The Province (Vancouver, B.C., Canada), December 11, 2007

LEGAL APPEALS EXHAUSTED, SO ONLY AVENUE LEFT LEADS TO VICTORIA

[Rachel's introduction: People of the Tsawwassen first nation in Canada opposed a proposal to place huge electric powerlines above their homes. They based their appeal on the precautionary principle because several studies have linked childhood leukemia to living near powerlines. Last week Canada's Supreme Court rejected that precautionary appeal.]

By Brian Lewis, The Province

For a group of frustrated residents fighting to protect their Tsawwassen neighbourhood, this is likely the final call to the B.C. government for a display of common sense.

The battle by the Tsawwassen Residents Against Higher Voltage Lines -- to stop the B.C. Transmission Corp. from building two 230-kilovolt transmission lines supported by 40-metre steel towers on a four- kilometre right-of-way over their 150 homes, schools and parks -- is drawing to a close.

A decision late last week by the Supreme Court of Canada to deny the residents leave to appeal an earlier B.C. Court of Appeal decision, which favoured the BCTC, was a serious blow to the residents, who have now spent almost $400,000 -- raised by nickels and dimes from personal pockets, donations, garage sales, etc. -- on fighting the provincial Crown corporation in court.

The Supreme Court gave no reason for its decision, which the resident group had based on the "precautionary principle."

This is a guideline, used in many countries, which says that when there's no absolute scientific proof, one way or the other, that something may be harmful to human health, one should either avoid the risk or take adequate safeguards.

The residents wanted the senior court to order the B.C. Utilities Commission to use that principle in applying a decision to the BCTC application to upgrade its existing lower-voltage lines through Tsawwassen. The primary concern is that the high-voltage power lines, which in many cases will run right over residential backyards, will expose homeowners and their families to electromagnetic fields over the long term.

For years there have been concerns that electromagnetic fields may cause serious health problems, including increased incidents of leukemia, especially among children. However, even though absolute proof has not been established one way or the other on the impacts of human exposure, countries such as the U.K. now exercise cautionary limits when placing high-voltage power lines in populated areas.

But that isn't happening in B.C.

To date, Victoria has stood solidly behind the B.C. Utilities Commission's 2006 decision to allow the BCTC to build the overhead line through Tsawwassen, even though the commission did not consider all other options and based its call only on lower costs. Since then, research by the resident group has found that horizontal direct drilling, which is a common technique in the oilpatch, can be used to lay power lines underground, encased in protective pipelines.

Even Delta South Liberal MLA Val Roddick and the Delta municipal council back this technology as an obvious solution for Tsawwassen.

And while the horizontal drilling industry itself says the extra costs are likely less than $10 million, the BCTC counters it'll be an extra $40 million to make the switch, but I'm told this is a figure that's purely political, not practical.

I'm also told the option for switching to horizontal direct-drilling in Tsawwassen now sits on B.C. Energy Minister Richard Neufeld's desk.

Mr. Minister, you have an excellent opportunity to prove that the "green" policies in your government represent a better environment and not merely a drive to save dollars, no matter what the consequences to taxpayers.

Copyright The Vancouver Province 2007