Wilderness Committee releases: BC Rivers at Risk

The Western Canada Wilderness Committee recently released a report entitled: BC Rivers at Risk (the successor to Power Grab, an earlier publication). This report  explains how the BC government, through its 2002 BC Energy Plan, prohibitted its own profitable Crown utility from producing new sources of electricity, then directed BC Hydro to meet future electricity needs by purchasing from private power producers. Since then, there has been a phenomenal 1140 percent increase in applications for proposed private power projects in BC. The paper highlights two large and extremely unpopular proposed projects: Bute Inlet (north of Powell River) and Glacier/Howser (in the West Kootenays). It also exposes the government's recent admission that this private power intended for export, rather than to meet domestic electricity requirements. The newsletter also shows how we can do green power right: in a way that respects local communities, promotes conservation, fights against climate change, has real environmental oversight and benefits the public--not just corporations.

Download BC Rivers at Risk