BC is famed for its natural beauty. Snow-topped mountains, a stunning seascape, rugged fjords and wild rivers all add up to produce some of the most varied and fantastic scenery found anywhere on the planet. Our bountiful rivers have traditionally ensured that 80 to 90 percent of BC’s electricity generation is “clean”—producing no damaging greenhouse gas emissions in daily operations. Our ability to generate power by tapping the natural strength of the sun, the wind and the waves leaves us with many enviable options as the world races to slash carbon emissions. A Special Place.

In 2002, the BC government released its controversial “Energy Plan.” The plan decreed that "the private sector will develop new electricity generation, with BC Hydro restricted to improvements at existing plants." It led to a gold rush on BC’s rivers and creeks. More than 800 BC water bodies, from the Kootenays to the Sunshine Coast, were staked for “run of river” power development by private companies, some financed by global energy giants like General Electric. Most proposed “run of river” developments are exempt from environmental assessment, and BC’s lack of an endangered species law means that projects are often inappropriately sited in relation to species at risk. The new focus on private "run of river" projects indicated a significant change of direction for BC energy policy, towards production of energy for export to the U.S. In April 2010, the government  announced that it will proceed with the highly controversial Site C dam mega-project in the Peace River Valley.  Threats. 

Sierra Club BC believes BC’s energy needs can be met primarily through conservation and demand-side management. Where new energy is required, we support low-impact green renewable energy projects on an individual basis. When properly sited, with attention paid to location size to minimize the ecological footprint, these projects can create clean renewable energy. BC has a role to play in helping other jurisdictions make the transition to clean, green power. In the process, we must ensure that we preserve wilderness areas that play a critical role in storing carbon and which are crucial for ensuring that plant and animal species can adapt to the changing climate. Solutions That Work.

As BC speeds up development of cleaner, carbon-neutral energy, we need a thoughtful, comprehensive and publicly acceptable template to assess the full environmental footprint of new power proposals. Any  cumulative impacts assessment for “run of river” power projects must address the impact that multiple river diversions, roads, blasting, transmission lines and staging areas have on our land base and wildlife. A cumulative impacts assessment will only be meaningful if our environmental assessment process has teeth through a strengthened environmental assessment act. We also must set limits on the appropriate scale of a “green power” project. Notably, California’s limit is 30 megawatts, in contrast to Bute’s proposed 1,000 megawatts. Rights to use our rivers and public land must also be granted through open public processes. What You Can Do.