dear Sir:

 

South Delta Secondary School Parent Advisory Council (SDSS PAC) would like to register its’ support of TRAHVOL’s application for a reconsideration of the VITR Decision, in particular the routing through South Delta.  TRAHVOL’s application promotes a new revised Option 5B (or Deltaport) routing of the VITR through South Delta or alternately, the use of Tsawwassen streets for a safely buried route.   Neither of these routes was examined sufficiently and properly in the VITR hearings.  Both of these options are preferable to the Option 1 directed by the BCUC, as they avoid exposing our students to the considerable seismic risk of overhead lines as well as the constant exposure to unacceptably high levels of EMF.   Further we support the removal of the existing 138kV lines, as it was established in the hearing that the poles and wires constituted a safety risk to our students in the event of an earthquake.

 

Please consider the following:

 

  • SDSS PAC stated in the hearing that a safely buried street option would be preferable to the overhead.

 

  • New evidence submitted by the Canadian Cancer Society lends credibility that power lines pose a health hazard and that people should limit exposure. This is frightening for students and staff who necessarily must be exposed because of the location of the school.  The perception in the community is that there is something to worry about as the Cancer Society recommends that children “not play under high voltage overhead power lines.”

 

  • To compound this concern, the recently signed Benevento Resolution supports the fact that many well respected international scientists agree that EMF from power lines poses a significant health risk.

 

  • Students and parents have a right to feel safe at school.  Since the BCUC decision in July, the PAC has received many calls from concerned parents about the safety of their children.

 

SDSS PAC submits that BCUC should reconsider the South Delta routing options, as outlined in TRAHVOL’s submission, and that these options be given a full and proper hearing. 

 

Thank you for your consideration.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Original signed by:

 

 

Bernadette Kudzin                                       

SDSS PAC

 

cc.       BCUC Distribution List

          Mr. Grant McRadu, Secretary Treasurer, Delta School Board

          Ms. Heather King, Chairperson, Delta School Board