Last week, I was in Metchosin when I heard the familiar echoes of explosions coming from the Royal 91原创 Navy鈥檚 demolition range on Bentinck Island.
Although I was about 10 kilometres away and inland, the explosions were loud and reverberating. The Race Rocks Ecological Reserve is a mere two-kilometre strip of water away from the navy鈥檚 range, and the explosions are undoubtedly amplified there.
It has been noted for years by the 91原创 Forces range safety inspectors that the Bentinck Island range does not meet the safety stand-off distances for a range of its type. It is also noted that the navy owns vast swaths of land nearby in less ecologically sensitive areas that could easily be used to meet the operational training requirement.
The naval leadership should explain why they continue to set off explosions in the immediate vicinity of a sensitive marine ecological reserve using a range that is not fit for the purpose when viable alternatives are readily available.
听
Allan James
Victoria
