Government documents show low environmental standards for Upper Harrison private power project

 FOI reveals damaged fish habitat, landslides, government employee concerns about “illegal logging”, “illegal bridge construction” amongst numerous enviro incidents at Cloudworks project

VANCOUVER, BC – Government documents received by the Wilderness Committee reveal a litany of environmental problems with a large private power project being constructed near Harrison Lake in British Columbia. The Freedom of Information request showed low environmental standards, repeated non-compliance with existing standards, and inadequate enforcement by BC government staff.

The FOI documents reveal:

• Cloudworks’ contractors “illegally went into and harvested wood, trespassed, and cut across a 50 m buffer around a wetland riparian zone that may contain hundreds of egg masses of a blue-listed species.”
•  Ministry of Environment concern. “Even more disturbing is the corporate mindset that either knowingly completed illegal works; or was not aware that agency approvals were required and notification to the various environmental monitors given.  Either way, the issue is very serious and deserves attention.”
•  Mounting concerns with landslides.  “We really must organize a ‘Kiewit road-construction-induced landslide pool’ . . . throw in a few dollars, pick a date, and see who wins . . . it’ll be more fun than a meat draw, and recent history suggests there will be no shortage of action.”
• Inadequate staffing levels for the Water Stewardship Division. “I would love it if WSD could do its job properly.  The best we are doing right now is running after fires.”
• “Additionally, ILMBC [Integrated Land Management Bureau] will be issuing a notice advising that these issues of non-compliance are in violation of their tenure agreement which requires them to comply with provincial and federal legislation. The DFO officer handling the fish kill file is . . .  [name removed].”
• “Clearing of Lamont penstock/road right of way occurred immediately adjacent to the river.  The Forest and Range Practices Act does not apply in this case . . . however, MOE strongly discourages cutting this close to the river, as riparian areas provide high quality habitat for many wildlife and species.”

“We repeatedly hear from Environment Minister Penner that private power projects are held to a rigorous set of rules and regulations to protect our rivers and environment,” said Gwen Barlee, policy director with the Wilderness Committee. “However, the BC government’s own documents prove that is not the case. Cutting to stream banks, logging in old-growth management areas, destroying endangered species’ habitat, damaging fish habitat, and exempting private power projects from basic environmental standards is simply inexcusable.”

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For more information please contact:
Gwen Barlee, WC Policy Director, 604-683-8220 (w) or 604-202-0322 (c)

FOI Documents available here.   

Photos and B-roll of Upper Harrison are available upon request.