http://www.bc-creeks.org To protect free flowing natural watercourses of Canada as part of ecologically unique systems of societal significance. Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:35:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 en http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/hydroelectric-development-impacts-and-the-kayaking-community/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/hydroelectric-development-impacts-and-the-kayaking-community/#comments Thu, 18 Nov 2010 03:06:13 +0000 jakubd http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/hydroelectric-development-impacts-and-the-kayaking-community/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/hydroelectric-development-impacts-and-the-kayaking-community/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/rivers-at-risk-meeting-in-nelson-tue-june-1-2010/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/rivers-at-risk-meeting-in-nelson-tue-june-1-2010/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 22:24:54 +0000 bc-creeks http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/rivers-at-risk-meeting-in-nelson-tue-june-1-2010/ Glacier-Howser project was put on pause by the Environmental Assessment Office last year. AXOR has been collecting data and information over the past year and is expected to resubmit their application in the coming months. This means Glacier and Howser creeks are still at risk. In one week, on Tuesday June 1, the EcoSociety, in partnership with the Wilderness Committee will be hosting a ‘Rivers at Risk’ event entitled ‘Saving Kootenays Rivers from a Power Gold Rush’. Speakers include Rex Wyler, co-founder of Greenpeace and spokesperson from B.C. Citizens for Public Power, Gwen Barlee and Joe Foy from the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, Gary Diers, an organic farmer who lives near Glacier and Howser Creeks, and myself, as the EcoSociety representative. Together the speakers will cover the big picture of power and sustainability, the recent history of power development in B.C. including the impacts of the Clean Energy Act which was released in April, a look at power in the Kootenay region, including an update on Glacier-Howser, and how residents can respond effectively to projects that put Kootenay rivers at risk. The event is set up so each speaker will present for about 10-15 minutes, some with films or slide shows, and the event will follow with a panel. I know I don’t need to highlight to you the significance of the discussion around IPPs and run-of-river projects in the Kootenays. However, this is a critical time for the future of energy development in the West Kootenays, and this event will work to keep the public informed and updated. If you can make it: Tuesday June 1 at 7 pm at Capitol Theatre (241 Victoria, Nelson) Admission is by donation to cover the event costs. Raelynn Gibson Climate and Conservation Coordinator West Kootenay EcoSociety 250-354-1909 Speakers Bios Rex Weyler, Communications and Research Support, BC Citizens for Public Power Rex Weyler is a passionate advocate for the protection of B.C.’s wilderness, wildlife, and public power. He is a co-founder of Greenpeace International and author of nine books, including Greenpeace: The Inside Story. In 2005, he received a Social Justice Award from the Urban Environmental Policy Center in Los Angeles recognizing his lifetime achievements. Gwen Barlee, Policy Director, Wilderness Committee Gwen Barlee’s diverse education and experience includes social work, film production, and web development, and she is a past executive team member of the Victoria chapter of the Council of Canadians. For the last several years she has focused on protecting B.C.’s rivers from private power development. Joe Foy, Campaign Director, Wilderness Committee Joe Foy has been the driving force behind many of the Wilderness Committee’s campaigns to successfully protect spectacular areas, including the Elaho Valley, Boise/Pinecone-Burke, and the Stein, Carmanah and Lower Walbran Valleys. His passion for the wild shines through in his speeches. Gary Diers, Organic farmer, Argenta Gary has lived in Argenta for over 30 years. He is an avid hiker and photographer of the spectacular wild areas of the Kootenays. He lives near Glacier and Howser Creeks and has been active in the campaign to protect them since the beginning. He has been active in the environmental movement and is incredibly familiar with the wilderness of the Kootenays. ]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/rivers-at-risk-meeting-in-nelson-tue-june-1-2010/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/a-review-of-environmental-regulation-of-run-of-river-power-projects-in-british-columbia/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/a-review-of-environmental-regulation-of-run-of-river-power-projects-in-british-columbia/#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:25:58 +0000 PetraD http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/a-review-of-environmental-regulation-of-run-of-river-power-projects-in-british-columbia/ here. ]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/a-review-of-environmental-regulation-of-run-of-river-power-projects-in-british-columbia/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/environmental-groups-recommend-new-approaches-to-clean-electricity-in-bc/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/environmental-groups-recommend-new-approaches-to-clean-electricity-in-bc/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:46:38 +0000 bc-creeks http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/environmental-groups-recommend-new-approaches-to-clean-electricity-in-bc/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/environmental-groups-recommend-new-approaches-to-clean-electricity-in-bc/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/urgent-take-action-now-for-bc-rivers/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/urgent-take-action-now-for-bc-rivers/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:41:34 +0000 bc-creeks http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/urgent-take-action-now-for-bc-rivers/ Urgent: Take Action Now for BC Rivers At the power producers’ industry convention in November, BC Premier Gordon Campbell announced four ‘Green Energy Advisory Task Force’ groups and a mid-January deadline for their recommendations about nearly everything related to energy in BC. Task Force members are hand-picked: some are high-profile individuals with little experience, many have ties to energy industry profits, and most support existing government policies. The Task Force quietly offered just 4 weeks for public comments – until December 31, 2009. It is time to tell the Liberal government their methods are insincere and autocratic. Energy issues are some of the most critical questions facing BC and we need real opportunities for public participation. We need an energy-planning process that’s transparent and accountable – not what’s happening now! Write to the BC Government today. Your message can be very short: This process is a sham. Our rivers are precious and irreplaceable and they are BC’s last great resource. If all the 800 BC rivers now staked for private development are diverted to produce electricity at full capacity, our carbon offset would be less than 8% – with unimaginable environmental costs. Its time to stop and rethink what’s truly ‘green’! Send your email to

• BC Premier Gordon Campbell: premier@gov.bc.ca
• Minister of Energy Mines & Petroleum Resources, Blair Lekstrom: blair.lekstrom@gov.bc.ca
• Minister of Environment, Barry Penner: barry.penner@gov.bc.ca

Copy your email to the task force groups:

• ProcurementAndRegulatoryReform@gmail.com
• CarbonAndExportMarket@gmail.com
• CommunityAndFirstNations@gmail.com
• ResourceDevelopmentTF@gmail.com

WRITE YOUR LETTER TODAY! FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO YOUR FRIENDS: WE NEED MANY VOICES SPEAKING LOUD! You can also say more - best in your own words.

• Request province-wide town hall meetings and more time for public submissions.
• Demand return of community and citizen rights:
  • Repeal Bill 30 that silenced our local governments’ voice in private power projects.
  • Heed the report of our independent regulator, BC Utilities Commission, which ruled private river power is unnecessary, too expensive, and not in the public interest.
• Ask for a moratorium on river diversions until we have inclusive and comprehensive planning.
• Insist on energy conservation before energy production.
• Put the public good ahead of corporate profits.
• Design incentives and infrastructures to encourage conservation.
• End your letter with a question that requires a real answer.

FYI More info: http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Premier+Campbell+announces+sweeping+energy+policy+review/2173927/story.html http://www.straight.com/article-273776/vancouver/energy-task-force-members-green-bc-liberal-party-coffers http://www.buteinlet.net]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/urgent-take-action-now-for-bc-rivers/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/dr-michael-mgonigle-climate-myopia-backing-into-the-future-lecture-on-youtube/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/dr-michael-mgonigle-climate-myopia-backing-into-the-future-lecture-on-youtube/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:34:04 +0000 bc-creeks http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/dr-michael-mgonigle-climate-myopia-backing-into-the-future-lecture-on-youtube/ Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 University of Victoria, October 29th 2009. Part of the BC Creek Protection Society’s lecture series on environment and energy. For good reasons, climate change dominates the current headlines and presents itself as a difficult problem to solve within the framework of growth-based economies. Without a larger vision, governments have long prevaricated in taking action. Now, they seek solutions through minor policy changes, supposedly renewable energy sources and futuristic technologies. Their goal is to fix the problem–and get back to business-as-usual. However, upon close examination this approach to climate change proves to be intrinsically unsustainable. Instead, governments are prone to an ever-growing global dependence on a consumptive economic machine that is running out of space and time. This economy is oblivious to its planetary context; resurrecting it is a dream of a world gone by, all the while forsaking an opportunity for re-invention that can easily slip away. Dr. M’Gonigle is the EcoResearch Professor in Environmental Law and Policy in the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria, one of the founders of Greenpeace International, EcoJustice, Smart Growth BC, the Dogwood Initiative, and the POLIS Project on Ecological Governance at UVic. He has written extensively in the areas of resource and environmental law and policy, and has been developing a new field of green legal theory.]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/dr-michael-mgonigle-climate-myopia-backing-into-the-future-lecture-on-youtube/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/a-force-to-fight-global-warming/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/a-force-to-fight-global-warming/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:37:34 +0000 bc-creeks http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/a-force-to-fight-global-warming/ A force to fight global warming]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/a-force-to-fight-global-warming/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/public-lecture-climate-myopia-backing-into-the-future-with-dr-michael-m%e2%80%99gonigle/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/public-lecture-climate-myopia-backing-into-the-future-with-dr-michael-m%e2%80%99gonigle/#comments Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:47:46 +0000 bc-creeks http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/public-lecture-climate-myopia-backing-into-the-future-with-dr-michael-m%e2%80%99gonigle/ BC Creek Protection Society presents GENERAL PUBLIC LECTURE David Lam Auditorium (MAC A144) 7:00 pm on Thursday, October 29th Light refreshments and snacks will be provided. Dr. Michael M’Gonigle, one of the founders of Greenpeace International, will be giving a lecture at the University of Victoria on October 29th as part of the BC Creek Protection Society’s lecture series on environment and energy, entitled: Climate Myopia: backing into the future? For good reasons, climate change dominates the current headlines and presents itself as a difficult problem to solve within the framework of growth-based economies. Without a larger vision, governments have long prevaricated in taking action. Now, they seek solutions through minor policy changes, supposedly “renewable” energy sources and futuristic technologies. Their goal is to “fix” the problem–and get back to business-as-usual. However, upon close examination this approach to climate change proves to be intrinsically unsustainable. Instead, governments are prone to an ever-growing global dependence on a consumptive economic machine that is running out of space and time. This economy is oblivious to its planetary context; resurrecting it is a dream of a world gone by, all the while forsaking an opportunity for re-invention that can easily slip away. Dr. M’Gonigle is the EcoResearch Professor in Environmental Law and Policy in the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria, one of the founders of Greenpeace International, EcoJustice, Smart Growth BC, the Dogwood Initiative, and the POLIS Project on Ecological Governance at UVic. He has written extensively in the areas of resource and environmental law and policy, and has been developing a new field of “green legal theory.” ]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/public-lecture-climate-myopia-backing-into-the-future-with-dr-michael-m%e2%80%99gonigle/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bc-rivers-day-event-postponed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bc-rivers-day-event-postponed/#comments Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:37:10 +0000 PetraD http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bc-rivers-day-event-postponed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bc-rivers-day-event-postponed/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/run-of-river-power-projects-breach-environment-regulations-documents/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/run-of-river-power-projects-breach-environment-regulations-documents/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 05:10:15 +0000 PetraD http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/run-of-river-power-projects-breach-environment-regulations-documents/ CBC News, May 6 2009 Inspection reports and emails obtained by CBC News show B.C. government officials have raised concerns about environmental infractions during the construction of the rapidly growing number of run-of-river private power projects in the province. In one email obtained by CBC News, a forestry official involved wrote, “I am becoming increasingly nervous about the lack of attention to the projects.” (more…)]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/run-of-river-power-projects-breach-environment-regulations-documents/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/does-a-carbon-tax-make-the-liberals-green-the-ndp-has-let-the-government-off-the-hook-on-its-sorry-record/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/does-a-carbon-tax-make-the-liberals-green-the-ndp-has-let-the-government-off-the-hook-on-its-sorry-record/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 05:03:38 +0000 PetraD http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/does-a-carbon-tax-make-the-liberals-green-the-ndp-has-let-the-government-off-the-hook-on-its-sorry-record/ By Vicky Husband, Special to Times Colonist May 6, 2009 The New Democratic Party’s opposition to a carbon tax is a mistake. The result is that the NDP are pilloried as environmental dinosaurs, while the Liberals escape scrutiny for their own abysmal environmental record. Even on the climate-change file, the Liberal government’s record is decidedly mixed. Don’t forget that the Liberals have supported massive urban sprawl — a major source of B.C.’s greenhouse gas emissions. (more…)]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/does-a-carbon-tax-make-the-liberals-green-the-ndp-has-let-the-government-off-the-hook-on-its-sorry-record/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/rally-for-rivers-nanaimo-bc-april-4/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/rally-for-rivers-nanaimo-bc-april-4/#comments Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:58:03 +0000 PetraD http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/rally-for-rivers-nanaimo-bc-april-4/ http://buteinlet.net]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/rally-for-rivers-nanaimo-bc-april-4/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/nanaimo-public-meeting-river-awareness-march-31/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/nanaimo-public-meeting-river-awareness-march-31/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:39:10 +0000 PetraD http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/nanaimo-public-meeting-river-awareness-march-31/ Nanaimo PUBLIC MEETING: RIVER AWARENESS When: TUESDAY MARCH 31, 7:00 PM Where: The Nanaimo Aquatic Centre, 741-3rd St For Directions Click Here BC rivers are threatened by unprecedented rapid industrial development in remote areas. In the name of “green energy”, numerous proposed hydroelectric projects would divert hundreds of kilometers of rivers from their natural riverbeds and build a vast network of new powerlines to connect remote wilderness areas to the grid. The environmental and social impacts are unknown but may be severe given the size and cumulative effects of such development. The BC Creek Protection Society and special guest speakers will present and discuss the potential impacts of hydropower development in British Columbia at a public meeting on Tuesday, March 31 in Nanaimo. Guest Speakers: John Calvert, Associate Professor , SFU (author of Liquid Gold) Gwen Barlee, Western Canada Wilderness Committee Tanis Douglas, Watershed Watch Salmon Society The presentations will be aimed at educating the public on proposed Independent Power Projects in British Columbia. These projects will be shown in a broader context of independent hydroelectric development occurring across the entire province. An invitation is extended to the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation, Snuneymuxw First Nation and any other interested parties. Everyone Welcome! 7:00-9:00 PM: Presentations, public Q & A Follow-up: Join Friends of Bute Inlet on the Rally supporting BC endangered Rivers - SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2:30pm, Nanaimo Convention Centre ]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/nanaimo-public-meeting-river-awareness-march-31/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/10-000-voices-for-bc-rivers-march-26th/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/10-000-voices-for-bc-rivers-march-26th/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 05:22:59 +0000 PetraD http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/10-000-voices-for-bc-rivers-march-26th/ http://www.tenthousandvoices.org/ ]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/10-000-voices-for-bc-rivers-march-26th/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/petition-please-help-protect-the-bute-inlet/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/petition-please-help-protect-the-bute-inlet/#comments Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:23:24 +0000 PetraD http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/petition-please-help-protect-the-bute-inlet/ Please take a moment and sign your name on the following PETITION For more information visit: http://www.buteinlet.net/ ]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/petition-please-help-protect-the-bute-inlet/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bc-south-coast-massive-river-diversion-development-pamphlet/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bc-south-coast-massive-river-diversion-development-pamphlet/#comments Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:13:32 +0000 PetraD http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bc-south-coast-massive-river-diversion-development-pamphlet/ BC South Coast Massive River Diversion Development ]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bc-south-coast-massive-river-diversion-development-pamphlet/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bute-inlet-open-houses-to-be-held-in-vancouver-and-victoria-by-conservation-groups/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bute-inlet-open-houses-to-be-held-in-vancouver-and-victoria-by-conservation-groups/#comments Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:44:32 +0000 PetraD http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bute-inlet-open-houses-to-be-held-in-vancouver-and-victoria-by-conservation-groups/ EVENT DETAILS: Vancouver Open House: February 10, 2009, UBC Robson Square Campus, Vancouver; Room C300, 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. with speakers starting at 7:30. Victoria Open House: February 11, 2009, University of Victoria, Victoria; Elliot Building Room 168, 7:00-9:30 p.m. The Vancouver meeting, which will precede a similar open house in Victoria on February 11, will include technical explanations of the project, high-profile guest speakers, and the opportunity to pose questions to an expert panel. For more information: The Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project Backgrounder]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bute-inlet-open-houses-to-be-held-in-vancouver-and-victoria-by-conservation-groups/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bute-inlet-project-open-houses-jan-28-jan-29-feb-02/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bute-inlet-project-open-houses-jan-28-jan-29-feb-02/#comments Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:43:56 +0000 bc-creeks http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bute-inlet-project-open-houses-jan-28-jan-29-feb-02/ Not to be missed: Public meetings on Bute Inlet energy project An energy mega-project is proposed for Bute Inlet by Plutonic Power Corp and General Electric. It includes 17 hydroelectric facilities, 85 km of penstock, other structures, 267 km of permanent roads and 443 km of high-voltage transmission lines between Bute Inlet and Earl’s Cove. The massive scale and long-term environmental impacts of this development proposal warrant the most thorough and transparent public and scientific scrutiny. The BC Environmental Assessment Office is holding public meetings to discuss the environmental review process, and for Plutonic to provide information about its development proposal. Public meetings are scheduled for Powell River on January 27 (4-8 pm, Town Centre) Sechelt on January 28 (4-8 pm, Sechelt Indian Band Hall) Campbell River: Monday February 2 (4-8 pm, Quinsam Hall.) High levels of attendance at these meetings, and written public comments are key to what happens next. The federal government may also refer the Bute Inlet project to a more thorough and comprehensive review and public hearings that are important to proper assessment of this mega-development. This is your opportunity to influence what happens to an important part of BC’s wilderness coast! Comments to the draft terms of reference, and requests for a federal panel review and public hearings will be received only until February 18. The draft terms of reference for the Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project can be downloaded from the BC Environmental Assessment Office, at: http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/epic/html/deploy/epic_project_home_316.html To find out more, please contact ButeInlet@gmail.com or phone 250-285-2846. ]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/bute-inlet-project-open-houses-jan-28-jan-29-feb-02/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/open-house-sechelt-tzoonie-river-narrows-inlet/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/open-house-sechelt-tzoonie-river-narrows-inlet/#comments Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:01:42 +0000 bc-creeks http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/open-house-sechelt-tzoonie-river-narrows-inlet/ EAO announcement The Stl’ixwim Hydro Corp. (previously Renewable Power Corp.) is proposing to build six interconnected run-of-river private hydroelectric facilities on streams that discharge into the Tzoonie River or Narrows Inlet northeast of Sechelt, B.C. The proposed project must be reviewed under BC and Canada’s Environmental Assessment Acts and obtain an environmental assessment certificate before any work begins. (Click here for more on the Environmental Assessment Acts and approval processes.) Prior to the application for this certificate, Stl’ixwim Hydro Corp. must provide the Environmental Assessment Office of British Columbia (EAO) with Terms of Reference, which outline the studies to be conducted and detailed information that will be provided with the application for the certificate. This is your opportunity to comment on the draft Terms of Reference. The EAO invites the public to an open house, to be held as follows: At: Seaside Centre – 5790 Teredo Street, Sechelt, B.C. On: December 10, 2008 From: 5:00 pm – 8:30 pm Stl’ixwim Hydro Corp will present the Terms of Reference and will be followed by a presentation by the EAO on its process. The public will have an opportunity to ask questions at 7:00 pm. This is an opportunity for citizens to voice concerns over privately operated run-of-river hydro projects. For more complete details, please see attached a PDF copy of the Open House and Invitation to Comment notification issued by the BC Environmental Assessment Office. If you cannot access the file, this information is also available at: http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca/ ATTACHMENT: EAO announcement]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/open-house-sechelt-tzoonie-river-narrows-inlet/feed/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/vancouver-sun-size-of-plutonic-proposal-raises-alarms/ http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/vancouver-sun-size-of-plutonic-proposal-raises-alarms/#comments Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:06:32 +0000 bc-creeks http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/vancouver-sun-size-of-plutonic-proposal-raises-alarms/ FULL ARTICLE]]> http://www.bc-creeks.org/index.php/vancouver-sun-size-of-plutonic-proposal-raises-alarms/feed/