Bellingham Whitewater

Show Your Support for BC Creeks…

Just wanted to get some more exposure for an email message that has been making the rounds this morning. Bryan Smith of The Range Life sent out a message asking us boaters to show support for protecting the spectacular whitewater runs of British Columbia from private hydropower development. Rather than repeat Bryan’s message, I’ll just reprint it below. I’d only add that if you value whitewater runs like the Ashlu and Callaghan Creek, then make the extra effort on Monday, February 26th to show your support.

Bryan’s message: (note: SLRD = Squamish-Lillooet Regional District)

Hey Everyone,

I realize this comes late and it would be very difficult for some of you, but it is REALLY important in the scheme of things here in the Sea to Sky corridor. If you care about rivers in kayaking in BC and want to have rivers to paddle in August, you really have no excuse for not coming up here on Monday. In fact you should come ski on Sunday, because it is looking epic! Monday Feb 26 at 10:30 there is a public hearing in Pemberton on the Ashlu. This is a very interesting turn of events and many feel it will set big precedent with the SLRD and local government. I will try to explain.

Bill 30 was enacted to allow Ledcor to start construction on the Ashlu despite being denied zoning by the SLRD (local government) by an 8-1 vote. As many of you know they are well underway with construction. BUT…Ledcor has been taking a lot of bad PR and many in the community have tagged them as “operating without permits”. There future in this corridor and on other projects (hello…they own the water license for Callaghan) depends on them manufacturing local public consent. Well guess what is happening. They have gone back to the SLRD after the fact and applied for the permits. The same permits that they were denied after all the public hearings. If no one shows up in Pemberton on Monday and supports the local government, it will be very easy for this to turn into another back door deal, where Ledcor walks away with permits and ultimately permission from the local government. We have to stand behind the SLRD on this issue. I can’t explain how critical it is.

I’m starting to uncover a lot on this issue working on a documentary of the Ashlu and micro hydro in the Sea to Sky. Hopefully there will be some funding to keep efforts moving forward. So many people have dropped off the fight (Stuart and others). We can’t give in.

Thanks for your help. I will have a lot more coming at you soon, but I have been swamped in trying to get things done locally as well. Pass this email along. A good showing is really important.

Bryan

There’s some more good info, as well as a sample letter and email contacts in this thread on Boatertalk. Be sure to check out the following sites for more details:

Hydrofacts BC
Ashlu.info

Bryan, along with John Grace, has also put together an excellent short video showing the destruction that has already taken place on the Ashlu. Take a look at it on LVM. Just click on the picture under “LVM TV”. If the video doesn’t get you fired up about this issue, then I’m not sure what will.

It sounds as though there are already some Bhamsters with plans to head up on Monday. If you are in the Bellingham area, leave a comment if you need a lift, and you’ll find a map and meeting info here. This is short notice for sure, but it is well worth the extra effort. Show your support and join the fight!

I’ll close with a few pics from our trip to Callaghan last summer:

Photo by Eric Mickelson

Photo by Eric Mickelson

Photo by Hilary Neevel