New York State has signed an electricity deal that will
produce an ecological catastrophe on a scale with the devastation
of the Amazon: dozens of huge dams, thousands of square miles of
flooded lands, mercury poison in lakes and rivers, death to
caribou, whales, polar bears, seals and migratory birds. It will
shatter the culture of the Cree Indians and Inuit. It will not
provide lower electric rates. It will not bring jobs to New York.
And we don't need the electricity.
Now for the good news: Governor Cuomo can still save the day,
and you can help him. Please read below:
1. The James Bay hydroelectric dam development in Canada is the
largest, most expensive (about $40 billion) and most destructive
energy project ever in North America. Created by Hydro-Quebec,
the project divides into two phases: Phase I is already complete,
with horrendous effects on the land and the wildlife. James Bay
II was delayed for a time so financing and new markets for
electricity could be found. That's when Governor Cuomo and the
New York Power Authority came in, saying New York would buy some
power. And Shearson Lehman/American Express arranged financial
backing for Hydro-Quebec.
2. If the entire project is completed, a system of 650 dams and
dikes will block almost every wild river in a wilderness watershed
the size of France. Flooding alone will cover five million acres
(the size of New Hampshire). Including roads rammed through the
wilderness, as well as airports, power lines, power plants and
other buildings and facilities, the overall impact will compare
with the destruction of the Amazon. Environmentalists call James
Bay "the Amazon of the North."
3. We are speaking of one of the great wild areas on the Earth.
It's a land of thousands of pristine lakes and rivers. Here is
the largest caribou herd in North America. Here is the home of an
extremely rare population of freshwater seals. Here is the
calving ground of thousands of beluga whales. Polar bears, black
bears, lynx, beaver, moose, show geese, and hundreds of kinds of
ducks and migrating birds live here.
4. James Bay is also home to 15,000 Cree Indians and Inuit who
have lived peacefully here for 5,000 years, fishing and hunting
in an ages-old balanced relationship with nature. But since
Hydro-Quebec came on the scene, their world has abruptly changed.
The floods have released vast amounts of mercury into their
crystal-clear lakes and rivers, poisoning the trout, the white
fish and char. All are now inedible. Caribou migration routes
have been disrupted by construction and water releases. Thousands
have been killed.
5. The Grand Chief of the Cree, Matthew Coon come, has put it this way:
"The lands of my people have begun to look like a battlefield
after a bomb raid. Wildlife habitats are flooded. Rivers and lakes
are poisoned by mercury. We can no longer eat the fish. Animals are
dying by the thousands. Our values are oriented to nature. If you
destroy the land you destroy the Cree people. Parents can no llonger
teach children out on the land. We're losing our way of life. We
don't want your money. WE want these projects stopped. Where can
you buy a wilderness so vast and beautiful?"
6. The James Bay project is a virtual death warrant for the great
Cree Nation. The flooding has stressed their economy. The Native
fear that new construction will bring an influx of 20,000
non-natives, further impacting the fragile land and wildlife, while
also bringing prostitution and alcohol. All this will be a grave
threat to Native family life.
7. The government of Quebec says the projects are supported by the
Natives. That is not true. The Indians never heard of this project
until Phase I construction was started in a remote area. They found
out on the radio. Later, they were coerced into signing a
retroactive agreement which was supposed to protect their hunting
and fishing rights and the environment. Like most treaties with
Indians, this one has been ignored. The Natives had to go to court
to demand enforcement.
8. Finally, however, the keys to the project lie here in the U.S.
Both New York state and Vermont have said they would buy power. If
they reverse course, the project will not be financially feasible
and will be delayed for many years. The only mystery is why the
states signed on at all.
9. Energy studies have clearly shown the following: (1) New York
and Vermont will not need new energy for at least a decade. (2)
Conservation of energy and alternate energy sources would be non-
destructive, would reduce air emissions, and would be at least 20%
cheaper. (3) Alternate energy sources and investment in energy
efficiency are far more labor intensive than hydro: more jobs!
(4) Transmission of energy by high-powered lines marching across
the state is inefficient and potentially dangerous.
10. Why did Governor Cuomo back James Bay? Chief Matthew Coon Come
of the Cree said he believes the governor was simply not well
advised. In any case, Mr. Cuomo could still become a hero. The
governor can have the deal cancelled without penalty. He has asked
for a year to decide. But he needs to cancel now, to send a message
to other markets.
11. As for the financial institutions behind the project-
Shearson- Lehman/American Express- joined by Merrill Lynch and
First Boston-they should be told there are better ways to profit
than by devastating a great wilderness, destroying animals and
killing a traditional culture that has shown to live without
destroying nature. Please help stop the James Bay project. It makes
no sense environmentally or economically. Write letters. Tell your
friends. Mail the coupons. Please act now. Thank you.
James Bay Coalition:
Earth Island Institute
Environmental Planning Lobby
Friends of the Earth
Grand Council of the Cree
Greenpeace
The Humane Society of the United States
National Audobon Society
Native American Council of New York City
Natural Resources Defense Council
Rainforest Action Network
Sierra Club
Student Environmental Action Coalition of New York
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The coupons:
_______________________________________________________________
| Governor Mario Cuomo |
| Executive Chamber, State Capitol, Albany, NY 12224 |
| |
| We don't need more studies to know that th massive James |
| Bay project is the most devastating project ever in North |
| America. The economic effects are also bad: higher electric |
| rates and fewer jobs than alternative energy schemes. |
| Please have the Hydro-Quebec agreement cancelled now, and |
| help send the message that New Yorkers don't want to |
| destroy nature for expensive electricity that we don't |
| need. |
| |
| Name_________________________________________________________|
| |
| Address______________________________________________________|
|_______________________________________________________________|
[This coupon could be altered by changing "New Yorkers" to
"Americans" or whatever suits you. -Michele]
_______________________________________________________________
| |
| Mr. James Robinson III, Chairman, American Express Company |
| American Express Tower, World Financial Center |
| 200 Vesey Street, New York, NY 10285 |
| |
| There are better ways for your Shearson Lehman Brothers |
| division to act than by backing the most socially and |
| environmentally irresponsible project on this continent. |
| Please, inform your partners in this project, Merrill Lynch |
| and First Boston of my opinion, and that you will withdraw |
| all backing from this disaster. |
| |
| [ ] I am an American Express cardholder. |
| [ ] I am not an American Express cardholder. |
| |
| Name________________________________________________ |
| Address___________________________________________________ |
|_______________________________________________________________|
________________________________________________________________
| |
| The James Bay Project, c/o Greenpeace |
| P.O. Box 2032, New York, NY 10013 |
| |
| I want to help block the James Bay dams: |
| [ ] I have mailed the other coupons. |
| [ ] Please send me more information abou what I can do. |
| [ ] I am sending a tax deductable donation for continued |
| public education about the James Bay dams issue. |
| [] $10 []$25 []$50 []$100 []Other_____ |
| |
| [ ] I am an American Express cardholder. |
| |
| Name_________________________________________________ |
| |
| Address______________________________________________ |
|_______________________________________________________________|
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+**+
Michele Lord * Walk in Peace with
(milo@scicom.alphacdc.com) * our Mother Earth
+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*+=*