James Dumont, lawyer for the Crees, has asked that Vermont’s Public Service Board revoked the license that allows Hydro-Quebec to import power to the U.S. state. Dumont said in a legal argument that the utilities aren’t pursuing energy conservation enough.
Another concern was the migratory birds that nest in James Bay. They are already at risk, say the environmental groups. More large-scale development on the part of Hydro-Quebec would likely cause irreversible damage to their populations and breeding habits.
The Public Service Board was considering a 16.7 per cent increase in electricity rates by Green Mountain Power, an increase that the company says is two-thirds attributable to rising costs for Canadian power.
While Hydro-Quebec won’t lower the rates they have put a carrot before the utilities. Hydro-Quebec officials have talked to Vermont’s utilities about beefing up their power-transmission grid to give them increased access to the southern New England market. About 500 megawatts is the rumoured increase that Hydro-Quebec is seeking. Hydro-Quebec is offering to pay to transmit the increased amount of power. A choice that some Vermont utilities say would offset the higher rates they are now paying.
Dumont wrote in his brief, “Hydro-Quebec remains steadfast in its desire to build massive newimpoundments in Cree territory, divert rivers upon which Cree life depends, flood Cree lands (and)destroy the habitat upon which Vermont and Cree migratory birds depend in order to export moreenergy to the United States.” He wrote it was déjà vu for the Crees.
Dumont called for a board review of any new agreements on transmission between Hydro-Quebecand Vermont utilities.
