Mountainside Quarries STOP work/blasting until the Peregrine Falcon Chicks leave the Nest!
Mountainside Quarries STOP work/blasting until the Peregrine Falcon Chicks leave the Nest!
Why this petition matters
Photo courtesy of The Abbotsford News- A pair of rare peregrine falcons have returned to their nesting site at an Abbotsford quarry, resulting in increased concerns from opponents about their safety. (PHOTO: #savebcfalcons Instagram page)
As reported on Global News today about this quarry unwilling to stop blasting even though there are rare peregrine falcons nesting only 50 meters away, has upset me to the core! I checked online and read the following article written by Vikki Hopes on May 13, 2021, in The Abbotsford News.
**Please join me in pressuring this company to do the right thing and postpone this disruptive work until the chicks are grown and leave the nest!**
She writes,
Concerns have escalated about a rare peregrine falcon nest at an Abbotsford quarry that is currently undergoing “emergency work” approved by the city.
An Instagram page titled “Save BC Falcons” says that a pair of peregrine falcons have returned to the site and are currently nesting there, just as blasting work is set to take place Thursday (May 13).
The page indicates that the birds returned to the quarry – located at 40251 Quadling Rd. in northeast Abbotsford at the base of Sumas Mountain – when operations stopped there for several days last week.
Mountainside Quarries is currently responsible for the site’s operation.
One of the permits to do the work at the quarry sets a 50-meter no-disturbance buffer around the nest, but opponents say that, although the blasting is set to occur within 100 metres of the nest, it will have an impact within the 50-meter zone.
“The blasting will disturb the nesting on the site and pressure waves from the blast will likely damage any eggs in all of the nests,” the Instagram post states.
“These peregrine falcons are just trying to live their lives and the quarry is making it impossible for them to live in peace.”
A spokesman with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) said Wednesday that Mountainside is permitted to do blasting outside of the 50-metre zone.
“FLNRORD representatives have required Mountainside to not blast within 100 metres, as per recommendations of their Qualified Environmental Professional, although this is not a requirement,” the spokesman said in an email to The Abbotsford News.
“FLNRORD has also notified Mountainside that they must take all necessary precautions to ensure that blasting outside the 50-metre buffer does not cause disturbance within the buffer (e.g., due to debris from blasting or movement of rocks from blasting vibrations).”
The current “emergency work” at the quarry was approved by the city and includes construction of an access road to complete required scaling and site stabilization."
*Again, please join me in pressuring this company to do the right thing and postpone this disruptive work until the chicks are grown and leave the nest.*