The Wilderness Committee was represented in the first two meetings of the BC Utilities Commission inquiry into long-term transmission development on June 17th and 24th.

You may wonder why an inquiry into electricity transmission needs to consider coal mining, but the inquiry is required to consider the Highway 37 transmission line proposal. This proposed power line is specifically designed to bring subsidized ‘green’ electricity to new mines, including the proposed Mt. Klappan open pit coal mine in the headwaters of BC’s Great Northern Salmon Rivers. This area is also known as the Sacred Headwaters. If built, this proposed power line would facilitate both coal mining and coal bed methane extraction, posing a major threat to several major wild salmon runs.

Burning the Mount Klappan coal could also add 10.5 million tonnes greenhouse gases to the atmosphere every year - almost one-sixth of British Columbia's total emissions. So called ‘green’ power used to subsidize coal mining is not really green, and the Wilderness Committee will continue pushing to have this reconized.

The Wilderness Committee’s submission to the inquiry covers several other important points and is available here.

Eric Doherty, Wilderness Committee Campaign Assistant