Tag Archives: rivers

Is hydroelectric a pathway to decarbonization?

Watch our video to understand how hydroelectricity is greenwashed by Ontario Power Generation as “clean” and “non-emitting” when there are hundreds of independent third-party studies to the contrary. Read our full submission here!

Please sign and share our petition to protect Ontario Rivers and send OPG a strong message! 


2023 Annual Acquisition Report – ORA Feedback

Big Falls, Trout Lake River

There are currently three pumped storage projects going through the planning and approvals process, that would add approximately 2,000 MW of electricity to the grid. Developing that same Installed Capacity from small hydroelectric projects would involve 200 – 10 MW proposals that would cause untold environmental damage to dozens of Ontario rivers.  It is imperative the province does not rush or over-reach its targets and develop new electricity projects unnecessarily.

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WIN A PRIZE – COMPLETE ORA’s SURVEY

This survey ended on May 20, 2014.  Prize winners were:

1st Draw Prize Winner was Diane Robinson

2nd Draw Prize Winner was Cornelia Granbery

Thank you to all those who participated in our Survey and Strategic Plan!!

ORA is engaged in a strategic planning process designed to make our organization more effective, more responsive to member needs, and to better enable us in our mission to address the issues that face Ontario river ecosystems.

Anyone completing the survey was included in a draw for a chance to win one of two Reproductions on Canvas by Brigitte Bere, a local Sudbury Artist.

A BIG THANK YOU TO MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT COOP FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!

1st Draw Prize:  “Gossip” – Reproduction on Canvas  10″ x 12″

Sierra Exif JPEG

2nd Draw Prize:  “House in Kagawong” – Reproduction on Canvas – 10″ x 10″

House-in-Kagawong-Reproduction-on-Canvas

Brigitte is an amazing artist, and has offered these reproductions of her work to help promote our survey!  Thank you so much for your generosity Brigitte!

Brigitte-Bere-Graphic


Energy East Pipeline – ORA Comments

TransCanada is proposing to build the Energy East Pipeline which would carry tar sands oil in the form of DilBit or crude oil, from Alberta to New Brunswick.  This would entail converting 3,000 kilometres (km) of existing natural gas pipeline in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, and building over 1,500 km of new pipeline through Quebec and New Brunswick.

ORA’s Comments: Continue reading


Making Regulations under Subsection 36(5.2) of the Fisheries Act – ORA Submission

Lake Sturgeon

Excerpt:
“ORA respectfully offer our comments as prescribed in the Canada Gazette as listed above.

The proposed Regulations Establishing Conditions for Making Regulations under Subsection 36(5.2) of the Fisheries Act (Regulation) fundamentally alters the intent and enforceability of one of Canada’s most important federal laws. There has also been no meaningful, transparent and open process, or effort made to consult with the general public and stakeholders. As a result of the Government of Canada’s failure to consult with Canadians and those with expertise on this issue, both the Regulation and the supporting Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement are seriously flawed.

The sweeping changes to the Fisheries Act which were introduced in 2012 have weakened one of Canada’s most important and effective water and fisheries protection laws. This has provided opportunities for government to exempt industrial and resource development from federal rules.

The proposed Regulation lacks clarity and consistency, and amounts to an abdication of its federal responsibly for protecting fish, habitat and waterways in Canada. The contradictory regulatory scheme would make it impossible for any government regulator to fulfill the purpose of the Act, which is to “provide for the sustainability and ongoing productivity of commercial, recreational and Aboriginal fisheries”….. Continue reading



How Wolves Change Rivers

Everything is connected!

You can also check out a full-length documentary produced by PBS entitled “In the Valley of the Wolves” by clicking here.


Importing BC Hydro to California – California Rejects BC Hydro

posted November 12, 2013
by Thomas O’Keefe

California was accepting comments on whether or not it made sense to import dirty hydropower from Canada to meet renewable energy standards. Comments were specifically being called for on the draft report entitled “Including British Columbia run-of-river facilities in the California Renewables Portfolio Standards,” that included a March 2013 Consultant Report entitled “Analysis of regulatory requirements for including British Columbia run-of-river facilities in the California Renewables Portfolio Standards.” The prospects of importing British Columbia’s dirtiest hydropower to California are very dim, but the state was soliciting public comment on the report. (Notice of Availability and Request for Comments).

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posted January 21, 2014
by Megan Hooker

On January 15th, 2014, the California Energy Commission adopted a final report that reaffirms the integrity of the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) regarding imported hydropower. After 5 years of hard work, American Whitewater and our partners in the California Hydropower Reform Coalition (CHRC) and river advocates in British Columbia are celebrating this important victory, which will have a reaching impact on rivers across the border.

What do rivers in B.C. have to do with California’s RPS? In 2011, the state legislature passed the California Renewable Energy Resources Act (Senate Bill X1 2), increasing the state’s RPS goal from 20% to 33% by 2020. In a rush to capitalize on this new standard in the years leading up to the bill’s passage, hydropower developers in B.C. and utilities in California pushed the idea of allowing new hydropower development in B.C. to be considered as renewable.

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Preston Manning Argues Conservatives Should Support Carbon Pricing – CBC – The Current

An excellent CBC interview on “The Current” – Preston Manning talks about California rejecting of BC hydroelectric projects.  He refers to hydroelectric with reservoirs as “dirty hydro” because of the methane that is produced by reservoirs – which is much more worse for our climate than carbon dioxide.  He says there should be a price on power sources that damage the environment.  Check out his interview here.