In response to the completion of the B.C. Energy Task Force report, the Pembina Institute's Director of Sustainable Energy, Andrew Pape-Salmon, submitted a letter to the B.C Energy Minister. In the letter he writes, We understand that the BC Energy Policy Task Force completed its final report on March 15, 2002 and submitted several recommendations to government on a long-term provincial energy policy for British Columbia. We have not been party to the final report, but would like to share our views with you on the interim report which was released to the public on November 30, 2001. We shared our views with the Task Force members on January 14, 2002 during a 2 hour meeting.
Our comments on the interim report relate to resource development and management. We have some serious concerns about the implications of explicitly stimulating the coal industry through a variety of mechanisms - including fast tracking air emission standards, including "progressive applications" of coal in the definition of "alternative energy", and prioritizing coal development within government programs. We believe that the emphasis on coal in the Task Force report is contrary to the government objectives around "competitiveness" and "best environmental practices". We regard the Task Force's interim report as paving the way for an unfair market advantage for coal over clean energy options.
