BC Creek Protection Society

How Green is the British Columbia Energy Plan? The BC Creek Protection Society in association with the UVIC Kayak Club invites you to attend a free 1-hour public lecture critiquing the sustainability of the provincial Energy Plan, presented by noted economist Dr. Marvin Shaffer. (more…)

Who benefits from privatization? By Diana French - Williams Lake Tribune - October 23, 2007 Public or private. That is the question. The issue won’t go away. (more…)

A group of outdoor enthusiasts explored the Lower Howser Creek Canyon in the Kootenays near Kaslo BC on Saturday, Oct 13th, 2007. The group consisted of several kayakers and other people supporting and documenting on shore. (more…)

Tyee article: BC’s Hinterlands Are Opened Up for Business external link: http://thetyee.ca/News/2007/10/17/RiverPower/

This is a video that has several interesting interviews, especially with Gwen Barlee from the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, and sobering footage from the development on Ashlu Creek: http://youtube.com/watch?v=p48ra_657M4 (external link to YouTube)

Electric companies (external link to The Georgia Straight) NDP promises fall fight on run-of-river power (external link to The Georgia Straight) (more…)

FOR THIS YEARS (2008) EVENT CLICK HERE

Victoria BC Rivers Day hosted by BC Creek Protection Society

Join us to celebrate the 1st BC Rivers Day in Goldstream!

UPDATE - september 26

The event will take place rain or shine, there are large rain protected areas where we can still enjoy the day standing near a warm fire, sipping tea and listening to great music. Don’t forget to bring a mug.

Admission is free!

Please note: regular vehicle parking fees apply in the park, however, if you park by the highway there is no charge.

Where: Goldstream Provincial Park.
www.naturehouse.ca

When: Sunday, September 30, 11am-4pm

Directions: The park is located 16km northwest of Victoria on the Trans Canada Hwy #1
(more…)

Full Story:
The politics of power

Just how political are power lines in B.C.? (more…)

The public input period for the Klinaklini River starts today (Sep 17 2007) and will last until Oct 17 2007: http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca/epic/output/html/deploy/epic_document_289_24684.html The Klinaklini River is located at the head of Knight Inlet, 100 km east of Port McNeil. The Klinaklini is considered one of the Grat Canadian Rivers in a pristine wilderness setting of the Coastal Mountains around Mt. Waddington. The Klinaklini is one of the largest Rivers in the Coastal Range with a mean annual flow of 190 cubic meters per second. The proposed project is by far the biggest run-of-river project proposed so far. The project will have a peak output (during high flow at snowmelt) of 700 MW. The capacity (averaged over the year) is supposed to be 280 MW which puts the projects among the 10 biggest power projects in British Columbia. The tunnel for water diversion is proposed to be 10 m in diameter and 180 km of new transmission lines have to be build. It is difficult to grasp the scale of this development. Please take some time to learn about the project at: http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca/epic/output/html/deploy/epic_project_home_289.html Under “Document Index” you will find documents that detail the project. Public input is critical for proper management of our rivers and it is up to us to provide this input. If we don’t sit down and take some time to learn about and criticize the projects these great Canadian rivers will be irreversibly changed.

Book Cover (PDF download) Order Form (PDF download) From the Book Cover: Secure, reliable, and affordable electricity has been one of British Columbia’s most important competitive advantages and a key contributor to the province’s prosperity. (more…)

Municipal Matters: How the Provincial Government is Cutting Out Community Choice Date: Tuesday September 18, 2007 from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm Municipal Matters: How the Provincial Government is Cutting Out Community Choice Our provincial government has been eliminating the rights of municipalities to make community based decisions and taking democratic choice from our elected civic leaders. The provincial government has: * Signed TILMA (Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement) - no consultation, but overrules municipal authority * Ok’ed Run of the River projects- BC-wide privatized power production without public oversight * Changed to the Translink Board - now appointed not elected * Ignored Vancouver’s Housing Crisis - shrinking provincial funding for crucial support Hear experts talk about the changes in legislation and what we can do to have our voices heard and get this power back Heritage Hall 3102 Main St at E.15th Ave. Vancouver Tues, September 18, 7:30pm Free For more information contact the Council of Canadians, 604.688.8846 Co-sponsored by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Self-Sufficiency and Insurance: Exaggerating the Need for New Sources of Electricity Supply (PDF)

UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS
CHIEFS COUNCIL
WESTBANK, B.C.

Resolution no. 2007-31

RE: Private Water Power Licenses

WHEREAS the UBCIC is a political organization for Indigenous peoples in British Columbia founded in 1969, dedicated to promoting and supporting the efforts of Indigenous people to affirm and defend Aboriginal Title and Rights; (more…)

PRESS RELEASE
August 28, 2007

The proposed Glacier/Howser hydroelectric project in the West Kootenay region of BC continues to be quickly rammed through the environmental assessment review process. With only a 38 day public comment period in the peak of summer holiday season over 75 submissions have already been posted on the BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) website. (more…)

Full Press Release (PDF)

For Immediate Release: August 13, 2007

Two new reports help answer questions, raise others, on the sustainability of
run-of-river hydropower

Coquitlam, BC –Watershed Watch today released two reports that expose
weaknesses in how government and industry measure, monitor, and minimize the
impacts of “green” hydropower in British Columbia. (more…)

By RUSS FRANCIS

Aug 08 2007

$100,000 later, hydro project pullback raises questions

Just how green is hydroelectric power? As the B.C. government energetically pushes so-called “green power,” there is a widespread belief that hydroelectricity is as environmentally benign as planting a tree. A little water pushes turbines around. No waste products. No pollution. No impact.
(more…)

Rivers for Generations: Maple Ridge this Thursday, Aug 9th from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

We hope to continue to raise awareness for the about the threat to BC’s
rivers by private power developers, with an emphasis on RoR Inc’s danger
to the Upper Pitt. We will have a booth at the Maple Ridge Jazz and
Blues Festival (www.jazzblues.ca) on
Saturday, Aug 11th and want to make sure members of the community feel
the urgency of this issue. (more…)

Do you enjoy river activities such as swimming, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, fishing, camping…? BC rivers are the heart of many BC communities, supporting year-round recreational and economic activities. But our rivers are at risk! Currently, the government is in the process of awarding water licenses to private companies for over 500 BC Rivers. This could mean the building of hundreds of new power plants in watersheds throughout the province, without an adequate review of the environmental or community impacts. It will result in incalculable damage to wild and scenic rivers – through road building, habitat destruction, water-diversion and new transmission lines. This is not micro-hydro development, it is a province-wide mega-project.
One of the proposed power projects is for 8 tributaries of the Upper Pitt River which is part of the provincial Pinecone-Burke Park. The BC Creek Protection Society encourages young people to enter a coloring contest which will also serve as a petition. The drawing shows what Pinecone Burke Park would look like if the power project was built. This coloring contest is open until August 20 for children of ages 4 to 12 - please write your name, address and age in the box. Color in the drawing provided and on the backside draw or paint a picture showing why we need to protect rivers in BC. Please mail the pictures to 4145 Borden Street, Victoria BC, V8X 2G6. The best pictures will be awarded prizes by BC Creek Protection Society from MEC and Ocean River Sports. The drawings will be then sent to the Western Canada Wilderness Committee who will forward them with comments about how we need to protect our rivers to BC Parks Minister Penner. Adults can access the following website for more information http://publicpowerbc.ca/rivers-for-generations/

Colour Contest Sheet

PROTECT OUR SACRED WATERS. July 5, 6:30 to 9:30 at SFU Harbor Centre, 515 Hastings St.
We will have representatives from Muslim, christian, Hindi, Sikh & Indigenous peoples giving the “spiritual”
significance of water, from their perspectives. And, we will then have a panel of information
sharing from experienced peoples who have been researching this phenomenon of private
power replacing the public utility in BC. Our July 5 free event will bring together peoples
from different faith groups and Native & non-Native peoples (including environmentalists)
who are concerned about the acceleration of the process of privatizing our whole province!

Dear Supporters,

This week’s opportunity is for local residents to ask serious questions and voice opposition to the Glacier/Howser hydro project at the open house in Meadow Creek on Wednesday, June 27, 3-7pm. A contingent of opponents is gathering there at 4pm for a united stand against this project. Please join us!

For regional residents this is the week for pressuring the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) for you to be included in the process –beginning with an open house. People to phone at EAO include: Garry Alexander at 250-387-9675 and Steve McNaughton at 250-387-3209. (Remember to dial Enquiry BC 1-800-663-7867 for a free call).

The Terms of Reference (ToR) document just submitted by Axor has shocking information! Already this summer, before the formal environmental review even begins, seismic lines will be cut through the mountains and drilling operations conducted for a preliminary geological survey for the tunneling.

The proposed tunnels themselves have greatly increased in size from 3m x 3.5m to 4.5m x 4.5m. This indicates just how much water they plan to divert. No mention is made as to the shape of the tunnel or the cubic meters of waste rock muck produced but this increased tunnel size must bump up the volume to well over 50,000 tandem axle dump truck loads still to be dumped near the creeks and lake.

Little mention is made of the extensive and permanent forest destruction from the transmission line (which is now a 100 meter “forest mangement zone”), the 25 new roads and the seismic lines. The only report to be included as regards forests relates to “regionally significant” old growth. One would think that a “green” project would be concerned about the huge release of carbon from hundreds of hectares of forest removal, but the ToR does not address this issue. A complete carbon footprint study needs to be conducted for this project.

Impacts that need to be addressed range from Bull Trout to Grizzly Bears to Wolverines to the MacBeth Icefield Trail to noise pollution to forest destruction to waste rock muck pollution to cumulative impacts with Jumbo Glacier Resort to seismic lines and drilling to residents of Glacier Creek to East Creek to sustainability to the privatization of water and electricity production………

A press release has been sent out regionally and a B.C. wide press release will be issued soon.

Please attend the open house, submit comments and help protect our magnificent home!

Gary Diers, PAW 250-366-4455

Mark Angelo Presentation

Submitted by Hugh Hamilton
West Vancouver Streamkeeper Society
604-922-7828
hugheah@dowco.com
www.pskf.ca/angelo

West Vancouver Streamkeepers and North Shore Streamkeepers are hosting Mark Angelo, the well known conservationist, outdoor leader and writer who will give aphotographictrip titled Rivers of Home, a river tour of BC’s great rivers all the way down to Vancouver and the North Shore.

Please join us on Thursday May 31st. at St. Stephen’ s Anglican Church in West Vancouver. We have provided time for you to meet Mark Angelo in person, and enjoy light refreshments after the presentation.

The place and time are:
St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, 885 -22nd. Street, West Vancouver
Thursday May 31st., 7:30pm - 9:30pm
There is underground parking opposite the Church on Gordon Avenue, and off Marine Drive at the Aquatic Centre

Craig WIlliams put his Google Earth data base online at
IPP Watch

Globe and Mail article republished at workopolis.com:
Virtual view of power projects renders a jolting reality check

Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives press release:

BC Hydro customers in for big electricity bill surprise

PDF download

Burke Mountain Naturalists
P.O. Box 52540, R.P.O. Coquitlam Centre
Coquitlam, BC CANADA
V3B 7J4

• BMN Pitt River article
• BMN hydro handout

The Hydro Map was updated. It now contains a complete list of hydro licenses in BC. However it is still work in progress and information about projects is not complete.

Run-of-river hydroelectric projects and their construction have an enormous ecological footprint on some of our Province’s most environmentally sensitive areas, its free-flowing rivers and creeks. The BC CPS would like to ensure that British Columbia´s rivers and creeks are protected for generations to come.
Please consider signing our online petition that is hosted at an independent site (gopetition.com):

BC CPS petiton

We also encourage you to sign the printed version (where available) as the printed version is legally binding.

Learn about specific rivers that are at imminent risk:

Development in wilderness areas can be a threat to endagered species:

• River Ecosystem Threat

Dams and water diversion change the natural flow of rivers and creeks, altering the quality of aquatic habitat and possibly leading to species losses and possible ecosystem disturbances.

Some of the species that are in danger in current small scale hydro projects or may be in danger by potential hydro projects have been granted a special status by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). They include both blue and red listed species.

Blue listed species are not immediately threatened, but of concern because of specific characteristics that make them particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.

Red listed species have been legally designated as endangered, are extirpated or are candidates for such designation.

The following list of animals is threatened by current and future small scale hydro projects. This list is merely a fraction of species that could be at risk and does not include any insect or plant species, for example. Finally, deforestation as a result of these projects is also an issue.

Barn Swallow, Blue Listed

Bull Trout, Blue Listed

Green Heron, Blue Listed

Grizzly Bear, Blue Listed

Marbled Murrelet, Red Listed

Northern Goshawk, Red Listed

Red Legged Frog, Blue Listed

Roosevelt Elk, Blue Listed

Spotted Owl, Red Listed

Western Screech Owl, Blue Listed

White Sturgeon, Red Listed

Coastal Tailed Frog, Blue Listed

Here is a link to a preview for the documentary that Bryan Smith was working on:

49 Megawatts

It documents the building of the Ashlu power project against local consensus under Bill 30.

Purcell Alliance for Wilderness (PAW)
General Delivery
Argenta, B.C. V0G 1B0
(250) 366-4455

• Critique of the Proposed Glacier/Howser Hydroelectric Project
• Learn about Glacier/Howser opposition
• CBC: Hydroelectric proposal for B.C. Interior draws fire

• Rivers of Riches
• Plutonic joins the big players in electricity production

• 49 Megawatts a documentary by Bryan Smith
• Save Ashlu Creek

Globe and Mail article:

Green power? Don’t let a name fool you

Article in the Vancouver Sun:
Plutonic joins the big players in electricity production

This relates to the planned East Toba and Montrose 200 MW hydro project. It draws the typical image from an economic point of view.

Documenting the First-Descent of Vancouver Islands Memekay River, The Last Drop documentary looks at the role kayaking plays in the conservation of BC rivers. Although the Kayakers in the film are met with a little “adverse” weather, they find the Memekay to be an untouched eco-system with massive old-growth trees and spectacular canyons and scenery.
Presented to raise awareness of Dam issues in British Columbia, the Last Drop looks at the current state of hydro in BC, and contrasts the role of the Provincial Government in the implementation of those hydro projects with the Kayakers and their thoughts on “stewardship of the rivers.” (more…)

Critique of the Proposed Glacier/Howser Hydroelectric Project

The Valhalla Society just distributed these pamphlets at a climate change conference in Nelson:

YES to JUMBO WILD