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Vol. 89 Issue 47 • Wednesday, November 21, 2012 • www.arrowlakesnews.com • 250-265-3823 • $1.25 •
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FWCP restructuring meets with mixed reactions Claire paradis Arrow Lakes News
After meeting with stakeholders throughout the Basin region, the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program now has a new board and a new delivery model, but not everyone is excited by the news. The new FWCP board, made up of three public representatives nominated by the BC Wildlife Federation as well as two reps each from BC Hydro and the Province (and at least one from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans), met with groups throughout the Basin area over the spring and summer. “We spent a lot of time consulting with stakeholder groups,” said Rick Morley, public rep-
resentative for the West Kootenay region. Morley has a long history with the FWCP: he was part of the group that set up the program back in 1994. He is hoping the change in title and structure from a steering committee to a board will reflect a greater independence for the FWCP. But not all stakeholders were interested enough to take part in the meetings. When the call went out announcing a June meeting in New Denver, no one from the Nakusp Rod and Gun Club bothered going. Members Eric Williams and Hank Scown put the lack of enthusiasm down to a history of inaction by the FWCP. “There are so many meetings, and they just go round and
round,” said Williams, whose words reflect a disenchantment with the program. Scown echoed Williams, saying that since the biologists were laid off last fall, he didn’t feel all that hopeful about the FWCP. Morley, on the other hand, is hoping that the changes will mean more regional involvement, not less. “The thrust of a lot of the changes we’re making is that we will have a much more independent organization that’s much more regionally focused than the past steering committee,” said Morley about the recent organizational changes. There is still a lot more work to be done as far as how the programs are delivered, he told the Arrow Lakes News, but the
The FWCP now has a new board, but it might not be enough to bring some people back to the table. Photo courtesy of FWCP
board will have more say as far as who is hired and fired. The rep was also clear that the compensation program is not optional, but something that Hydro is mandated to fund. “BC Hydro is required by a clause in their water See FWCP page 5
TransAlta drops Incomappleux IPP project Aaron Orlando Black Press
Regional environmental groups are celebrating after TransAlta Corporation announced Nov. 14 that they are dropping plans to build a 45-megawatt river power project in the Incomappleux Valley. TransAlta spokesperson Stacey Hatcher confirmed for the Revelstoke Times Review that TransAlta notified B.C. government regulators on Nov. 14 that they were withdrawing their investigative and water licence applications for their independent power producer (IPP) proj-
ect. The plan to build a 45-megawatt power plant and 75 kilometres of transmission line down the valley to Beaton drew opposition from a spectrum of environmental groups in the region, including the West Kootenay EcoSociety, Valhalla Wilderness Society and the Revelstoke-based North Columbia Environmental Society. They cited the unique environmental and ecological values of the low-level, inland, old growth rainforest in the Incomappleux Valley. Hatcher told the Times Review the decision to cancel was based on a number of
factors. The Calgary-based energy company inherited the project through a takeover, then found it was not viable. Hatcher said it was due to, “a whole bunch of different reasons, some of them geotechnical in nature. We balanced a lot of the economic and environmental research [with] stakeholder concerns. “Obviously we’d heard from some stakeholders with regards to the project. It’s a whole balance for us, to make sure that when we look at operating somewhere that we’re doing that in the best interests of all concerned.” She emphasized the studies
done by TransAlta were all “desktop” and no physical work had been done on the site. “We had an awareness that this was a piece of land that was very special to a lot of people,” Hatcher added. West Kootenay EcoSociety executive director David Reid welcomed the news. He said his organization and its members sent dozens of letters and submissions opposing the project to TransAlta and provincial regulators. “We realize that some of these companies that are coming in from Calgary may not realize the depth of feeling that people in our region
have about these last remaining resources of old growth,” Reid said. “We wanted to let them know, essentially, what they were walking into.” “I think the message from the public got through,” he told the Times Review, saying the proposal was “completely out of the question” from the outset. Reid noted the Incomappleux has limited protection at this point and said his group continues to support the Valhalla Wilderness Society’s plans for a caribou park in the area. The current old growth protection is policy-based and See IPP page 6
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