The Point Roberts Conservation Society is putting up a fight against the contentious proposal to build a series of radio towers at the border near Tsawwassen.
In the latest development in the ongoing battle against the proposal, the society last week filed an appeal of a State Environmental Policy Act Determination of Non-Significance regarding the project. Filed with Whatcom County, the appeal cites adverse environmental impacts contrary to a state determination there would be no significant impacts.
"The proposed project is not necessary or essential to the community of Point Roberts, nor does it primarily serve the United States. Further, the proposed project contains no information as to whether it is consistent or compatible with the Point Roberts Character Plan," part of the appeal states.
BBC Broadcasting Inc. wants to construct five 45-metre (150-foot) steel towers at an undeveloped lot on McKenzie Way, about 330 metres from the Tsawwassen border.
The towers are to transmit South Asian radio station KRPI, AM 1550, but many residents on both sides of the border have been fighting the plan.
Also known as Sher-E-Punjab, the company currently broadcasts using antenna in Ferndale, Wash., but wants to move them closer and have a stronger 50,000-watt all-day signal. Although the current towers and the ones proposed for
Point Roberts are located in the United States, Sher-E-Punjab broadcasts to a Lower Mainland audience from studios in Richmond.
The Federal Communications Commission already granted a construction permit and the DNS was also issued, but one final hurdle remains with a conditional use permit required from Whatcom County.
Concerned about the blanketing interference of radio waves as well as other impacts, the Cross Border Coalition to Stop the Radio
Towers continues to fight the application on several fronts.
Residents here are gathering signatures on a petition to be sent to the House of Commons demanding government intervention. The petition is available at dozens of Tsawwassen businesses. Already with more than 2,000 signatures, the petition will be available to sign until just after Labour Day.
Five days beginning in late October have been set aside for a Whatcom County public hearing.
