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- Wuskwatim No Longer Public Review Process
- Wuskwatim Document Leaves Questions Unanswered
- CanWEA Applauds Ontario Government
- 'Large' Hydro Report Released
- Electricity Rate Increases Sought
- Feeling The Heat: Climate Change
- Wuskwatim Questions Not Answered
- Top Scientist Attacks US Over Global Warming
- Climate Inuit Rights Issue
- Manitoba Wildlands Appeals Wind License
- Parks Canada Moves
- British Plan Major "Wind Farm"
Wuskwatim No Longer Public Review Process |
23 January 04 |
 Participants may be forced out of the public review process all togetherPublic Participants were given 2 1/2 business days to finish review and analyse which issues and questions Hydro had addressed or not addressed, for the January 23, 2004 CEC hearing. Motions were due January 21, and the hearing was called January 14, 2004. Public participants recieved Hydro materials sporadically between January 15 and January 20, 2004. Procedures and time lines for this CEC motions hearing were in contrast to those followed for the September 30 CEC motions hearing regarding the Wuskwatim projects. "Manitoba Hydro has had extensions twice while the CEC denied participants the same courtesy. We're effectively being forced out by a double standard." Said Vern Anderson of the Association for the Displaced Residents of South Indian Lake, which represents over 400 Nelson House (NCN) band members. Many public participants said the January 19, 2004 CEC ruling ignored requests for sufficient time to prepare, and was the last straw in a flawed process. "This is a public review process. By law it is conducted to ensure that the public is heard and concerns addressed. Unless you get this critical input there is no public review at all. It becomes just a rubber stamp" explained Manitoba Metis Federation President David Chartrand. "Let's not forget that we are talking about an environmental review for Manitoba's first hydro project decision in twenty years. We are also working on Manitoba's first ever environmental assessment of a hydro dam - one that is likely to set a precedent for future hydro projects." says Gaile Whelan Enns, Manitoba Wildlands Director. Download the entire January 23, 2004 press release |
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Wuskwatim Document Leaves Questions Unanswered |
23 January 04 |
 In October 2003, Manitoba Hydro published a non-legal document outlining the proposed legal and economic relationship between Nisichawayasikh Cree Nation (NCN) and Manitoba Hydro for the Wuskwatim Generation Project. This document is titled Summary of Understanding (SOU) between the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) and Manitoba Hydro regarding the Wuskwatim Power Limited Partnership.The Project is estimated to cost $756 million, and it is proposed that NCN will be a limited partner in the investment. In this type of an arrangement, the limited partner (NCN) is only responsible for the capital it invests, while Manitoba Hydro's liability is unlimited. The SOU provides an over view of the Project and suggests several financial arrangements between the NCN and Hydro. The document does not show how NCN will receive its financial revenues or share in the profits. One thing clear from the SOU is that Hydro will retain full control over the operation and administration of the Project and appears to have veto power in virtually all aspects of the development. Manitoba Hydro is a public utility. Full clarity and disclosure should be the rule and not the exception regarding the Wuskwatim projects. View the Backgrounder on the SOU |
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CanWEA Applauds Ontario Government |
23 January 04 |
 January 21, 2004 the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) applauded the Ontario Government's announcement that it will issue a Request for Proposals seeking up to 300 MW of new renewable energy capacity to be in service as soon as possible. By 2020, it's projected that approximately 18,000 MW of Ontario's existing electricity generating capacity will need to be refurbished or replaced. Due to the planned closing of the Lakeview Generating Station (a coal burning station just west of Toronto) in 2005, and increased demand, the Independent Electricity Market Operator (IMO) has identified that the Greater Toronto Area could face a significant short-term reliability risk from 2005 to 2007. "This announcement makes it clear that the Ontario Government is ready to support the development of Ontario's wind energy resources and that it understands that renewable energy can make a substantive and significant contribution to addressing short-term electricity supply challenges in Ontario", says Robert Hornung, CanWEA President. "Wind energy can be rapidly deployed to contribute to the province's electricity supply needs - providing a broad range of economic and environmental benefits to the citizens of Ontario." In its announcement, the Ontario Government also reaffirmed its target for five per cent (1,350 MW) of all generating capacity to come from renewable energy by 2007. View the Ontario Government's January 20, 2004 press release online View the CanWEA web site for more information Source: CanWEA |
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'Large' Hydro Report Released |
23 January 04 |
 A new report co-published by 13 organizations working on climate change, development, sustainable energy and water management gives a dozen reasons why large hydro should be excluded from global efforts to promote renewable energy. The report cites the negative impacts of large hydro on people, ecosystems, energy security, and efforts to adjust to climate change. These provide compelling evidence that a major expansion of large hydro would hinder efforts to eradicate poverty and reduce the environmental impacts of energy production. (Large hydro is defined as hydro with an installed capacity greater than 10 MW.) The report recognizes the potential benefits of small hydro schemes, conditional upon them meeting the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams (WCD). The dam industry sees the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism and new government initiatives to promote renewables as a solution to their problems. The paper was presented at an NGO press conference at the 9th Conference of Parties to the UN Climate Convention in Milan, on December 10, 2003. View the report: Twelve Reasons to Exclude Large Hydro from Renewables Initiatives online View the full December 10, 2003 article online Source: International Rivers Network |
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Electricity Rate Increases Sought |
19 January 04 |
 Manitoba Hydro announced mid January 2004 that it will apply to the Public Utilities Board (PUB) for increases in electricity rates averaging 3% effective April 1, 2004 and 2.5% effective April 1, 2005, for a total of 5.5%.In making the announcement, Bob Brennan, Hydro's President and CEO, said Manitoba Hydro customers will continue to benefit from the lowest electricity rates in the country. He said the corporation has been significantly impacted by historically low water levels and persisting drought conditions throughout Manitoba and as a result, the corporation is projecting a loss in the range of $200 to $350 million. "With water levels the lowest since the 1940s, Manitoba's major river systems have limited the corporation's hydraulic generation and necessitated the import of electricity for the first time since 1989," said Brennan. "This has had a negative impact on the Corporation's bottom line." View the Manitoba Hydro web site Source: Manitoba Hydro |
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Feeling The Heat: Climate Change |
19 January 04 |
 Climate change could drive more than a quarter of land animals and plants into extinction, according to a major new study published in the January 9th edition of the journal Nature.The study estimates that climate change projected to take place between now and the year 2050 will place 15 to 37 percent of all species in several biodiversity-rich regions at risk of extinction. The scientists believe there is a high likelihood of extinctions due to climate change in other regions, as well. Scientists studied six regions around the world representing 20 percent of the planet's land area and projected the future distributions of 1,103 animal and plant species. Three different climate change scenarios were considered - minimal, mid-range and maximum, as was the ability of some species to successfully "disperse," or move to a different area, thus preventing climate change-induced extinction. The study used computer models to simulate the ways species' ranges are expected to move in response to changing temperatures and climate. It represents the largest collaboration of scientists to ever study this problem. View the full January 9, 2004 Nature article online. Source: Nature Publishing Group |
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Despite fall 2003 assurances by the Clean Environment Commission (CEC) that interrogatories would be an essential component of Wuskwatim projects' review process, government regulators and Manitoba Hydro are both refusing to answer a significant number of questions.Top Scientist Attacks US Over Global Warming |
13 January 04 |
 Climate change is a more serious threat to the world than terrorism, David King, the British government's chief scientist, writes in a January 9, 2004 article in Science magazine, attacking governments for doing too little to combat global warming. He singles out the United States for "refusing to countenance any remedial action now or in the future" to curb its own greenhouse gases, which are 20% of the world's total, even though it has only 4% of the population. Disclosing that he had commissioned a team of scientists and engineers to find ways of reducing the severe damage the UK faces from climate change, he says the potential damage to property runs into "tens of billions of pounds per annum". Britain is doing its bit to reduce emissions, but acting alone is not enough, he says. "We and the rest of the world are now looking to the USA to play its leading part." View the January 9, 2004 Guardian article online Source: Guardian Newspapers Limited |
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The world's Inuit intend to launch a human rights case against the United States, condemning its role in the global warming they say threatens them with extinction.
On December 15, 2003, the Manitoba Wildlands, CNF office filed an appeal with Manitoba Conservation regarding the environmental license for Sequoia Energy's St. Leon Wind Energy Project. Parks Canada Moves |
5 January 04 |
 The Canadian Nature Federation congratulates Prime Minister Paul Martin on his announcement to move the Parks Canada Agency to Environment Canada."We look forward to working with the Prime Minister and Environment Minister David Anderson toward completing the national parks agenda, establishing new National Marine Conservation Areas, and promoting the increased use of National Wildlife Areas (NWA) as a tool to protect nature in Canada," said CNF President Julie Gelfand. Shifting Parks Canada to Environment Canada will mean that the role of nature protection will no longer be split between Environment Canada and Heritage Canada. "Minister Anderson has demonstrated leadership in protecting Canada's Environment," said Gelfand. "We hope this leadership will continue with Canada's protected areas." In addition to moving Parks to Environment Canada, the federal government signaled that national parks would be a significant priority, appointing Serge Marcil as the new parliamentary secretary for the environment "with special emphasis on Parks." "These positive signals give us hope that the government will deliver quickly on its commitment to create 10 new national parks and five new marine conservation areas, and realize the potential of tools such as NWAs," said Gelfand. View the Canadian Nature Federation web site. |
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British Plan Major "Wind Farm" |
5 January 04 |
 Energy companies plan to erect more than 1,000 turbines off England's coast in a $12.4 billion project to build the largest source of wind energy.The wind farms, which received preliminary approval in December 2003, would generate as much as seven gigawatts of electricity - enough to supply four million households, or to meet 7 percent of Britain's energy needs. Britain has pledged that 10 percent of its energy will come from renewable resources by 2010. The Crown Estate, which controls British public lands, including its seabeds, asked companies to submit bids for coastal wind farms in July. Before they can start building, energy companies need clearance from the public and the government, including environmental regulators. The turbines will be visible from the shore only on very clear days, the companies said, so that public outcry, at least about the view, is expected to be minimal. View the New York Times December 19, 2003 article online Source: New York Times |
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