Tsawwassenites fighting a plan to erect radio transmission towers in Point Roberts are urging concerned citizens to call the Whatcom County Hearing Examiner's office.
Noting a hearing date has not been set but could take place by August, Nancy Beaton with the Tsawwassen Coalition Against the Radio Towers said it's important for residents to call and register their name and address as a "party of record" for the KRPI hearing.
"We need to flood their phone lines to send county officials the message that Tsawwassen residents are gravely concerned and angry about the proposed 50,000-watt radio towers 1,100 feet from the border," Beaton said.
"We cannot stress the importance for you to take this simple action step to register yourself to help stop the towers. It will have an impact on the county and possibly the hearing to reject KRPI's application to build the radio towers."
The Whatcom County Hearing Examiner's office can be reached at 1-360-676-6794.
Delta-Richmond East MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay recently said concerned residents should focus their attention on the upcoming county hearing.
Findlay organized a meeting last month with several local residents, including Beaton.
She informed the group that Industry Canada confirmed the Federal Communications Commission in the U.S. was aware of Tsawwassen and took the community into consideration when reviewing the application by BBC Broadcasting Inc. to erect five 45-metre (150-foot) steel towers on an undeveloped lot on McKenzie Way. The towers would transmit South Asian radio station KRPI, AM 1550, which broadcasts to a Greater Vancouver audience from studios in Richmond.
Also known as Sher-EPunjab AM 1550, the company currently broadcasts using antenna in Ferndale, Wash., but wants to move them and have a stronger, 50,000-watt all-day signal.
The FCC granted a construction permit but a conditional use permit is still required from Whatcom County, which is still dealing the application. The residents at the meeting had several questions for the MP, who assured them she'd find the
answers. Findlay told the Optimist last week Industry Canada was able to provide additional clarity on some points, while questions relating to blanketing interference require further consultation with the FCC. "I will continue to pursue any and all reasonable avenues to ensure that the concerns of residents are addressed by the American authorities responsible for decisions on this proposal,"
Findlay said.
Meanwhile, coalition member Steve Graham, also one of the residents who attended the meeting with Findlay, asked civic politicians last week if they'd be willing to contribute to a consultant's study that would examine the potential electromagnetic impact on Tsawwassen, findings that would be presented to the Whatcom County hearing.
Mayor Lois Jackson last fall wrote to the Whatcom County Hearing Examiner to express concerns. Graham asked that a follow-up letter be sent to reiterate Delta's concern. Delta CAO George Harvie said a report to council on the issue would be coming soon.
The residents' group is urging locals to show up at the June 23 council meeting when the issue will be discussed again.
