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It felt like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Everyone was there, the little people, the government, the company reps, but at any moment, the Queen could come in yelling, “Off with their heads!”. This was the recent Environmental Assessment Open House in Egmont for the Narrows Inlet IPP.
Indeed, about 40-50 community members came to the Egmont Hall to view the displays and information provided by the Narrows Inlet Hydro Holding Co. But many also expected a chance to ask questions and perhaps make a statement for the record. That was the proceedure at the previous EAO meeting for the first Tyson Creek IPP. That meeting produced many questions from a large audience.
This time the EAO staff welcomed you and handed you a card with the contact information to mail or email your comments on the project. There were not to be any oral comments for the record. Only written comments would be accepted. All a bit confusing since the legal notice stated “open house and invitation to comment”. Afterall, if you are going to send four or five staff and set up why not have a place for the public to record comments?
This project involves five streams and draw down from alpine lakes. According to the company's own report the project could affect fish, birds,mammals, reptiles and plants. The hydro transmission lines involve clearing roads and access, new lines that will be visible from Egmont, Klein Lake trails and other hiking trails. There will be drilling through rock for passage of the water. This is not a small project.
It follows the Tyson Creek project that had a silt release problem that shut down the system for four months and released silt into the Tzoonie River all the way into the Narrows Inlet. The lakes or streams to be used are also the drinking water sources for the Narrows Inlet residents.
Here are some of the comments of locals, officials and company representatives at the open house:
Jake McGillivray, Narrows Inlet Hydro representative:
“Our contract with BC Hydro pays us for our electricity produced. If BC Hydro's lines are down for over a 24 hour period they still have to pay us.
We will be drilling tunnels for two of the five streams.
Hydro Co. representatives answer citizen's questions.
Billy Griffith, resident and fisherman:
“The Sakinaw Lake sockeye are red listed. The Tzoonie River sockeye are genetically the same. It is a small run, around 25,000 fish , a mix of sockeye, pinks, chum and coho that we stand to lose. I am afraid that this project could be the nail in their coffin.”
Sechelt Band Chief Garry Feschuck:
“We have Band lands at the head of Narrows Inlet and we are working to redevelop our fishery there. So we have fishery and wildlife issues. However, we believe they will be addressed. We are also looking at an equity position .”
Nicholas Simons, MLA:
"I don't think there is really an “opt out” on the environmental issues. They have to respond.”
Chief Feschuck and MLA Simons Area A Dir. Mauro (l)
Gary Alexander, EAO:
“There is not a lot of history on the draw down of lakes for this type of project. The impacts on the lakes and streams is a key issue. Most of these lakes do not have fish.”
Bob Price, Narrows Inlet resident:
"I am concerned about the bottom draining of the high alpine lakes - like Tyson Lake - with subsequent massive and repeated silt dumps, the draw down of these ice scoured alpine lakes and dumping silt into prime fish habitat - including blue listed cutthroat trout habitata - sme for Seaton Lake's silt dumps from an IPP, no white sturgeon left there either. I am also concerned that the government folk in assessment, enforcement and protection are gagged. I am still waiting for a answer to a letter and inquiry from 2009."
Leaving the open house, the feeling is that this is a "done deal" and everyone is just going through the motions.
Written submissions may be submitted at any time during the public comment period which ends at midnight on October 27, 2012. All comments received during this comment period in relation to the Application will be considered.
The EAO accepts public comments through the following ways:
By Online Form at
By Mail:
Garry Alexander
Project Lead
Environmental Assessment Office
PO Box 9426 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9V1
By Fax:
Fax: 250-356-6448