The Canadian deputy head of mission from Washington D.C. was to meet yesterday with several residents opposed to the controversial plan to erect radio transmission towers on the Tsawwassen-Point Roberts border.
The meeting with Dennis Stevens was scheduled for the Ladner constituency office of Delta-Richmond East MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, who helped organize the session. Scheduled to accompany Stevens was Kevin Cooke, senior political, economic and academic officer from the Canadian Consulate General in Seattle.
Prior to the meeting, Findlay told the Optimist that Stevens and Cooke would hear the residents' concerns and then travel to Whatcom County to speak to officials there.
What's being arranged, she noted, is that when Whatcom County decides whether to grant a conditional use permit for the towers, Tsawwassen residents would be given a full opportunity to be heard at a county hearing.
Noting she's been working on the issue from the start, including contacting Whatcom County and speaking with Industry Minister James Moore, Findlay said there's only so
far Industry Canada can go on the matter. She did say the department has confirmed the FCC was aware of Tsawwassen when considering the application. BBC Broadcasting Inc. wants to construct five 45-metre (150-foot) steel towers at an undeveloped lot on McKenzie Way in Point Roberts, about 330 metres from the border.
The FCC granted a construction permit but a conditional use permit is still required from the county.
Residents in South Delta and Point Roberts have joined forces to fight the application because of concerns with blanketing interference and the havoc it causes with household electronic devices. They have been fighting on two fronts, both in Washington, D.C. and Whatcom County.
Findlay said after looking into the issue, there's no ability to get the FCC to change its approval and that process is complete, so the focus should be at the Whatcom County level.
"Regardless of what the FCC decides, these towers still can't be built and can't be located until Whatcom County gives the conditional use permit, so this is the opportunity and what I've been trying to work on is to create an opportunity, through cross-border cooperation at a very high level, for the community to be heard," Findlay said.
