Vanderhoof Omineca Express, February 25, 2015

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

First Nations support Eagle Spirit Energy Rebecca Watson Omineca Express

Photo by Rebecca Watson

REVERTED: Biologist Olin Albertson stands inside the newly-dug Murray Creek stream system and points at a large bolder, one of many new add-ons meant to enhance the waterway.

Murray Creek re-routed Rebecca Watson Omineca Express The diversion of Murray Creek means soon the stream will harbour a more fruitful riparian habitat. The Nechako Environmental Water Stewardship Society (NEWSS) started physical work of the Murray Creek Restoration Project (MCRP) last month with help from Avison Management Services, a Vanderhoof based consulting company.

Soon Murray Creek will no longer start at the culvert on Larson road and flow north west into the Nechako River, but will revert back to it’s historical channel heading south and south west, Olin Albertson said, biologist with Avison. “And to accommodate for extra flow [because of the mountain pine beetle] we’re going to overbuild it a little,” Albertson said. NEWSS started seven years ago with the idea of promoting water stewardship values in the Nechako Valley.

The MCRP was created to restore the stream back to a level where it would again support a vibrant fish population by reducing the erosion of farm land into the Nechako River. NEWSS initially had a modest budget of $30,000 with more than $17,000 coming from within the BC Cattleman’s Associations Farmland - Riparian Interface Stewardship Program (FRISP). Continued on page 2

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Eagle Spirit Energy (ESE) has caught the attention of some northern First Nation Chiefs as an alternative to Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline. At a conference in Calgary on Feb. 11, the oil company received declarations of support from three First Nations including Chief Archie Patrick of the Stellat’en First Nation near Fraser Lake, Chief Dan George of the Ts’il Kaz Koh First Nation (Burns Lake Band) and two Gitxsan Hereditary Chief’s: Larry Marsden, Head Chief on behalf of the Gitsegukla Hereditary Chiefs, and Art Mathews, head chief on behalf of the Gitwangak Hereditary Chiefs. “They’re planning on turning the bitumen (oil) into a synthetic (lighter) crude that is relatively safer to transport in the pipeline because, if there is a spill, it will float on the water and can be cleaned up rather than [Enbridge’s] bitumen, which can sink and is virtually impossible to clean,” Chief Patrick said in a phone interview. “If push comes to shove we will support Eagle Spirit rather than Enbridge.” Besides the difference in product, many First Nation chiefs say the reason for backing ESE is because of how they were approached, along with potential equity in the $14 billion to $16 billion project. First Nations are being promised full partnership in the project, but Chief Patrick still describes his support as conditional. “We want to make sure the environment is taken care of safely. Enbridge has gone through the environmental assessment and have been given conditions which they are working on and [I expect] will soon go to the government and say they’ve met them. ESE has decided to deal with the native component first and once we’re [fully] on board… then they will have the social licence to go ahead. Continued on page 3


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