Site "C" Dam Project Protests Evident
By 250 News
Wednesday, July 26, 2006 04:01 AM

If the Site “C” dam suggested for the Peace River, about 7 kms downstream from Fort St. John, goes ahead, then most of the low lying land in this photo will be under water.
The dam would be the third on the Peace River. The cost to build the dam is not clear, as the three scenarios outlined by BC Hydro range from $2.3 billion to $3.2 billion. In it’s outline B.C. Hydro says the cost estimates are in 2004 dollars, and the estimates do not include any expenses for corporate overhead, inflation, or interest.
But there is opposition. All along the highway between Chetwynd and Hudson’s Hope, the signs of opposition are clear.
This one, on a tree along the highway, notes the high water mark.


Thie photo on the right shows one of several protest signs erected on property in the area.
Is anyone listening?
Some locals in Fort St John peg true opposition to about 15% of the area population. They figure the rest of the mix goes something like this: 60% don’t care, 20% support, and 5% don’t know anything about it.
The project is still in “Stage 1” of a six stage plan. Here’s the breakdown of the “stages” of the project:
• Stage 1: Review of Project Feasibility (to Sept. 2006 est cost $14.7 million)
• Stage 2: Stakeholder Engagement and First Nations Consultation - (Oct. 2006 to Aug. 2007 est cost $20 million)
• Stage 3: Preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment and other Regulatory
Applications - (August 2007 to March 2008 est cost $14 million)
• Stage 4: Regulatory Approval Processes
• Stage 5: Engineering
• Stage 6: Construction.
Although still outlined as a possibility in B.C. Hydro’s 20 year plan, B.C. Hydro makes it clear, the decision to go forward with the project belongs to the Provincial Cabinet alone.
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It is too bad though, for the millions and millions of dollars generated in the Peace Region for the province that the small fraction of money they get for their efforts. They get some of the worst roads going, lack of services and I still find it funny that 25% of all roads in Fort St. John are not paved, but that was a local political decision years ago.
So what am I saying, I am saying I support Site C even though it will have a huge environmental impact but I would rather have some land flooded then a natural gas, oil, coal burning plant or worst yet a nuclear plant.
The majority of the opposition in the Peace Region is being led by one person, who lives by Hudson�s Hope and has been directly affected by the initial land base purchase for Site C. She has been bitter ever since that happened and over the years has held counicllor positions on the Hudson�s Hope town council and uses that as a platform to complain about Site C. So the majority of the protests about Site C are not based on reason and logic but rather emotional ties.