VICTORIA (NEWS1130) – The BC and federal governments have approved an environmental assessment certificate for the Site C hydroelectric dam on the Peace River.

Environment Minister Mary Polak and Forests and Lands Minister Steven Thomson issued a joint statement saying that Site C is in the public interest and the benefits outweigh the risks.

A final investment decision must be made by the BC government by November.

BC Hydro must meet 77 conditions that include establishing a $20 million fund to compensate for lost agricultural lands and activities.

A joint panel review report released in May concluded that replacing a portion of the Peace River with an 83-kilometre long reservoir would cause significant adverse effects on fish, their habitat, and a number of other species, plants and sensitive eco systems.

However, the report also said that the province will need new energy and new capacity at some point and the dam would provide a large amount of inexpensive power, low in greenhouse gas emissions.

Joe Foy with the Western Wilderness Committee is a bit puzzled as to why this project is getting approval.

“The environmental assessment panel found it somewhat curious on how thin the case for Site C was. They didn’t see a reason to build this thing right now.”

He says he’s disappointed with the move, but isn’t sure the project will go ahead. “The provincial government still needs to decide if they’re willing to take the economic gamble, that needs to happen. First Nations have said they’d go to court over this.”

He says there is no evidence the electricity the dam would produce would ever be needed.

The dam will provided 1,100 megawatts of capacity and produce about 5,100 gigawatt hours of electricity each year.