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2 Tuesday July 28 2015 INDUSTRY HYDRO NEWS BRIEFS RCMP asking public to be aware of GHB date-rape sedative Police in Yellowknife are asking the public to be aware of the sedative gamma hydroxybutyrate GHB after an un- namedpersonreportedbecomingillandunconsciousafter consuming a drink that was left unattended in a local bar on July 17. Often referred to as a date-rape drug liquid GHB is odourless colourless and tasteless and can easily be slipped into other peoples drinks without their notic- ing. Incidents of people tampering with drinks should be reported to police. CrackcocainefoundatHayRiverre department training facility Hay River RCMP have seized a large quantity of crack cocaine after the stash was discovered at a training facil- ity used by the Hay River Fire Department. Fireghters found 1.5 kilograms of crack cocaine hidden behind a piece of sheet metal on July 24 while performing build- ing maintenance at the location. An investigation into the discovery is ongoing. Porcupine caribou calving grounds protected from seismic testing TheU.S.DistrictCourtrejectedthestateofAlaskaseffortto conductseismictestingonJuly22effectivelyprotectingthe 1.5million-acrecoastalplainoftheArcticRefugeandPorcu- pine caribou calving habitat. After its drilling proposal was repeatedly rejected by the U.S. Department of the Interior the state asked a federal court to overturn the decision and allow seismic exploration on the fragile coastal plain. Con- servation and Gwichin groups are hailing the recent ruling as a victory for the Arctic Refuge. The GNWT is hosting public engagement sessions to discuss a northern conservation approach for the Thaidene Nn TDN Area of Interest including proposed territorial conservation boundaries discussion of northern tools that may be used to address northern conservation interests and the creation of a conservation economy for the area. We need your input about Thaidene Nn Public Engagement Sessions from 700 930 pm July 27 Fort Smith Roaring Rapids Hall July 28 Hay River Ptarmigan Inn July 29 Fort Resolution Community Hall For more information including meeting locations in other communities please visit www.enr.gov.nt.caprogramsthaidene-nene-area-interest. To submit comments and questions please contact Mr. Darin Bagshaw Environment and Natural Resources at Darin_Bagshawgov.nt.ca or 867 920-6336. 128-374 NNSL Alberta First Nations drop court action against Site C dam By MEAGAN WOHLBERG First Nations in northeast- ern Alberta dropped their legal ght against BC Hydros Site C dam last week after the company and federal gov- ernment agreed to address the hydro projects potential impacts on the Peace-Atha- basca Delta. The Mikisew Cree and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations were prepared for federal court last week when Canada and BC Hydro ac- quiesced to concerns about downstream impacts the third dam on the Peace River could hold for the delta in Wood Buffalo National Park. Its interesting how this all unfolded said Melody Lepine director of govern- ment and industry relations for the Mikisew Cree. Our judicial review was about the potential water issues Site C would cause downstream to our delta and now just days before court they agreed it will be dealt with. In a way this is a good thing since we nallygotthemtoaddressim- pacts to the delta our issue all along. The court challenges from the two Fort Chipewyan First Nations both alleged a lack of adequate consultation and accommodation with respect to their inherent rights. Both say the existing hydro on the Peace River has already impacted the environment and their traditional way of life in the delta. While those concerns were raised during the Site C review process management actions for the delta were never included in the review panels nal rec- ommendations. In fact the report said the delta would not be affected. Now with promises from the Crown and company that the delta will be addressed Lepine said Mikisew had no choicebuttodropthelawsuit. We had to withdraw the challenge in order to accept this offer from them she said. We would be seen as being unreasonable and ask- ing the courts to deal with an issue that Canada and BC Hydro would say is dealt with would allow the courts to rule against us resulting in us possibly losing not hav- ing the delta issues addressed and also having to pay for all the legal costs. The state of the delta is currently under international scrutiny after the Mikisew brought their concerns about hydro and oilsands impacts to the UNESCO World Heri- tage Committee. The delta is situated in the heart of Wood BuffaloNationalParkaworld heritage site. Earlier this month the committee announced it would be sending a fact- nding mission to the park to assess the First Nations this issue and they refused to listen to us resulting in the court action. TheJournalapproachedthe CanadianEnvironmentalAs- sessmentAgencyforcomment buttheydeclinedonthebasis thatthereisongoinglitigation inrelationtothefederalenvi- ronmental assessment of BC Hydros Site C project. This is the third instance of First Nations withdrawing from legal action against the dam this month. OnJuly2theMcLeodLake Indian Band withdrew from concerns and the health of the delta. It also instructed Parks Canada to conduct a strategic environmental as- sessment of the park includ- ing possible management ac- tions to address the cumu- lative impacts of industry and warned Canada against taking any decision related to any of these development projects that would be dif- cult to reverse. Lepine wonders if the global attention had anything todowithlastweeksdecision by Canada and BC Hydro. Im wondering if the UNESCO petition had put pressure on Canada to deal with the delta issue she said. Something is telling me that is quite possible since this all came so suddenly and we have been dealing with them for the past three years on a Supreme Court challenge launchedincoordinationwith the Prophet River Doig River and West Moberly First Na- tions one month after hear- ings wrapped up in May. The threeremainingFirstNations began their federal challenge of the dam last Tuesday. Soon after the Saulteau First Nations completed an impact benets agreement with BC Hydro for Site C on July 12 thereby consenting to the project. A similar lawsuit launched bythePeaceValleyLandown- ersAssociationwasdismissed on July 3. The group which alleges the province over- looked critical economic rec- ommendations made by the review panel in approving the dam put forward a separate federal challenge last week in federal court in Vancouver. Our judicial review was about the potential water issues Site C would cause downstream to our delta and now just days before court they agreed it will be dealt with. In a way this is a good thing. Melody Lepine Mikisew Cree First Nation An engineers illustration of the Site C dam on the Peace River. The project received construction permits this month. ImagecourtesyofBCHydro