For Immediate Release - Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Another big crowd turns out in opposition to power line in park

Mission, BC – A public meeting held last night in Mission turned out almost 300 people opposed to a private power development in the Upper Pitt River Watershed. The power development, proposed by Northwest Cascade Power Ltd., would see seven power projects in the Upper Pitt and a transmission line bisecting adjacent Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. The event was co-hosted by Northwest Cascade Power Ltd., and the BC Ministry of Environment.

“Last night hundreds of people came out to this meeting,” said Gwen Barlee, policy director with the Wilderness Committee. “Almost everyone in the room was opposed to the development. People dont want to see our salmon streams and parks sacrificed for the financial gain of a private power corporation.” The meeting in Mission was slated to run from 4:00 to 9:00 PM, but ran over an hour late because of the long line of people waiting to speak at the microphone.

The open house followed on the heels of a raucous public meeting held last Thursday in Pitt Meadows, which saw the local fire marshal shut down the event due to massive overcrowding. The proponents have promised that the Pitt Meadows meeting will be rescheduled due to public demand.

“The cross section of people in the room was amazing. There were hunters, fishers, loggers, children and grandparents all united in opposition to a project that the BC government is trying to shove down our throats,” commented Barlee. “I find it amazing that Barry Penner, our Minister of the Environment hasnt come to any of the three public meetings that have been held. Either he doesnt care or he is afraid of the heat.”

Public concern over private hydro projects has grown since 2002 when the BC government announced a new energy plan that forbade BC Hydro from producing new sources of hydroelectricity that would compete with private power producers. This directive led to a gold rush by the private sector to stake rivers and creeks for power production. Since 2001, over 60 water licenses have been granted for private hydro projects, and 433 additional applications are pending.

Situated in the heart of Katzie First Nation territory, the Upper Pitt River Valley supports the largest remaining wild coho salmon population in the lower Fraser and has a unique race of sockeye. It provides habitat for all species of Pacific salmon plus steelhead, cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden and the largest population of bull trout remaining in the lower mainland. The Upper Pitt River Valley also attracts grizzly bears, wolves, elk, marbled murrelets, wolverine and mountain goats.

The Wilderness Committee is calling for hydropower to be publicly owned, regionally planned, and environmentally appropriate. The private power project being proposed for the Upper Pitt River Valley fails on all three counts.

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