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Regional district talks parking fees, carbon tax offsets

The Regional District of East Kootenay board of directors made some important decisions at its Friday, May 3 board meeting.

The Regional District of East Kootenay board of directors made some important decisions at its Friday, May 3 board meeting.

• The RDEK will allocate $25/tonne of corporate greenhouse gas emissions for 2012 to an Energy Conservation Reserve Fund. Previously, the Board had opted to go carbon neutral and purchase carbon offsets from the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Darkwoods project. However, that resolution has been rescinded and the money will instead be directed to the Reserve Fund. While the RDEK will no longer be able to call itself carbon neutral for 2012, it is hoped that the creation of the new fund will help advance more local energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction projects in the future.

• There will be a new fee this year for commuter vehicles parking at the Yaqakxaqlamki Boat Launch (in the Koocanusa area). The RDEK has amended the Bylaw to include a $5.00/day parking fee for commuter vehicles. This new fee will be implemented this season and will be in addition to the current $10/day fee for vehicles launching boats. Commuter vehicles are classified as those vehicles carrying passengers (but no boats).

• The Board has approved $9167 in Community Works Funds for the Wasa Lions Club. The funds will be used to repair the Wasa Lions Trail that was damaged during the flooding last summer.

• The RDEK will submit a Category One application for $467,330 in funding from the Flood Protection Program to reconstruct the Fairmont Creek channel through the golf course, improve the inlet into the golf course pond, increase the channel capacity through Marble Canyon and install signage. In addition, a Category Two application for $30,000 in funding will be submitted to remove silt and gravel from the Glencairn Creek/Dam reservoir.