Klinaklini River

Public Meetings: Port Hardy June 02, Gold River June 03, Alert Bay June 04

admin — Sat, 31 May 2008 19:00:14 +0000

The BC Creek Protection Society is hosting three seminars on Vancouver Island. The purpose of the meetings is to raise awareness about proposed hydropower development on Vancouver Island and the Coast Range (including Bute Inlet and the Klinaklini: http://www.klinaklini.info). We hope to learn from and discuss with affected First Nations groups potential positive and negative impacts. BC CPS can offer independent insight on current knowledge about ecological impacts and the environmental assessment process. June 2nd Port Hardy 6:30-8:30 PM, Civic Center June 3rd Gold River 6:30- 8:30PM, The Ridge Pub June 4th Alert Bay 6:00-8:00PM, ICNRC

RIVERS AT RISK: Campbell River Open House, May 24

petrad — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:16:19 +0000

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

Public invited to comment: Klinaklini Canadian Environmental Assessment

admin — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:40:03 +0000

Please learn about the Canadian Environmental Assessment underway for the Klinaklini power project at: Klinaklini Hydroelectric project Canadian Environmental Assessment For more information also consult the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry From the above document: 7.3 Submission of Comments The Responsible Authorities expect to submit a report and recommendation to the Minister of the Environment early in 2008 on whether the environmental assessment should continue by means of a comprehensive study or be referred to a mediator or a review panel. The public is invited to provide comments at this scoping stage of the environmental assessment of the project on the following areas: • the proposed scope of the project (Section 6.1); • the factors proposed to be considered in the assessment (Section 6.2); • the proposed scope of those factors (Section 6.3); and • the ability of the comprehensive study to address issues relating to the project (Section 6.4). Persons wishing to submit comments may do so in writing to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Comments must be received by close of business June 26, 2008 sent to: Fisheries and Oceans Canada Oceans, Habitat and Enhancement Branch 200 – 401 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC V6C 3S4 Attention: Alasdair Beattie Facsimile: 604-666-7907 Electronic mail: Alasdair.Beattie@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Please be as detailed as possible and clearly reference the Klinaklini River Hydroelectric Project and the Registry File number 07-03-36321 on your submission. Please note that all documents and/or responses received regarding this project are considered public and will become part of the public registry. As stated above, if the Minister of the Environment determines that a comprehensive study will be conducted for the project, the public will be provided with further opportunities to participate. The public will also have opportunities to participate in the assessment should the project be referred to a mediator or a review panel.

Results of Chinook Salmon Assessment Studies Conducted on the Klinaklini River during 1997-2001 Indicate there is Little Knowledge of Migratory Fish Populations Present Upstream of the Proposed Diversion Site.

conorm — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:09:22 +0000

Mandated to do so as a result of the Pacific Salmon Treaty of 1985, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans began a program through which it intended to stop the decline in escapements to naturally-spawning chinook stocks and attain escapement goals in selected lower Strait of Georgia (Cowichan, Nanaimo, Squamish) and upper Strait of Georgia (Klinaklini, Kakweiken, Nimpkish, Wakeman, and Kingcome) indicator stocks. The Klinaklini River, identified as an indicator stock, received special attention due to its potential for large escapments of chinook and coho salmon. A temporary hatchery was established on the system shortly after the treaty was ratified, however for various reasons DFO dismantled the facility the following year. Renewed interest by DFO in 1997 resulted in a further and ongoing stock assessment study on the Klinaklini River system. These reports present the results of the four years of this study with objectives including:

Continued evaluation of the suitability of using a fishwheel to index the abundance and timing of chinook, coho, chum, pink and sockeye returns on the Klinaklini system
Estimation of the total escapement of chinook and coho to the river system
Collection of biological data for all salmonids, and
Recording environmental information.

The only information regarding possible fish distribution in the East Klinaklini was from the following paper: Nagtegaal, D.A., E.W. Carter, and D.C. Key. 1998. Results of the chinook assessment study conducted on the Klinaklini River during 1997. Can. Manuscr.Rep.Fish.Aquat.Sci. 2452: 59p On page 10 it has the following paragraph: “There were some indications that chinook may migrate through the East Klinaklini canyon and into the upper river but the tracking receiver could not decipher the tag number. The tracking receiver scans all tag frequencies and deciphers tag codes within each frequency. When the signal cannot be deciphered, due to either noise interference or multiple signal overlap, a signal code of “255″ is recorded. Towards the end of the study the remote tracking site on the East Klinaklini recorded several ‘255″ codes. Unfortunately we were unable to determine what the cause of the ‘255′ signals and whether they represented a tagged fish or simply noise interference.” The full length versions of these reports are available at: Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Library

Klinaklini, important oolichan run in BC

petrad — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:57:00 +0000

Oolichan Background and Native Cultural Importance Eulachon (also known as oolichan) belong to the family Osmeridae or smelts. Eulachons are small, short-lived, anadromous smelts that can be found from the southern Bering Sea to northern California, approximately in the area corresponding to the coastal temperate rain forest. Within BC, they have been documented spawning in 33 rivers, but may only use 14-15 on a sustained basis. Of these, the major river systems where eulachon return to spawn are the Fraser, Skeena, Nass, and Klinaklini. Eulachon oil is unique among fish oils in that it is a solid at room temperatures with the consistency of soft butter and a golden hue. As well as a source of fresh food, eulachon lipids may be extracted for ‘grease’ production. Eulachon grease continues to be an important part of the First Nations diet. The trails used to reach the traditional fisheries and to carry the rendered oil back for trade were known as the “grease trails”. For reasons unknown, eulachon abundance have shown a declining trend in many rivers throughout their distribution in recent years. There was a sudden drop in returns to several rivers in 1994, most notably in the Fraser and Columbia. Eulachon have virtually disappeared in California and in the last two years they have not been seen in several BC rivers. Rivers which experienced virtually no returns in 2000 were: Stikine, Unuk, Skeena, Kitimat, Kemano, Kitlope, Bella Coola, Kimsquit, Owikeeno, and Kingcome Rivers. Factors hypothesized to have detrimental effects on eulachon returns can be broken down into “in-river” and “marine” effects. In-river effects may include: habitat loss, pollution, directed fisheries, logging, and marine mammal predation. Marine effects may include: oceanographic changes due to global warming or other factors, bycatch from commercial fisheries, changes in food abundance or distribution, and predation.[1] Important points to consider about Oolichan in context of Run-of-River development 1. The Klinaklini is one of the most important Eulachon runs in B.C. 2. Eulachon are of inestimable and unsurpassed importance to coastal First Nations. 3. Eulachon are an important part of the ecology of the Klinaklini estuary, an estuary recognized as significant by B.C. Parks. In order to protect the value of a park like this ecological processes must be protected, and ecological inputs must be maintained. Anything that could potentially diminish (already seriously depressed) oolichan abundance must be restricted. 4. Native right to fish comes before commercial, or recreational. This right should also mean that any activity or development that could potentially cause negative impacts on eulachon abundance would be prevented. 5. Even though Eulachon abundance is low at present, important habitat must be preserved to allow potential for recovery. 6. In order to establish potential impacts to Eulachon from run-of-river projects, sufficient research is required prior to start of development. [2]

Kemano River BC, Gardener Canal, Haisla First Nations Fisherman

Photo by John Kelson

References 1. DFO, B.C. Parks 2. John Kelson, Conservation Biologist, Smithers, BC

Plutonic Power submits 914 MW Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:44:09 +0000

Plutonic Power submits 914 MW Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project into the Environmental Permitting Process

Management Planning for the Dzawadi/Klinaklini Estuary Conservancy

admin — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:32:12 +0000

Please provide your input at: Management Planning for the Dzawadi/Klinaklini Estuary Conservancy Details: “The Ministry of Environment, Environmental Stewardship Division, and the Da’naxda’xw-Awaetlatla First Nation are collaboratively developing a management plan for the Dzawadi/Klinaklini Estuary Conservancy. You are invited to help in preparing the management plan by providing your comments on the conservancy. The information you provide will be considered by the planning team to help prepare recommendations about the management of this conservancy over the next few years.”

Plutonic Power Adds Eleven Sites to Green Power Corridor

admin — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:41:04 +0000

Plutonic Power Announces the Addition of Eleven New Run-Of-River Sites to the Green Power Corridor Portfolio VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Mar 31, 2008 (Marketwire via COMTEX) - - Plutonic Power Corporation (TSX:PCC) is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed Stages 1 and 2 towards securing a Water License from the Water Stewardship Division (Ministry of the Environment) and Crown Land rights from the Integrated Land Management Bureau (Ministry of Agriculture and Lands) for the development of eleven run-of-river non-storage hydroelectric power projects strategically located within the boundaries of Plutonic Power’s “Green Power Corridor”. These projects have a combined potential capacity to generate approximately 385 MW, and could be expected to generate an estimated 1230 GWh of green energy per year; enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately 120,000 homes. By aggregating additional sites within the Green Power Corridor, Plutonic is working towards the optimization of transmission infrastructure currently under development, ensuring the smallest environmental footprint possible. “While not all of these projects may become viable, identifying and adding these eleven new potential sites to our project portfolio is indicative of the abundance of clean energy potential we are blessed with in the region,” said Donald McInnes, Vice-Chairman and CEO of Plutonic Power Corporation. “Like our other projects, these sites will be subject to ongoing hydrological and environmental studies, as well as First Nation and stakeholder consultation while working through the regulatory process to ensure the sites meet the needs of all British Columbians.” About Plutonic Power Corporation Plutonic Power’s vision is to provide leadership and create a legacy through the development of renewable, reliable, made-in-BC clean energy. Its proposed Green Power Corridor, comprised of 40 facilities, including the flagship $660 million, 196 MW East Toba River/Montrose Creek run-of-river project currently under construction, have the potential to generate enough energy to meet the annual needs of about 620,000 homes and create approximately 5,500 person years of employment. Once built, the Green Power Corridor could offset an estimated 4 million tons of CO2 emissions every year - the equivalent to taking as many as 650,000 vehicles off the road. Plutonic is committed to working in partnership with First Nations, stakeholder groups and local communities in the development of all its run-of-river projects. By developing its suite of projects, Plutonic Power will help British Columbia realize its goal of becoming electricity self-sufficient by 2016, meet demand utilizing 90% clean domestic generation sources and will play a significant role in the fight against climate change. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements - This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the business and anticipated financial performance of the Company. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward looking statements, oral or written, made by itself or on its behalf. SOURCE: Plutonic Power Corporation Plutonic Power Corporation Elisha Moreno (604) 669-4999 Email: elisha.moreno@plutonic.ca Website: www.plutonic.ca Copyright © 2008 Marketwire. All rights reserved.

Power Plans Threaten Coastal Forests

petrad — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:31:08 +0000

‘Integrity of the conservancies’ is paramount to Great Bear Rainforest agreement, Greenpeace says Larry Pynn, Vancouver Sun–Wednesday, December 19, 2007–It was all backslaps, smiles and handshakes when politicians, environmentalists, aboriginals and industry leaders gathered at a news conference in Vancouver in February 2006 to trumpet a landmark agreement for an area of the B.C. coast known as the Great Bear Rainforest. They talked of ending a decade of confrontation in the coastal forests, of finding a way to support the economies of aboriginal people, and especially of creating a new form of land protection — conservancies — that would ensure protection of the area’s rich biological diversity. That included everything from old-growth forests and salmon streams to the habitat of species such as grizzlies, white spirit bears and unique populations of coastal wolves. Not one person that day spoke of massive industrial-scale power projects that would alter the coastal wilderness landscape with hundreds of wind turbines and hundreds of kilometres of transmission lines. But less than two years after the announcement of the Great Bear Rainforest agreement, research by The Vancouver Sun shows those are precisely the sorts of developments being entertained for the much-touted conservancies. B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office is in the process of reviewing five industrial projects — one wind turbine and four run-of-the-river hydro developments — that in total would overlap three existing conservancy areas and four others soon to be designated. - North Coast Wind Energy Corp. (a subsidiary of Katabatic Power Corp.), 90 km south of Prince Rupert, 234 wind turbines generating 700 megawatts of energy (with an anticipated expansion to 3,000 megawatts in the coming years), overlapping the Banks Nii Luutiksm Conservancy, established in 2006, and the K’wall and Alty conservancies, established in 2007. - Primex Investments Ltd., 68-megawatt hydro, Nascall River, 55 km west of Bella Coola, overlapping the proposed Cascade-Sutslem Conservancy. - Kleana Power Corp. Ltd., 280-megawatt hydro, Klinaklini River, 150 km north of Campbell River, overlapping the proposed Upper Klinaklini Conservancy. - Kitamaat Renewable Energy Corp. (a partnership of the Haisla First Nation and Kleana Power principal Alexander Eunall), 15 and 30 megawatts, Crab and Europa creeks, 50 and 70 km south of Kitimat, overlapping the proposed Europa Conservancy. - Plutonic Power Corp., Europa Creek, 83 megawatts, 80 km southeast of Kitimat, overlapping the proposed Europa Conservancy. A fifth development by the City of Prince Rupert, still in the conceptual stage, would involve a power project on the Shawatlan River between Woodworth Lake and Shawatlan Lake, overlapping the proposed Tuck-Woodworth Conservancy. Do these projects fit the conservancy vision as publicly stated in February 2006? Quite the opposite, in fact. The province formally established 24 conservancies in July 2006 and another 41 in May 2007 spanning more than 706,000 hectares in total on the central and north coast. The province is still working on the final touches of another 48 conservancies totalling more than 590,000 hectares, due for completion in 2008. When the province announced the Great Bear Rainforest land-use agreement, it promised that commercial logging, mining and hydro-electric power generation would be banned in the conservancies aside from “low impact … local run-of-river projects” designed to provide power for nearby communities not on the power grid. Wind turbine projects were not even mentioned in the ensuing legislation creating the conservancies. So how have things changed? Ken Morrison, manager of the planning and land administration section in the B.C. Ministry of Environment, said Banks Island was identified as a potential wind farm site with natives prior to 2006. As for the commercial hydro projects, the province is investigating whether they might be permitted through changes to the boundaries of the proposed conservancies. He emphasized that any such projects must first be okayed through the environmental assessment process and then must meet the criteria of the conservancy legislation — and there are no guarantees of success. Under the 2006 Park (Conservancy Enabling) Amendment Act, conservancies are set aside to: protect biological diversity and natural environments; protect social, ceremonial and cultural uses of first nations; to protect recreational values, and to ensure sustainable use of natural resources. Joe Foy of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee said he is not reassured by the province’s Environmental Assessment Office, arguing it has never turned down a project and cannot be relied upon to do so now. (Of 159 projects reviewed by the environmental assessment process to date, none have been rejected. However, proponents have voluntarily withdrawn about 15 per cent of the total, due to the challenges of providing more information or the need for project redesign to meet environmental requirements.) Foy squarely blamed Premier Gordon Campbell for creating a “gold-rush” mentality among independent power producers in B.C. and for now allowing an end-run around the conservancy process. Foy urged the province to immediately put an end to such development applications. “This is a bit of a sideswipe by Premier Campbell, allowing the whole freakin’ province to get staked by these guys. This is a terrible policy — some say the worst to ever come by British Columbia.” Campbell did not agree to The Sun’s request for an interview. The developments have put certain environmental groups — Greenpeace, Sierra Club, Forest Ethics — that helped negotiate the agreement and stood beside Campbell in support of them in 2006 in a tricky position. “We’re monitoring the situation, letting officials know when we feel that the proposals are inconsistent with the conservancy legislation — that biodiversity be maintained,” Greenpeace forest campaigner Amanda Carr said. “The integrity of the conservancies is paramount to the Great Bear Rainforest agreement. Obviously, a massive wind farm or power lines . . . are not my vision of what a conservancy is.” And while Carr supports Campbell encouraging green power and “would be so proud to have the largest wind farm in the world” located in B.C., she feels there are clearly “better places to do it than in the middle of one of the protected areas of the Great Bear Rainforest.” Carr said she remains hopeful the 2006 agreement, which also provides for no logging in 33 per cent of the region, sustainable logging elsewhere, and assistance to create a conservation-based coastal economy for first nations, can still be held up as an ecological model. “Time will tell,” she added. “The coast is a complex place.” Clifford White, chief of the Gitxaala First Nation, said that nearby Banks Island was touted as a wind farm site prior to the B.C. government announcement in 2006 on the Great Bear Rainforest, and that his band is working in cooperation with North Coast Wind Energy-Katabatic on the proposal. But he noted that the 500 residents of his community are not entirely sold on the concept of hundreds of wind turbines. “We’re concerned with economic development, but more concerned about the environmental impacts,” he said. “There is a lot of work to be done.” Katabatic’s CEO, San Francisco-based Jonathan Raymond, argued that while wind farms represent a “large-scale industrial use,” they generally “don’t have a major footprint” compared with other forms of natural resource extraction. One of the biggest environmental concerns about wind farms in North America is the potential for the blades to kill birds and bats. Transmission lines associated with wind and hydro projects also pose a lethal threat to birds. The proposed Banks Island wind farm development would include about 100 km of transmission line. Raymond said he “doesn’t expect a significant impact to bird life,” but noted the environmental assessment process has only begun. “Any energy project will have an impact,” he said. “It’s up to us to go through the process and demonstrate we’re mitigating the impact as much as possible.” Communications officer Elisha Moreno — who recently switched employers, to Plutonic Power from BC Hydro — said the planned Europa Creek project would create almost 50 km of transmission line outside the conservancy. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services estimates power lines kill up to 174 million birds annually in America. Kleana Power president Alexander Eunall confirmed his project includes a “head pond” that would extend one to two kilometres into the Upper Klinaklini Conservancy. The pond would not be used to store water for hydro power per se, but to ensure that the water intake for the tunnels to the powerhouse remain under water and not exposed to the air. Eunall said he believes the head pond would be consistent with the conservancy because it would not create a water level higher than the river’s normal high-water mark. Lee Rennison, vice-president of Primex Investments Ltd., said up to one-quarter of the Nascall River project would be used to meet the power needs of the communities of Bella Coola and Anahim Lake, in part replacing dirty diesel generators, while the rest would be sold through the BC Hydro power grid. Rennison said the run-of-the-river project and less than 10 per cent of the 126 km of transmission lines associated with the development would pass through the proposed Cascade-Sutslem Conservancy. lpynn@png.canwest.com © The Vancouver Sun 2007