Received today.
Dear River Advocates;
Below is a story from today's Vancouver Sun,
on an important piece of legislation now before
the Senate in Ottawa that could seriously harm
public access to -- and protection of -- rivers.
Mark Angelo, chair of the newly-created Rivers Institute
at BCIT, is interviewed in this article by Larry Pynn.
There will also be a feature story on CBC TV news
tonight and we will distribute a link to that once it runs.
The legislation appears before the Finance Committee
of the Senate this week, so urgent action is needed.
Please take the time to contact your senator to express
your opinion on the proposed changes to the
Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA).
Coalition to wage campaign for waterways;
Budget legislation would amend act that protects rivers
The Vancouver Sun
Mon 09 Mar 2009
Page: A4
Section: Westcoast News
Byline: Larry Pynn
Source: Vancouver Sun
A coalition of groups worried that new federal budget legislation will endanger rivers by scaling back environmental assessments for developments on waterways is launching a campaign to battle the plan.
Now that the budget has been passed and goes before the Senate finance committee this week, the groups are urging senators to withdraw the relevant section -- Part 7 of the Budget Implementation Act.
It would amend the Navigable Waters Protection Act, which dates back to 1882 and protects public access to navigable rivers.
The changes are "very significant" and represent a "radical transformation" in the protection of thousands of rivers and streams in Canada, says Mark Angelo, chair of the Rivers Institute, which has joined forces with the Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C., Mountain Equipment Co-op and the Canadian Rivers Network.
Angelo, an Order of Canada recipient and head of BCIT's fish, wildlife, and recreation department, says the chair of the Senate finance committee, Senator Joseph Day, and several other senators have "publicly expressed their concern about the proposed changes to the NWPA, which is encouraging.
"Consequently, we're now starting a major campaign to encourage the Senate to withdraw section 7 of the budget, which includes the NWPA amendments.
"It's also important to note that the withdrawal of this one section would not delay or jeopardize the implementation of the rest of the budget in any way."
Angelo said staff in Senator Larry Campbell's office "told me they have been receiving hundreds of calls, e-mails and faxes a day from Canadians expressing their concern about proposed changes to the NWPA."
Angelo argued the changes would create a tiered system of waterways, granting government the discretionary authority to identify those waterways deemed worthy of federal protection. They also threaten to limit navigation rights, while reducing the number of environmental assessments and the assurance of an open and accountable public approval process.
Major infrastructure projects in B.C. that cross streams and rivers could be affected by the change, as well as run-of-river hydro developments affecting fish-bearing streams.
"The protection of navigation rights has historically also served to protect environmental values," Angelo said in an interview. "The protection of one helps the other."
The bill was tabled Jan. 27 and received first reading Feb. 6, although the full ramifications of the changes were not immediately appreciated. It passed the House of Commons last week.
Transport Minister John Baird argues the changes are intended to remove an antiquated regulatory burden from developers and governments for "shovel-ready" projects to stimulate the economy.
The B.C. government has asked that the existing act be repealed and replaced by legislation that reduces regulatory barriers to fast-tracking infrastructure projects.
"If the act needs updating, let's come together and do it through public consultation in an open and transparent manner," Angelo said in response.
The proposed changes would allow, in part, the minister to "establish classes of works or navigable waters" and "impose any terms and conditions with respect to the placement, construction, maintenance, operation, safety, use and removal of those classes of works or works that are built or placed in, on, over, under, through or across those classes of navigable waters."
The minister would have to review the changes and issue a report within five years.
Vancouver-based Mountain Equipment Co-op, boasting more than one million members, said Canada's "waterways are under threat" from the proposed amendments, which would "limit Canadians' right to navigate and access our waterways and subject many of them to development without review or public consultation."
The Canadian Rivers Network expressed "very serious concerns about the complete lack of public consultation" on the amendments. "We understand that it is important to initiate infrastructure projects to stimulate the economy. But we should not use that as an opportunity to deconstruct safeguards put in place to protect Canada's environment."
Angelo said the groups opposing the changes include outdoor recreationists, conservation organizations, community groups, first nations, the commercial recreation sector, river advocates, paddlers and fishermen.
Author
Topic: Threat to protection of fish habitat and our right to acess waterways (Read 4497 times)