News Release - January 22, 2014

BC government’s approval risks fish and wildlife

VANCOUVER – The Wilderness Committee expressed disappointment this week after the BC government issued an environmental assessment (EA) certificate for the controversial Narrows Inlet Hydro Project.

The proposed 33 MW independent power project (IPP) – located north of Sechelt, BC – consists of three run-of-river hydroelectric facilities to be operated by the proponent, Narrows Inlet Hydro Holding Corp. The project is problematic in that it is allowed to draw down Ramona Lake, an alpine lake, by as much as 45 metres to produce electricity.

In January 2013, the EAO suspended the project’s 180-day review due to a lack of information provided by the proponent and “show stoppers” that included impacts to grizzly bears and fish habitat.

“BC Hydro just cancelled ten IPP contracts and deferred another nine to lower costs for British Columbians,” said Gwen Barlee, Policy Director with the Wilderness Committee, “so why would they turn around and green-light this contentious project?”

The IPP industry has been beset by environmental non-compliance problems. Freedom of Information documents obtained by the Wilderness Committee revealed 749 instances of non-compliance at 16 operating IPPs in 2010, and numerous problems with projects operating in fish habitat.

“River diversion projects not only ruin wild rivers, they produce expensive surplus electricity that we don’t need,” said Barlee. “We need to keep wild rivers out of pipes and stop throwing good money after bad on these projects.”

In August 2013, the BC government cancelled 10 contracts with private power producers and deferred another nine to cut costs for ratepayers. Furthermore, California recently announced that BC river-diversion projects don’t meet state environmental standards, and confirmed that it will not purchase this power under its Renewables Portfolio Standard.

The Wilderness Committee is calling for an immediate moratorium on run-of-river IPPs in British Columbia, due to the considerable impacts these projects have on the environment and on the financial viability of BC Hydro.

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For more information, contact:

Gwen Barlee | Policy Director, Wilderness Committee
gwen@wildernesscommittee.org, (604) 202-0322
 

Photo: Narrows Inlet, BC (Ken McMillan)