News Release - July 16, 2009

NELSON - Hundreds of people from across the Kootenay region joined with Opposition MLA Michelle Mungall on Wednesday night to protect Glacier, Howser, Suck and Behrman creeks from the proposed Glacier-Howser private power project.

"People came away from the meeting energized and ready to take this fight to the next level," said Mungall. "We're ready to protect our region from Gordon Campbell's giveaway of our waterways and wilderness areas."

Community members joined with Opposition energy critic John Horgan, Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy, Save Our Rivers spokesperson Rafe Mair, the West Kootenay Eco Society's Lee-Ann Unger and Western Canadian Wilderness Committee National Campaign Director Joe Foy to talk about protecting the watershed.

"The people of this region have deep environmental, economic and social concerns about the Glacier-Howser project," said Mungall.

"They expect the environmental assessment process to be more than a rubber stamp."

The controversial private power project would divert water from four creeks to create up to 125 megawatts of electricity. None of the water would be returned to creeks after it is extracted to produce power.

The company plans to cut through more than 75 kilometers of old growth forest in Howser and Horsethief Valleys to connect the project to the electrical grid.

Carole James and the Official Opposition are calling for a moratorium on new private power projects until the province has a plan in place that protects the environment and puts the public good above private profit.

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Media Contact: Jennifer Jones 250-889-6308