Article by Michael M'Gonigle and Blake Anderson in The Tyee: Beyond the Carbon Tax

Excerpt: "Where will this demand take us? When will it end? What are the alternatives?

Letter to the editor by Aaron Hill of the Watershed Watch Salmon Society to the Terrace Standard: Dry up run of river gold rush 

Excerpts: "In fact, the BC government gutted the Environmental Assessment Act in 2002. Among many other things, they made only the largest hydro projects (over 50 megawatts) subject to the weakened Act. Fast forward to 2006, when the Squamish-Lilloet Regional District voted to turn down a 49-megawatt development proposal for the locally-treasured Ashlu River. The BC government reacted by proclaiming Bill 30 specifically to revoke the ability of local governments to apply zoning decisions to private power development. Soon the Ashlu will be running through a tunnel."

"Consider this question: Would you rather see 10 salmon-bearing waterways like Sedan Creek put into pipes, with all of the necessary roads and powerlines; or would you rather see a single diversion on a high-elevation hanging lake with no salmon that will provide 10x the power, and provide it year-round? Sorry, it doesn’t matter what you think, right now these kinds of questions are not being asked."

Article by Chris Genovali, Paul Paquet, and Misty MacDuffee of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation in the Victoria Times Colonist: Con: Water diversions will hurt environment

Excerpts: "The public subsidies flowing to companies like Plutonic Power, as well as revenue from the carbon tax, should be redirected into initiatives such as expanding public transit and green retrofits of homes and commercial buildings."

"Consider Plutonic Power's proposed IPP for Bute Inlet. The draft terms of reference fail to establish a clear framework for a thorough environmental assessment that would identify potential impacts. And while the energy that this IPP produces might be "clean" in terms of carbon emissions, the power project does not come near to being green, sustainable or low impact. The threats to terrestrial, aquatic and avian species and their habitats illustrate how these run-of-river mega-projects require a sober second look."

The May, 2009 issue of Common Ground contains a special supplement, Take Back Your Power. It contains four articles, a map, and a list of rivers threatened by river privatization projects. It's very worthwhile material, but one article that is particularly valuable is Key BC Liberal insiders hired by private power developers (PDF).

It's a long list. Here are some of the more prominent names on it:

 Patrick Kinsella, Co-chair of 2001 and 2005 BC Liberal provincial campaigns - has consulted for Alcan, Accenture and now Plutonic Power. Alleged to have worked for both CN and BC Rail as BC Rail was being sold to CN.

Tom Syer, former deputy chief of staff to Gordon Campbell, now a director at Plutonic Power/GE.

Mark Grant, former executive director of the BC Liberal Party, now with Rupert Peace Power.

Michael J. O’Conner, former President and CEO of Crown Corporation BC Transit, now holds senior positions at Naikun.

Geoff Plant, former BC Liberal Attorney General, now chair of Renaissance Power.

Article by Marvin Shaffer for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: Green Gods Abandoned by Godless Socialists? 

Excerpt: "Liberal Energy Policy forcing the development of excessive amounts of  these ‘green’ IPPs is what I like to call a strategy to buy high-sell low (because much of the IPP power will be surplus and exported at relatively low prices) and buy now-buy again later (at the end of the initial contract terms).  En realidad, as my Baja friends would say, its not just godless socialists that could question its wisdom."

Article by Mark Angelo and Kelly Pearce in the Georgia Straight: B.C. rivers face an uncertain future

Excerpt: "The Glacier-Howser creek system, located in the Kootenays, captured third place and is threatened by a controversial independent power project. There has been much discussion and debate in recent years about run-of-the-river power. And while most respondents expressed support for truly green projects, there is concern about the increasing size and scale of specific diversions such as Glacier-Howser. Furthermore, while most British Columbians appreciate the role of hydro-electric power in addressing climate change, many are concerned about the lack of a strategy and plan to govern such projects."

Letter to the editor of the Vancouver Sun:

Re: 'Environmentalists' are abandoning science, Issues & Ideas, March 24

Few of us who are opposed to the proliferation of private power projects in B.C. would disagree with Andrew Weaver's concerns about climate change. There is no question that the problem is as serious as he suggests. However, conflating the science of climate change with support for private power developers stretches the boundaries of scientific argument.

The suggestion that opponents of the privatization of our electricity system don't believe climate change is happening -- or are anti-science -- is simply wrong. Handing over control of the future development of our electricity system to large energy corporations -- corporations whose function is to maximize the returns to their domestic and foreign shareholders -- is hardly likely to enhance our ability to address this critical issue. But it will make a lot of shareholders very rich.

There is nothing anti-green about the view that maintaining public ownership and control of our electricity system is vital to ensure we have the policy tools to deal, democratically, with the climate crisis. Nor is there any scientific evidence, of which I am aware, that proves that the only solution to the challenge of climate change is wholesale privatization of our energy resources.

John Calvert
Vancouver

Link to Vancouver Sun site: Shedding some light on powering up B.C.

Articles from local BC newspapers about the growing attention to the river privatization issue:

Kathy Michaels in the Penticton Western News: Mair leads charge to save BC Hydro

"British Columbians are at risk of losing their birthright — their water, their fish, their trees — and all that makes this province unique, Rafe Mair told a Penticton audience Friday night."

Don Plant in the Kelowna Daily Courier: Ex-minister praying for B.C. water

"'This is our water, our fish, our trees – all the things that identify us to the rest of the world and to ourselves. This is too important to allow to happen for any reason,' Mair said at Kelowna’s First United Church." 

Laura Kelsey in the 100 Mile House Free Press: Give a dam about run-of-river

"Rivers are an awesome force of nature. They erode; carve; give life and take it. Lowly humans just can’t stop a river without making a splash. Those protesting the run-of-river power projects proposed throughout BC understand this and are trying to halt many of these plans coming to fruition."

Article by Colleen Kimmett in The Tyee: Plutonic Power CEO denies donating to Libs, then changes story (Read the comments, too.) 

Excerpt: "Plutonic Power CEO Donald McInnes said his company did not donate to the Liberal Party, in response to a caller on CKNW's Bill Good show this morning, but Elections BC records prove otherwise.

"Plutonic Power Corporation is a Vancouver-based company developing a suite of run-of-river projects on the northern Sunshine Coast.

"When The Hook asked McInnes to confirm his position, he said Plutonic donated to the Liberals for this campaign, but not in the past. In his column today, The Province's Michael Smythe pointed out that Plutonic was one of the Liberal's more generous donors in 2008, contributing a total of $39,758.

Article by Rafe Mair in The Tyee: Our Soulless Government. Some worthwhile comments, too.

The same article can be found on rafeonline.com: http://rafeonline.com/2009/04/salmon-farms-river-privatization/

Excerpt: "These waters and the fish they contain don't belong to Marine Harvest and their fish farms. Nor do they belong to General Electric, empowered to do as they wish with our rivers. They don't belong to the autocrat Campbell either. They belong to us, our children and grandchildren to generations unborn. We have in our piece of the earth the most beautiful and bountiful region. We're known the world over for this. Our rivers and our salmon are what identify us. Jesus, speaking wisdom for everyone asked, 'What profiteth a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?'"