BC Creek Protection Society

The Upper Pitt River, 40 kilometers from Vancouver, tops this year’s list of the most endangered rivers in British Columbia. (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/

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…)

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

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

Please read the CBC artical about the opposition to the Glacier Howser projects:
CBC article