by Lesley Thorsell

I enjoy hiking, swimming and photography in our wild spaces. The Eldred Valley, an area I had always wanted to see, I decided to visit a few months ago. It was a surprise to be greeted by people in visi-vests and clipboards, to be followed up the road by large trucks, and to see on the roadside many cut trees, the entire way to the end of the road. Bulldozers moving the roots and debris were everywhere; massive pipes, and red tape with wildlife written on it strung across some trees. It was the furthest thing from that pretty picture of two people sitting in front of a waterfall (courtesy of Plutonic Power) that I have ever seen.

The same scenario is happening at Frieda Creek and Lake which, I understand, is our mayor’s favorite fishing hole.

As it sits right now, there are 119 water licenses approved and 545 applications for private water licenses in British Columbia. One project alone involves river diversion, dramatically reduced water flows, bridges, new roads, blasting, logging and toxic herbicide spraying to control growth under lines.

I am confused when reading the Premier’s B.C. Energy Plan. It says that 50% of B.C. Hydro’s incremental resource needs to come through conservation. Other sources would be bioenergy, geothermal, tidal, solar, wind and small run-of–river. From zero run-of-river projects to nearly 700? What are we going to do with all this excess energy?

The power production is at peak in the late spring and summer when our use for hydro is diminished, so what could we do with that power? The 1027-megawatt project for Bute Inlet is partnered with U.S. General Electric and would be connecting with the US/Canada power grid. Donald McInnes of Plutonic Power was quoted in The Tyee: “An export plan is an obvious way to go.”

This latest project involves 17 rivers that are to be temporarily dammed, each with a separate generating facility, 440 km. of power lines, 250 km. of roads and over 100 bridges. Is this what we want for B.C.? To have our power privately owned, to have all our rivers privately owned and to ignore the habitat devastation for endangered animals and 23 different species of fish including 5 species of salmon? Is this what First Nations Bands want as the legacy for their children? What about the numerous people who run eco tours in that area? They will be out of business! One guide who runs tours to Bute Inlet stood up at the local meeting last month and said that, if this project goes ahead, he will be out of business. He earns $4,000–$10,000 each tour. There are numerous people in his position.

No one seems to know the answer to the question: Would the rivers through the NAFTA agreement be a commodity that would be bid upon in the open market, as they are rivers with interrupted flow? Is this a risk we want to take?

Rafe Mair states that once an American company has access to our water, it can be used for any reason including selling bulk water exports.

Paradoxically, Gordon Campbell’s B.C. Environmental Leader document is a sweet bedtime story for familes to feel reassured that the environment is protected and their future is secure; yet it calls B.C.’s rivers and waterways the life blood of our environment, economy, communities and our health. The government document says it is tripling B.C. Living River’s trust fund to 21 million to support watershed protection and restoration projects.

Hello! Bute Inlet is a watershed! And you want to approve a mega-project from a mega-investor—General Electric?

As top biologist Dr. Gordon Hartman said, “There are multiple grave concerns about the ecological risks of the Campbell government’s private power gold rush.” Our fresh water is the future gold that we need to protect fiercely. Nearly 27 countries around the world already import their drinking water and fresh water is going to get even more scarce. I learned recently is that only 3% of the planet’s water is fresh and Canada is one of the few with that rich resource.

I support Eagle Walz in asking for a moratorium on this project until a LRMP (Land Use Management Plan) is in place for this wilderness. There are LRMP’s in almost all other areas in the province except here. If this project concerns you, let your voice be heard with letters to Gordon Campbell, MLA Nicolas Simons, Barry Penner the Minister of Environment, and our local council (who sent a letter of support of the Bute Inlet project).