MAY 24 - RIVERS AT RISK: RAFE MAIR COMES TO THE SALMON CAPITAL OF THE WORLD TO DISCUSS WITH PUBLIC AND FIRST NATIONS THE THREATS OF PRIVATE RIVER POWER TO THREE MAJOR LOCAL WATERSHEDS

Public Meeting May 24, 2008 – Carihi Secondary, 6-9 PM: BC Creek Protection Society, COPE378, Western Canada Wilderness Committee and Save Our Rivers Society with spokesperson Rafe Mair, former BC Environment Minister and member of the Canadian Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame, are coming to Campbell River to raise awareness with the public and local First Nations about three of the largest proposed private river power projects in BC: Plutonic Power’s projects in nearby Toba inlet and multiple proposed projects in Bute Inlet; and Kleana Energy’s proposed project on the Klinaklini River feeding into nearby Knight inlet—which would be by far the largest “run of river” private power project in BC. The meeting will also include presentations from the Western Canada Wilderness Committee’s Joe Foy, COPE 378’s “Take Back the Power” campaign, the BC Creek Protection Society, and local First Nations. Invitations are being extended to the private power promoters as well. The meeting will run from 6-9 PM at the Carihi Secondary gymnasium, with presentations, followed by public comment/questions and panel discussion. The public is welcome beforehand from 5-6 PM for refreshments and an opportunity to meet and greet our panelists and pick up information materials.

Panelists will present information about the BC government’s plans to privatize our public power systems—specifically through “run of river” power, which has seen hundreds of BC’s rivers and streams put into private hands. Not only does private river power—with its exorbitant costs that are already pushing up electricity rates for consumers and cutting into the public profits of BC’s last profitable crown corporation, BC Hydro—it is far from the “green” power the population is told about by its government. A single project requires hundreds, even thousands of hectares of deforestation to build access roads, pipes that divert up to 90% of a river’s flow for kilometers, powerhouses and transmission lines. Furthermore, our government is giving away our most valuable natural assets for mitigating and adapting to climate change: BC’s magnificent watersheds.

All three of these projects—or collections of projects—pose a serious threat to coastal fish and wildlife, as well as the supernatural watersheds of Knight, Bute and Toba Inlets.

For more information: BC Creek Protection Society, Save Our Rivers - 604.780.2544