MUNGALL TO HOLD GLACIER-HOWSER MEETING IN NELSON

In light of the Campbell government’s refusal to ensure a meeting on Glacier-Howser is held in Nelson, MLA Michelle Mungall is hosting a public meeting on the private power project in the community on July 15, 7pm at the Prestige Inn, 701 Lakeside.

“The refusal to hold a meeting in Nelson has increased people’s concerns that this consultation process is nothing but a rubber stamp,” said Mungall. “I’m holding this meeting to ensure that the voices of this region are heard.”

The meeting will provide information about AXOR's proposed project on Glacier and Howser creeks, as well as details about the privatization of electric production and the environmental realities of current private power developments.

Mungall noted that a diverse group of stakeholders including hunters, environmental organizations, Nelson and Rossland city councils, regional directors, tourism operators and the Mayor of Trail have asked for a meeting in Nelson.

“By refusing to ensure a meeting is held in Nelson the Campbell government is sending the message that they have no intention of listening to the people of this region,” said Mungall.

The proposed private power project, located north of Kaslo, would divert water from four creeks into tunnels large enough to drive a dump truck through. The water would never be returned to the creeks and instead would be dumped in Duncan reservoir. The project and its power lines will impact threatened species such as bull trout, grizzly bears and wolverines.

“Gordon Campbell is more interested in making money for his friends and donors in the private power industry than in ensuring that these projects make social, fiscal, and environmental sense,” said Mungall. “He has never made the case that the need for this power outweighs its environmental impacts.”

New Democrats 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.

The meeting will be held in Nelson at 7 p.m. on July 15 at the Prestige Inn, 701 Lakeside.

MLA Community Office Open

You are invited!

Please join Michelle and her Constituency Assistant, Laurie, for an Open House of Michelle's MLA Community Office.

Monday June 29, 1-4pm

204-402 Baker St. Nelson (second floor of the Nelson Trading Company, above the Full Circle Cafe)

The Community Office Gallery is featuring Nelson artist, Marilyn Kolstad, until September 30.

Michelle supports the 100 Mile Diet. All food and beverages are grown and/or produced locally by people in our region.

DON’T RUBBER STAMP THE GLACIER HOWSER PROJECT, URGES MUNGALL

New Democrats call on Campbell gov’t to listen to community concerns

NELSON — New Democrat MLA Michelle Mungall says the Campbell government’s refusal to ensure broader public consultation into the controversial Glacier Howser private project makes the environmental assessment process look like a rubber stamp.

“The Campbell government is ignoring the voices of countless citizens, business owners, hunters, recreational fishermen, mayors and city councilors who are concerned about the potential destructive impact of this project,” said Mungall, the MLA for Nelson-Creston.

“By excluding key communities like Nelson from the consultation, it looks like Campbell’s environmental assessment process is nothing but a rubber stamp.”

Mungall said the government and AXOR – the company proposing the project – don’t want to hear opposition to the proposal. She noted that regional project manager Neil Murphy dismissed the idea of a meeting in Nelson because “all it would be is a mass chanting rally that means nothing in the end."

Mungall, along with Columbia-Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald and West Kootenay MLA Katrine Conroy wrote to environment minister Barry Penner last week, asking him to ensure a public meeting would be held in Nelson. Penner declined to play a leadership role, and left the matter with the Environmental Assessment Office.

The EAO has limited the hearings to Kaslo, Invermere and Meadow Creek. The hearings were organized on very short notice, and will be completed by June 25.

The proposed project, north of Kaslo, would redirect water from Glacier, Howser, Suck, and Birnam creeks through 16 kilometers of tunnels that will be large enough to drive a dump truck through.

While the diversion of the creeks will disturb bull trout habitat, the power lines needed for the project will cut through old growth reserves, and put threatened wolverines and grizzlies at risk.

Carole James and the New Democrats are calling for a moratorium on private power projects until the province assesses our current and future energy needs and develops a comprehensive plan that addresses the needs of local communities and the environment.

“It’s time to listen to communities, ensure environmental protection, and restore B.C. Hydro’s leadership role in developing energy policy,” said New Democrat energy critic John Horgan.

Mungall is urging people to write and email the environmental assessment office with their concerns about the Glacier Howser proposal during the public comment period from June 12, 2009 to July 27, 2009.

“Everyone who is concerned about this project needs to make their voice heard,” said Mungall.

Comments about the project can be emailed to glacier.howser@gov.bc.ca or mailed to:

Garry AlexanderProject Assessment DirectorEnvironmental Assessment OfficePO Box 9426 Stn Prov GovtVictoria BC V8W 9V1

It's Official

BCNDP Members of the Legislative Assembly were sworn into Office on June 8.

Michelle's partner Zak, her mom, dad, mother-in-law and father-in-law joined the ceremonies.

You can watch the ceremonies on Hansard Video,
http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/video/archive-dougfir.asp?video=200906081330&time=13:55:09&duration=00:46:20&toc=archive&autotoc=false

Michelle walks completes her swearing-in at 33:27-34:41 in the video archive.

KOOTENAY MLAS PRESS CAMPBELL FOR FULL CONSULTATION ON GLACIER-HOWSER

NELSON— The three New Democrat MLAs from the Kootenays are working together to ensure the Campbell government doesn’t ram through the controversial Glacier-Howser private power project without full public consultation.

“People are concerned that the Campbell government wants the environmental assessment to be just a rubber stamp,” said Michelle Mungall, MLA for Nelson-Creston. “It’s time for Gordon Campbell and his environment minister to show Kootenay communities that they respect our right to have a voice in the decisions that affect us.”

Norm Macdonald, MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke, and Katrine Conroy, MLA for West Kootenay, joined Mungall to write an open letter to the Minister of the Environment requesting more meaningful consultations with the region about the Glacier-Howser project. They are calling for hearings in Nelson, and for the process to allow residents and communities to have a real say about whether the project continues to move forward.

“People in the region are deeply concerned about this project and the effect it will have on the environment, their businesses and the recreational opportunities they enjoy,” said Mungall.
Nelson and Rossland city councils have joined the Mayor of Trail and several directors with the regional district to ask for a meeting in Nelson because it serves as a regional centre. Other stakeholders, including the B.C. Wildlife Federation and a coalition of Environmental groups are calling for the same. Currently public consultations are only scheduled in Kaslo, Meadow Creek and Invermere.

“There is a broad coalition of stakeholders calling for expanded consultations,” said Mungall. “If the Campbell government thinks they can ignore people in the Kootenays on this issue they are going to have a real fight on their hands.”

TEXT OF LETTER:

June 4, 2009

Dear Minister Penner:

With the announcement of the Environmental Assessment Office’s Open House schedule for Purcell Green Power Inc.’s proposed Glacier/Howser Project on the east side of the Duncan Reservoir, citizens throughout the Kootenays have indicated their disappointment with the limited number of opportunities to attend public meetings and provide comment. There is strong demand to include Nelson as a location for a public meeting, as it is the West Kootenay region's primary service area and most central point for rural transportation.

Previous experience with the Environmental Assessment process in this area has not been satisfactory, and Kootenay residents are finding it difficult to trust that this process will work well in the case of the Glacier/Howser Project, a project that will have massive impacts on this area. Residents are requesting meaningful public input into this project.

Many of our constituents, including local governments, have communicated serious concerns about the effect Glacier-Howser would have on their livelihoods and their communities. They deserve to have a voice. Nelson provides a geographical and service central point for the West Kootenay region, making it an ideal localtion to gather meaningful public input.

It is our expectation that the Environmental Assessment Office will announce the addition of a Nelson public meeting to discuss the Purcell Green Power Inc. proposed Glacier/Howser Project, a small step towards regaining the public trust in this process. With the removal of local decision-making on independent power projects, this is the only consultation opportunity left to concerned citizens. We urge that you use your authority as Minister of the Environment to ensure that the City of Nelson is inlcuded as a location for the required EAO public hearings.

We appreciate your prompt response to this matter.

Sincerely,

Katrine Conroy, MLA Kootenay West
Norm Macdonald, MLA Columbia River-Revelstoke
Michelle Mungall, MLA Nelson-Creston