| I N F O R M A T I O N B U L L E T I N | |
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| For Immediate Release 330-30:ELP99/00-505 May 11, 1999 |
Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks |
West Kootenay Power, the City of Nelson, Columbia Power Corporation, Cominco Ltd. and B.C. Hydro have committed funding totaling $53,000 to the one-time study to examine how and where gas pressure is produced in the two rivers. Normal levels of naturally-occurring gases can increase when combined with water released over dam spillways. Some hydroelectric dams increase the concentration of these gases to levels that may result in fish mortalities.
The information obtained from the study will help agencies in the United States and Canada determine and address the environmental impacts of power generation on the Columbia and Kootenay rivers. The study builds on research conducted through the Columbia River Integrated Environmental Monitoring Program (CRIEMP) and will be carried out by RL&L Environmental Consultants of Castlegar.
Monitoring will be completed by October and a final report released to the public in February, 2000.
| Contact: Bill Macpherson, (250) 354-6346 or cell (250) 354-8369 Communications Kootenay Region |
Julia Beatty, (250) 354-6752 Environment Section Head Pollution Prevention Branch |