2015: Stop the Site C Megaproject and Keep the Peace Valley Intact Forever

Some years are more critical than others. 2015 is the most critical for the Peace River Valley. After 40 years of questioning the wisdom of a third dam on the Peace River, it has come down to this: the BC Government decision that construction of the Site C dam is set to begin in the summer of 2015. At $8.8 billion, Site C is the most expensive public infrastructure project ever in BC history. Yet the BC government has refused to allow the BC Utilities Commission, the independent body established to protect BC ratepayers and taxpayers, to examine the dam proposal. Of the over 18,000 pages of information provided to the Joint Review Panel for public examination, only 7 pages dealt with the cost of Site C – effectively a back-of-the envelope calculation for sending the province into billions of debt to provide power for which there is no demonstrated need. Past and ongoing efforts to Stop Site C have given us good standing in the ‘court of public opinion’. The countless letters, petitions, fundraising efforts, videos, photos, River’s Day events, Paddles for the Peace, and other grassroots efforts have so far delayed the start of construction of Site C. We owe a tremendous expression of gratitude to the many people who have volunteered so much of their life to saving the Peace. However, despite our efforts Christy Clark has green-lighted the dam. The best option now is to seek the assistance of the Courts to protect the Peace Valley for future generations. This is a very high stakes battle. Six strong court cases are currently before the courts seeking to set aside the flawed government issuance of the Environmental Assessment Certificates (EACs). Two are from the Peace Valley Landowner Association, and four are from First Nations. A backgrounder on the cases is also attached. We must win. The court cases will be costly to run, but we owe it to all those who have come before us to challenge decisions that will destroy the best farmland in northern BC, ruin the remainder of the Peace River Valley forever, and have massive negative consequences for BC ratepayers and taxpayers. This will not be cheap. The Peace Valley Landowner Association is fundraising for $200,000 to finance our two legal challenges. We are 46% of the way there with over $90,000 raised to date. We are asking you – whether your concern is the loss of prime agricultural land, the loss of wilderness, the loss of hunting and fishing, the increased debt or the massive cost to taxpayers and ratepayers of the construction of Site C – to help raise the funds necessary to challenge the defective Environmental Assessment Certificates in court. We urge you to: 1. Donate online at fundrazr.com or if you wish to avoid administrative costs associated with online donations, mail PVLA a cheque at: Peace Valley Landowner Association SS#2, Site 12, Comp. 19 Fort St John, BC. V1J 4M7 2. Spread the message to your contacts. 3. Educate people that this is our opportunity to win and the last chance for the Peace. 2015 is a critical year for the Peace. A deciding year. Please donate generously and help us make sure it’s the right decision – a decision that keeps the Peace intact forever. Thank you for all of your help to make 2015 the Year of the Peace! Check out this youtube video to learn more. Please contact me if you have any questions or would like further information. Regards, Ken Peace Valley Landowner Assoc. Ken Boon, President SS#2, Site 12, Comp 19 Fort St. John, BC V1J 4M7 (250)262-3205 pvla@xplornet.com https://www.facebook.com/peacevalleylandownerassoc https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/0uUL7