Action Alert:

Help Oppose the Damming of the Kettle River

After nearly ten years, the environmental assessment of the proposed dam on the Kettle River near Christina Lake (southern interior of BC) is now in its final stages. The public only has until February 16th to submit comments on the project.

The proposal, the Cascade Heritage Power Project, calls for the development of a 25 MW run-of-the-river dam on the Kettle River, just above the Cascade Canyon, and about 20km east of Grand Forks. It involves the construction of a rubber weir above the canyon, and some 800 metres of tunnel to a powerhouse at the base of the canyon. During low water flows, the amount of water that will be allowed to flow throw the canyon will be reduced to 4m3/s or less.

The proposal includes an application to have all available surface water rights and increases to existing water licenses in the Kettle River Watershed (which covers most of the Boundary District) given to Sea Breeze Power Corporation (formally Powerhouse Energy Incorporated). The water license may also have trans-national implications due to a 1932 law in Washington State that may give the Canadian corporation legal rights to the water that flows through the US portion of the Kettle River that is upstream of the project. The economic affect of this loss of water-rights to the residents of the Boundary District may be severe.

An independent socioeconomic survey conducted by Yarnell and Associates (2001) determined that “the project does not create significant long-term employment opportunities or other benefits for the community… [and is] inconsistent with commitments to respect neighbours, local land-use plans and First Nations” and that “the project would compromise the aesthetic value of the falls and general area, which is essential to the community’s economic and social well-being”.

One impact of the proposal that, according to the proponent, cannot be mitigated in any way is the significant reduction of water flow through the Cascade Canyon. With limited flows, the canyon will be essentially destroyed as the amazing natural wonder (and tourism attraction) that it currently is.

The Cascade Canyon has profound cultural values to several First Nations from both Canada and the US. The Okanagan Nation Alliance (1999) stated that “the significance of the Cascade Falls Canyon area is most profound and serious” and “due to the scared and most definite spiritual value of the study area, no further disturbances of any type occur…approval for this proposed project [should] be denied. These impacts are both unacceptable and unmitigatable within the current project concept plan.”

Friesinger (1979) described the canyon as an “…important aspect of the archaeological resources of the Kettle River drainage area and is most likely the most important locality of the area in relation to 1) extensive occupation and aboriginal use, 2) antiquity, 3) yield of archaeological data…this area is a high priority locality.”

The Kettle River is also home to at least three red-listed and five blue-listed species of fish. One of these species is the speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus) is only known to inhabit the Kettle River Watershed in all of Canada. The proponent sates that impacts to these species-at-risk will be minimal, but in my mind, any potential risk to species-at-risk and their habitat is unacceptable.

The Cascade Canyon should be preserved in perpetuity as a Goal 2 (Special Feature) provincial park as recommended by the Regional Protected Area Team for West Kootenay-Boundary through BC’s Protected Area Strategy, and as an Inter-agency Management Committee was considering in the late 1990s.

With the final report for the assessment recently completed, only the public comment period and government review period remain before a decision on this project is made. Of almost all the environmental assessments conducted thus far in BC, every single one has been approved unless the proponents withdrew their applications! Unless enormous public concern is voiced during this last critical period, the fate of the canyon and many potential future development projects may already be sealed.

lease make your opinion heard and help oppose the project.

To learn more about the proposal and how you can help in preserving this unique area, please go to www.ryandurand.net/cascade.htm.

Comments can be sent to:

Ryan Durand

Christina Lake, BC

cascade@ryandurand.net

orm letter that you can copy and paste and send to the email addresses, or mailing address below.

To: garth.thoroughgood@gems7.gov.bc.ca

Cc: info@seabreezepower.com; stan.hagen.mla@leg.bc.ca; joyce.murray.mla@leg.bc.ca; richard.neufeld.mla@leg.bc.ca; sandy.santori.mla@leg.bc.ca; cascade@ryandurand.net

January 17, 2004

Derek Griffin

Project Assessment Director

Environmental Assessment Office

PO Box 9426 Stn Prov Govt

Victoria BC V8W 9V1

Dear Mr. Griffin,

Re: Environmental assessment of the Cascade Heritage Power Project

I am writing this letter to state my opposition to the proposed Cascade Heritage Power Project.

I believe that the limited economic gains that will be created by the project are far outweighed by the preservation of the Cascade Canyon in its natural state. I believe that there is more economic potential in promoting the already tourist friendly (and popular) canyon as an ecotourism destination then as an industrial site. As the independent socioeconomic survey conducted by Yarnell and Associates (2001) determined “the project does not create significant long-term employment opportunities or other benefits for the community… [and is] inconsistent with commitments to respect neighbours, local land-use plans and First Nations” and that “the project would compromise the aesthetic value of the falls and general area, which is essential to the community’s economic and social well-being”.

I believe that no development of any kind should occur within the habitat of species-at-risk. As there are numerous red and blue listed species present in the Kettle River, and the proposed compensation habitat has never been tested (in regard to the speckled dace), I think it is inappropriate to proceed with the project at the risk of losing biodiversity.

I believe that the significant First Nations sites that exist in the area should not be disturbed by this project, including the reduction of water flows through the canyon. As the Okanagan Nation Alliance (1999) stated “the significance of the Cascade Falls Canyon area is most profound and serious” and “due to the sacred and most definite spiritual value of the study area, no further disturbances of any type occur…approval for this proposed project [should] be denied. These impacts are both unacceptable and unmitigatable.” Friesinger (1979) described the canyon as an “…important aspect of the archaeological resources of the Kettle River drainage area and is most likely the most important locality of the area in relation to 1) extensive occupation and aboriginal use, 2) antiquity, 3) yield of archaeological data…this area is a high priority locality.”

I believe that it is irresponsible to consider giving up all of the surface water rights of the Kettle River Watershed for this one project at the expense of future development. The limited economic gains that may be realised by the proposed project are significantly less then the potential that exists for the residents of the Kettle River Watershed to explore other business opportunities and for population growth in general.

The Cascade Canyon should be preserved in perpetuity as a Goal 2 (Special Feature) provincial park as recommended by the Regional Protected Area Team for West Kootenay-Boundary through BC’s Protected Area Strategy, and as an Inter-agency Management Committee was considering doing in the late 1990s.

Please reject the proposal and save the Cascade Canyon.

Sincerely,

[your name and address here]

Cc: Hon. Stan Hagen, Hon. Joyce Murray, Hon. Richard Neufeld, Hon. Sandy Santori, Mr. Gouk, Mr. Anthony Duggleby