News Release - April 2, 2009

Gordon Campbell misleading the public about private power

VICTORIA- The California senate's rejection of B.C. electricity shows that Gordon Campbell has been misleading British Columbians about the environmental impacts of run-of-the-river and about the reasons behind the massive expansion of private power production.

"The California senate says these projects are not green," said Opposition energy critic John Horgan. "California lacks confidence in Gordon Campbell's rubber-stamp environmental assessment process that puts our rivers and streams at risk."

Horgan says Environment Minister Barry Penner's efforts to convince California to buy our power shows that the B.C. Liberal agenda to expand private power production is about export, not about self-sufficiency.

"The truth is Campbell is selling off our rivers so his friends could make a big profit selling power to the United States." John Horgan. "And British Columbians are paying the price with higher hydro bills and loss of control over our rivers and watersheds."

Carole James and the Official Opposition are calling for a moratorium on new private run-of-the-river power projects until a thorough review of B.C.'s energy needs is completed.

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Media Contact: Jennifer Jones 250-889-6308