Hi everyone; this morning at 8:00am, July 14/09, I proceeded to the Denny Island aerodrome, located on Denny Island in the midst of the BC Central Coast archipelago, aka "The Great Bear Rainforest" where I broke open the welded steel cover and dismantled and destroyed a large seismic shot which was slated for blasting in the early morning hours of July 17th, 2009. I took this action alone, without the participation or knowledge of any other person, association or organization. I accept full and sole responsibilty for my action and look forward to the consequences.

"Batholiths Station # 35", Denny Island BC, (see map) was drilled to a depth of 50 metres and loaded with between 600 and 1000 kilograms of dynamite according to personal communications with Dr. John Hole of the Dept. of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, chief proponent of the "Batholiths Onland Seismic Program 2009".

 

The shot was scheduled to be detonated as part of a chain of as many as 50 similar blast sites arrayed between Denny Island, along Dean and Burke Channels, through the Bella Coola valley, across the Chilcotin all the way to Quesnel, BC.

I took this action for the following reasons:

 

a) there has been no prior community information, consultation or discussion whatsoever with anyone here on Denny Island (pop approx.80) regarding this massive detonation. It was only after the arrival of the drills that people became aware that something was up. By the time anyone learned anything, the hole had been drilled and irreversibly loaded with its enormous charge. Dr. Hole has written that his expectation was that the Shearwater Resort, Heiltsuk Nation and the CRD had accepted responsibility to communicate details of the project to the various affected communities. A Shearwater Resort spokesman acknowledged that their tug and barge had been contracted to deliver drills to the island several weeks ago, but beyond that, they had no knowledge of the project. He asserted to me that the Shearwater Resort had not been approached, nor had they undertaken any commitment to handle any sort of Public Relations process to describe the project to the local community. I believe that it is unlikely that the Heiltsuk Nation or CRD have any agreement with the Batholiths proponents to disseminate information, or to conduct any PR process, -at any rate, nobody in our community has been informed or knew anything about it. I live with my family within 1 km of the blast site, as do numerous neighbours. Apparently their intention was to simply shock us out of our beds.

b) the previous incarnation of the project (Batholiths Marine Seismic Program 2007) was terminated, -basically because people did not want to see our whales driven screaming onto the beach with bleeding eardrums as a result of ocean-based seismic-source concussions. In fact, Canada's National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) withdrew funding for Batholiths 2007 based on these concerns. I believe that the proponents of the current project have been purposely secretive, are extremely negligent and have avoided informing local communites about their latest scheme, -perhaps on account of having failed to complete their first effort because of public concern.

c) there are at least 5 Sandhill crane nests within 2 kilometres of the Denny Island blast site. Local Sandhills have only recently hatched their chicks which are currently in their most vulnerable pre-flight stage. As a 3rd-year field assistant on the "Coastal Sandhill Crane Research Project" I can attest to the extreme sensitivity of these cranes. We receive more reports of local crane sightings from the Denny Island aerodrome than from any other location in our study area. Additionally, the Denny Island blast site is within 1 kilometre of the significant Kajustus salmon system, locally known for its sockeye salmon. From what information is available, no research is being conducted to monitor the effects of such a massive blast on Sandhills, birds of any species, salmonid eggs, fry, fish or any other wildlife. Additionally, no study, no research is available from the proponents which demonstrates a prior understanding of whatever effects there may be.

d) recently, the "Great Bear Rainforest" was recognized as a significant tract of intact primaeval wilderness which warranted special environmental protection. Recently, the Campbell BC government and several collaborative environmental organizations announced that they had developed a plan which would see future developments in the GBR were to be managed according to a set of principles designated "Ecosystem Based Management." While many of us in the BC environmental community see this deal as simply a Greenwash PR ploy which does little to protect this areas magnificent wilderness, nevertheless, it was purported that all development in this area now requires extensive community consultation and discussion in local communities, and in particular with First Nation communities. This latest incarnation of the Batholiths Seismic scheme clearly entirely fails to respect these principles.

I have personally requested Dr. Hole to at least withdraw the Denny Island hole from his blast program. He has refused to answer this request. Today, a large amount of seismic equipment was unloaded here on Denny Island. Given the secrecy of the project, the absence of public information, discussion or consultation, given the reckless and careless approach they have taken with even the most basic environmental concerns, I say the entire project should be scrapped. It just happens that I worked extensively in the seismic business as a teenager and am well familiar with the effects of terrestrial seismic blasting. A typical seismic shot conducted in Alberta would be about 1 kg of dynamite down a 30 metre hole. The resulting thump can be easily felt from 3 kms away, and material was frequently ejected from the holes aftershooting. I have no idea what could happen with a 1000 kg shot at 50 metres depth, but I have genuine fears of rocks raining down on my house. Dr. Hole himself even informs me that there is potential for a crater.

Tragically, there has been no time or opportunity to mobilize a less drastic opposition to the project. It is for all these reasons that I took action to destroy their hole.

For our Sandhill cranes, and this magnificent primaeval wilderness,

Sincerely,

Ingmar Lee
Box 60
Denny Island, BC
V0T-IB0

www.ingmarlee.com