For immediate release - Monday November 17, 2008

Wilderness Committee expedition to Clayoquots Bulson River yields insight on misguided "IPP" private river diversion plan

Tofino Chamber of Commerce Weighs In on IPPs

November 17, 2008 - Vancouver, BC – In the midst of a Clayoquot Sound monsoon this week, Wilderness Committee volunteers including the Executive Director of the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce boated and then trecked into the remote Bulson River valley 13 kilometres east of Tofino, BC. The Bulson River valley, a high priority for legal protection, is one of the few remaining pristine valleys on the wild west coast of Vancouver Island. Synex Energy and the BC government are planning to construct a 20 megawatt river diversion hydro project here as part of the BC governments drive to privatize and export BC power.

The proposed Bulson River IPP (private river diversion) project, like that at other high profile environmental hotspots in BC like Glacier-Howser, Morkhill Falls, and the Kleena Kleena, further demonstrates that private hydro projects proposed for BC are neither clean nor green. The Bulson project would involve building eight km of new roads into the pristine Bulson River valley, 3km of giant pipes and tunnels, a damn on Bulson Lake, a powerhouse near the pristine Clayoquot Sound shoreline, and a 47 km long clearcut traversing the southern third of Clayoquot Sound for construction of new transmission lines. Citizens are also concerned that once roads are punched into the pristine Bulson River Valley that pressure will mount to log the ancient intact forests of this valley that was a centre-piece of the environmental unrest that dominated Clayoquot Sound in the 1990s.

The Wilderness Committee volunteers found the Bulson to be a beautiful valley complete with ancient trees and evidence of spawning salmon in the lower reaches of the river. The proposed hydro project would divert 90-95 percent of the river flow, impacting salmon spawning habitat by altering precise gravel requirements for spawning.

Michael Tilitzky, Executive Director of the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce joined the expedition to the Bulson River. The directors of the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce are unanimous in their opposition to the development of a water power project in the Bulson Creek area. "The ecological services that the Bulson Creek area provides for our community far out weigh the benefits of a water power project" said Tilitzky.

The Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce stated in its "position policy" dated October 21, 2008 that the proposed private hydro project in the Bulson River does not take into consideration the various social, economic, recreational and environmental impacts that the construction and operation of a facility may have on the neighbouring areas and the region at large. They also noted that IPP projects under 50 megawatts are not subject to the environmental assessment process.

The Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce has requested that a moratorium be placed on issuing Water Licenses or Licenses of Occupation for Independent Power Projects until:
1. All IPPs are publicly owned and regulated by BC Hydro
2. Regional plans are developed for all IPPs
3. Regulations require all IPPs to be assessed under the Environmental Assessment Act to determine if they are appropriate.
4. The development of IPPs are acceptable to local First Nations.

Contact Andy Miller, Wilderness Committee Staff Scientist @ 604-683-8220 or Michael Tilitzky @ 250-725-3153