Submitter: Priscilla Judd

Community: Lumby

Date Submitted: November 28, 2023

Summary:

Sewage in Lumby is seeping into the Bessette Creek where wild sockeye, chinook, and endangered coho spawn. The commission should consider the recent legal action against fish farmers in Puget Sound, in which the Washington State Assistant Attorney General showed that technology capable of processing salmon fecal matter exists. This technology, particularly Dr. Ron Lavigne’s vegetated sand bed system, should be considered for B.C.

Submission:

Sewage in Lumby is seeping into the Bessette where wild sockeye spawn and chinook and endangered coho.



So I have been in contact with Dr.Ron Lavigne, President of New England Waste systems www.newswet.com – He has created a primary system to clean up sewage with an underground wetland system. I left the Commission a NEWS brochure in Kamloops.



I asked Dr Ron Lavigne if he could tell me about a legal action against fish farmers in Puget sound. It turns out it was his son the Assistnt Attorney General for the ecology in Washington state.

This was his reply:



“Regarding the fish pen farming in Pugent Sound, yes, Ron jr managed that problem legally for the Washington Department of Ecology. I have a huge report, too big to copy, but I’ll try to get something more condensed.



…My recollection, however, I think is pretty clear. The “farmers” argued that there was no technology to deal with the salmon feces, Ron Jr. argued in court that in fact there was. In the fiords of Scandinavia they put a big “diaper” under the net or pens and then pump the settling solids to the shore where they irrigate kelp beds to produce cattle food.



I provided Ron Jr. with a floating VSB alternative where a platform around the bed (like a walkway) would support a VSB. We recently prepared a similar solution to a Buenos Aires developer who wants to build floating houses in the delta area of the rio de la Plata.



The judge ruled in favor of Ron Jr’s argument, so the farmers had two choices:

1) Catch and treat the fecal matter or 2) Move the fish pens to deeper waters. I think the farmers opted for alternative #2, but I’ll check.”



I haven’t heard more from Dr.Lavigne who is in South America cleaning up sewage right now. You can read Dr.Lavigne’s resume at my website http://theXpress.ca



It might be wise for the Cohen Commission to look at this legal case and you can contact him at his website. I will let you know when I hear more. After all we want the wild fish to be separated from the fish farms and Dr.Lavigne’s vegitated sand bed would do that and release clean water.

Thank you

Priscilla Judd

Thank you