Fraser Valley cross-border environmental rebellion

Plans for "merchant" power plant turn Canadian business people and American farmers into environmental radicals

By: Penney Kome

  ABBOTSFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA: Mary Reeves had only been working for the Abbotsford Downtown Business Association about six months last March, when "a little old lady walked in with a letter and asked for information about a new pipeline and power transmission cable," due to go through the business section of town. When she investigated, Reeves discovered "the biggest issue to hit this community in fifty years or more."
  Since then feelings have been running high in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley, and other Lower Fraser Valley communities. B.C. residents are joining hands across the border with residents of Whatcom County, Washington, to block a proposed commercial electric generation facility called Sumas Energy 2 (SE-2) in Sumas, Washington, a scant km upwind of Abbotsford.
 

"Clean-burning" natural gas generator would dump three tonnes of emissions daily into the Lower Fraser Valley - Canada's "second most sensitive airshed"

  Critics say that if National Energy Systems Co (NESCO) proceeds with SE-2, the gas-burning plant would dump three tonnes of emissions daily into the already-fragile Lower Fraser Valley airshed. Reports from governments on both sides of the border predict that visibility would decrease, while particulate matter and greenhouse gases would increase.
  "It's the second most sensitive airshed in Canada," said Reeves. "And this valley produces 65 to 70 percent of all agriculture in BC." For Canadians, then, SE-2 offers only environmental disadvantages. ADBA's protest is supported by a diverse coalition that includes the BC Ministry of the Environment, the BC Liberal Party, the Canadian Alliance Party, the BC Lung Association, the Sumas Indian Band and the Sierra Legal Defence Fund as well as other BC communities.

ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS
  The Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) review of NESCO's application has to include the socioeconomic aspects as well. NESCO estimates that, during construction, SE-2 would generate $11 million in payroll and $22 million in non-salary expenditures, all to be spent in Whatcom County.
  To that, the Whatcom County environmental group GASP replies, "SE-2 will kill more people than it will employ!" GASP has mounted a vocal campaign, urging Washingtonians to petition SEFSEC, the Sumas Mayor and Council, and the Governor, Gary Locke.

A cause so big it unites NDP, Liberals and Alliance in BC's lower mainland

NATIONAL ENERGY BOARD
  NESCO already operates a 125-megawatt generating facility in Sumas. Its proposed second "merchant" plant would be nearly triple the size, 660 megawatts, in expectation of sales to customers outside the region (possibly California) although no customers have been identified as yet.
  SE-2 might escape some state environmental restrictions because most emissions would drift across the border. The location also allows easy access to Canadian natural gas for fuel, and access to BC Hydro's power lines as a carrier to potential customers farther south.
  But here's the catch: In order to run a 230,000-volt cable for one-half mile through BC territory , NESCO needs permission from the National Energy Board of Canada.
  GASP supporters believe the Canadian regulator is more likely to stop the project than the US regulators are. When the NEB announced it would hold a hearing on the proposal, 402 people tried to file applications to appear as intervenors - so many that they jammed the NEB's fax machine.
  NEB's preliminary hearing on January 20 brought more than 3,000 protesters from British Columbia and Washington State to Abbotsford BC, for "the largest social-action demonstration in the Fraser Valley's history," according to the local Abbynews.
  Ian Waddell, BC's new Minister of Environment, Land and Parks, dropped in unexpectedly at the "Rally for the Valley", and promptly declared support for the protesters, as his predecessor Joan Sawicke had already done. BC Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell wrote an open letter to Washington Governor Gary Locke in which he warned that, "Air pollution in the Fraser Valley already presents a human health hazard 43% of the time."

PASSIONATE RESISTANCE
  Reeves says that while it might seem odd that business associations in Abbotsford and elsewhere oppose NESCO's pursuit of profit, "This would be the largest power plant in Washington State and it's being built in the most volatile airshed. It makes absolutely no sense to put it where it would do the most harm, especially since the power isn't even needed here [in BC] or in Washington."
  Under normal circumstances, EFSEC completes its research and delivers a decision within a year of receiving an application. With SE-2, however, EFSEC has sought extension after extension, and at this point is not due to release its decision until March. "Nobody wants to be the party to stop the plant," said Reeves, "or to give it the go-ahead either."
  The NEB has held one series of preliminary hearings already, and is due to reconvene in April. Reeves says that "We're happy that Federal Environment Minister David Anderson has encouraged the NEB to look at the impact of the plant on Canada," and not just the narrow question of the half-mile cable.
  More surprisingly, she said, the CPR Railroad has taken the same position. "There's a large group of people threatening CPR with a blockade if power cable goes on their rights of way," said Reeves. And she laughed, "You'd think we're a bunch of wild-eyed radicals here, but there are a lot of people in suits involved. People are feeling pretty passionate about this."

Penney Kome is a Calgary author and journalist and Editor of Women'space - www.womenspace.ca.

Get More/Do More
Abbotsford Downtown Business Association

Whatcom County GASP

The Abbotsford News

National Energy Board of Canada

NEB Hearing transcripts on SE-2

Washington State Energy Facility State Evaluation Council

Other articles from the Kome connections

Posted, January 29, 2001

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