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Alberta First Nations sue Feds over B.C. dam project

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Alberta First Nations sue Feds over B.C. dam project

When British Columbia built the massive Bennett dam on the Peace River, northern Alberta First Nations had to move their homes because water levels fluctuated drastically.

That was the 1960s and two northern Alberta First Nations don’t want to see that happen again now that BC Hydro has approval for a third dam, Site C, on the Peace River.

The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and Mikisew Cree First Nation filed a lawsuit Thursday in Federal Court against the $7.9-billion hydroelectric project that was given environmental approval by the federal government earlier this fall.

The bands say the Site C dam was approved without considering the environmental impacts on the crucial Athabasca delta where the river, which flows through northern B.C., runs into Lake Athabasca north of Fort McMurray.

“When they built the Bennett dam, no one thought about how the delta would be affected,” said ACFN Chief Allan Adam.

“Once the dam was built, it was too late to address our concerns. We are worried history is repeating itself with Site C.”

The delta, designated an UNESCO heritage site, is a crucial area for migratory birds and wildlife, including dozens of threatened species and is used extensively for hunting by First Nations, said Eriel Deranger, spokesperson for the ACFN. The delta is already under pressure from two B.C. dams, as well as rapidly expanding oilsands development, said Deranger.

“This is one of the largest freshwater deltas in the world and we’ve already seen ecological strain from dams, climate change and oilsands development,” said Deranger. “How will it be further affected?” The two bands were interveners at the hearings for the dam in B.C., she added.

Deranger said the First Nations have had some discussions with Alberta Environment over the past year about the proposed dam’s impact on the sensitive delta she said.

But there has not been a thorough study of the impact of all this development – expanding oilsands and electric power together, called cumulative effects, she said.

While that is supposed to happen under the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan, that plans does not take into account developments in B.C., she said.

The Site C dam project would flood 5,400 hectares of land in northeastern B.C. and would generate power for an estimated 450,000 homes.

The two bands’ lawsuit is in addition to a separate one filed Wednesday by four B.C. bands. They want the dam approval overturned on the grounds the project would damage their ability to exercise treaty rights.

 

http://www.canada.com/news/edmonton/Alberta+First+Nations+Feds+over+project/10378066/story.html

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