Glacier/Howser Fight Continues at Nelson Meeting
By Contributor
CASTLEGAR— Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy says the community members that attended the Glacier-Howser meeting in Nelson were energized and inspired to continue the fight against the controversial private power project.
“This is just the beginning,” said Conroy. “The people of this region are ready to fight hard against Gordon Campbell’s plan to privatize our waterways and wilderness areas.”
The meeting, which was moderated by Conroy, and sponsored by New Democrat Michelle Mungall, featured New Democrat Energy Critic John Horgan, Save Our Rivers Spokesperson, Rafe Mair, The West Kootenay Eco-Society’s Lee-Ann Unger and Western Canadian Wilderness Committee National Campaign Director, Joe Foy.
“People are deeply concerned about the Campbell government’s flawed environmental assessment process,” said Conroy. “It seems more geared towards minimizing dissent and expediting projects than protecting the environment and respecting the values of communities.”
The controversial private power project would divert water from four creeks to create up to 125 megawatts of power. None of the water would be returned to creeks after it is extracted to produce power.
The company plans to cut through more than 75 kilometers of old growth forest in Howser and Horsethief Valleys to connect the project to the grid.
Carole James and the New Democrats are calling for a moratorium on new private power projects until the province has a plan in place that protects the environment and puts the public good above private profit.
Contact: Edena Brown 250-304-2783
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