Foundation of the BC Rivers Alliance
News release
BC Creek Protection Society
August 22, 2007
VANCOUVER BC - A group of conservation, recreational and public power
organizations have banded together to create the BC Rivers Alliance to fight the proliferation of private power projects on BC rivers.
BC Rivers Alliance was founded in opposition to the rapidly proliferating “gold rush” of privately owned 'run-of-river' hydro power projects in British Columbia.
The BC Rivers Alliance is concerned about the sustainability of run-of-river projects since the scale of the province wide development with over 450 water license applications is significant and will have ecological and societal impacts.
The purpose of the Alliance is to unite groups and organizations working across BC that have an interest in the well being of BC rivers. The efforts of the alliance will be rooted in a set of core values that are accepted and supported by its members.
Rivers Alliance Core Values:
- Wilderness conservation to protect wild salmon and species at risk
- Watershed and ecosystem integrity
- Sustainable power solutions
- Equal consideration of all river users and stakeholders
- Public hydro power
- Conservation of power to meet demand
- Comprehensive and transparent approval processes for hydro projects
- Non partisan
Current Supporters of BC Rivers Alliance include:
BC Citizens for Public Power, www.citizensforpublicpower.ca
BC Creek Protection Society, bc-creeks.org
Burke Mountain Naturalists, bmn.bc.ca
Canoe Kayak BC - Whitewater, www.canoekayakbc.ca
Outdoor Recreation Council of BC, www.orcbc.ca
Purcell Alliance for Wilderness
Raincoast Conservation Society, www.raincoastaction.org
Save our Rivers Society, www.ourrivers.ca
Vancouver Island Whitewater Paddling Society, www.surfkayak.org
Watershed Watch Salmon Society, www.watershed-watch.org
Western Canada Wilderness Committee, www.wildernesscommittee.org
American Whitewater, www.americanwhitewater.org
Contact Information:
Petra Drncova, BC Creek Protection Society, petra@drnec.cz