Save Clayoquot Sound rally on long-weekend

Save Clayoquot rally on long-weekendGillian Riddell, Westerly NewsPublished: Thursday, July 24, 2008

The Friends of Clayoquot Sound are organizing a rally to help educate residents about their concerns about the rising industrial threats to the sound.

"There are an increasing number of industrial threats to Clayoquot Sound," said Maryjka Mychajlowycz with the Friends of Clayoquot Sound, citing the exploratory mineral drilling currently underway on Catface Mountain, logging activities, a proposed run of river hydro project, and salmon farming as a few of the existing and potential activities in the intact valleys of the sound.

The August 2 rally will take place at the park at 3rd and Main Street in Tofino and will include music, speakers, and a short parade through town.

View Larger ImageCatface Mountain as seen from the First Street Dock in Tofino.Photo: J. Dart Email to a friendPrinter friendlyFont:

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Mychajlowycz said it will focus on raising awareness and providing information about the industrial threats to Clayoquot Sound.

The potential of a copper mine on Catface Mountain has increasingly been drawn into the spotlight after the Ahousaht First Nation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Vancouver company Selkirk Metals who currently hold the mining rights to the mountain which sits in traditional Ahousaht territory within Clayoquot Sound.

Following the MOU, Selkirk applied for an amendment to its exploratory permit to allow for six helicopter assisted drilling sites to determine whether there is enough copper potential to make a mine viable. Exploratory drilling on tCatface began July 21.

When asked if the Ahousaht had been informed of the rally, Mychajlowycz said the rally was not geared toward the Ahousaht or any other group and was to raise awareness and get people informed and involved.

Synex Energy is applying for a water license to build a run-of-river power project in Bulson Creek, one of the sound's intact creek valleys. Run-of-river projects use a penstock to divert rivers during the spring runoff to turn a turbine and produce electricity. The approximately 19 MW project is not considered a large project by run-of-river standards, but would require dozens of kilometres of transmission lines to connect to the BC Hydro grid. See more on this project pg. 7.

In addition to a water license, the project would also need to receive environmental approvals from the province and successfully bid for an energy purchase agreement with BC Hydro.

In Clayoquot Sound's Hesquiat Point Creek watershed, another intact valley, logging of the untouched area could potentially happen as soon as the fall.

While the Clayoquot Sound is an internationally recognized UNESCO biosphere reserve, that designation does not prohibit some types of uses as a national or provincial park designation would.

--griddell@westerlynews.ca