Category Archives: BC Parks

Update on MPA process for the waters within the Race Rocks ER#97

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The MPA process for the federally controlled waters within the Provincial Marine Ecological Reserve started In 2000.  A proposal was submitted  by a DFO -convened  Advisory Group composed of  Sports fisheries, First Nations, science representatives, Provincial Parks, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, Pearson College representatives, whale watching groups, diving groups and several environmental NGOs . This proposal was changed for the Gazetting process  by the Department of Fisheries office in Ottawa, and the final result in the Canada Gazette was unacceptable to all members of the Advisory Board. You can read about that and a Master’s thesis documenting the process on the racerocks.com website.

Race Rocks Ecological reserve, photo by Adam Harding

The proposal languished until 2009 when DFO again asked the Advisory Board to reassemble. This month, after several years of separate  negotiations with First Nations,  an update was given to those members of the advisory group who were still interested in attending.

Angus Matthews provided this update on the Race Rocks MPA process.
Short version… on track but likely to take two more years.
If you want details…
We had a good meeting yesterday with Glenn Rasmussen, the DFO manager responsible for the proposed MPA. Arron Reith the First Nations consultant was also present. We had requested the meeting to receive an update on progress since the Race Rocks Advisory Board completed its work almost two years ago. The highlights are…

  • Additional meetings were held with representatives of the ecotourism/whale watching operators and a satisfactory protocol was worked out in accordance with previous advisory board discussions. There will not be fee based permits but operators will be required to register and file use plans each year.
  • First Nations consultation has proceeded with three of the four bands. Esquimalt band has not engaged in discussions. There has apparently been considerable progress with the other three bands and written confirmation will be sought over the next few months.
  • The First Nations discussions are likely to result in some DFO funded co-operative education programs with First Nations and Pearson College related to Race Rocks. A DFO/First Nations group has been formed to make these arrangements.
  • DFO has accommodated Douglas Treaty rights and First Nations will not be subject to a no-take regulation although there is goodwill among First Nations towards voluntary conservation measures.
  • From a governance point of view, the Minister retains sole responsibility for decision-making (it’s in the Act). First Nations and all stakeholders are able to provide advice to the Minister through staff.

The regulation still needs to be finalized from the working draft and approved at the regional staff and deputy minister level. This is expected to occur two to four months after endorsement is received from First Nations. It is then off to Ottawa where legal work will take about eight months and then it goes on the Minister’s desk. Once it clears the very big pile on the desk the regulation will be made public and go to the Gazette stage for public comment for 60 to 90 days. It sounds like the regulation is still in line with the last version approved by the RR Advisory Board. There is not much we can do until it reaches the Minister. At that point encouragement would be helpful.
Don’t despair! Look on the bright side; two more years is only 10% of the time since this process began 20 years ago!

Angus Matthews
Executive Director
Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

Race Rocks Advisory Board Resource Documents

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This file is designed for the use of the Race Rocks Advisory Board in order to make available in one index, the resources that are most relevant to the Marine Protected Area Designation Process.

Last update Origin EXISTING VERSION Update version or suggested
changes now in progress– contributions from RRAB members welcome..
2010 DFO DFO Response to RRPAB member questions
2010 Ryan Murphy Draft Socio-Economic Overview: Nov 2010
2010 DFO RRPAB DRAFT Ecological Overview: Nov 2010
2010 DFO Agenda for November 2010 meeting
2010 DFO Draft 1.of Management Plan.
2010 DFO DFO Communications Page with Agenda and Draft or Final version of minutes
( to May 2010 meeting only)
2010 RRPAB Values Input Table Update.Values Input Table of Lester Pearson College (version with embedded links for examples)
2010 rr.com The Race Rocks Marine Protected Area Advisory Board: Index of Events and Documents.
2002 RRAB Draft Management Plan for MPA
2002 PC Parks
2009 DFO Socioeconomic Base Case Update for Race Rocks Proposed Marine Protected Area
1999 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 Gaps in research .. RREO workshop 1999
2001 DFO Race Rocks Pilot Marine Protected Area, An Ecological Overview, Wright and Pringle, IOS 2001 25mb PDF file Changes needed- R. Murphy
2009 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 Marine Protected Area General References
2002 Sean Leroy LeRoy, S., 2002. Public Process and the Creation of a Marine Protected Area at Race Rocks, British Columbia.
Master’s Thesis. School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
2009 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 First Nations and , the Race Rocks Area includes a link to RRAB involvement .
2009 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 Management Issues: INDEX of the environmental disturbances by humans at Race Rocks.
2009 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 Ecosystem Index page linking existing inventories, taxonomy and data collection
2009 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 Education resources index page
2009 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 MPA benefits
2009 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 MPA boundary history
2009 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 Guest research being done at Race Rocks, 1999-2010
2010 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 New updates to the racerocks.com and racerocks.ca site.
2010 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 DFO finances on RRAB Process 1999-2010-index
Condensed version with graphs and summary only.		 reinstalled sept 2, 2011
2010 DFO The Oceans Act, 1996 current to March 25, 2010
2010 DFO
Boundary MAPProposed boundary areas
2010 DFO
Boundary MAPProposed boundary areas detail
2010 rrpa meeting Draft of recommendations from the Meeting called by RRPAB members.
2010 G.Fletcher.
rr.com		 Reflections on the Role of Education and Outreach
in the MPA Designation Process, 1998-2010.
2010 Shaw Ocean Discovery centre The Case for RR MPA in 2010
The Case for Race Rocks Marine Protected Area in 2010

The Johan Ashuvud Memorial

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It is unlikely that the creation of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve in 1980 would have happened except for the efforts of an 18 year old Pearson College student from Sweden.

johan Johan Ashuvud, a student from 1978-1980, was in the Marine Science class and the Diving Service as part of IB his program at the college.
He devoted a great amount of energy in helping to direct a group of students in an extensive diving and research program in order to demonstrate the need for a Reserve at Race Rocks.

dv1Johan Ashuvud SCUBA diving at Race Rocks 1979

 

 

 

ellisIn the fall of 1979 he helped organize a workshop to investigate the creation of a reserve at Race Rocks involving provincial and university officials. Johan was instrumental in drawing up the draft proposal with staff of the Ecological reserves branch of the Parks Department in the provincial government and even helped in guiding the Deputy Minister of Parks on an underwater tour of the reserve.

sw4mJens Jensen from Denmark,and Johan Asuvud attach a transect line onto the top of the rarely exposed Rosedale Reef, South of Race Rocks at an extreme low tide.  At that point they were standing on the most southerly point in Western Canada!

Jballanac27-1ohan’s underwater photography was the first done by students of the college and was to become very valuable in helping to promote conservation of the beautiful life forms there
A gallery of some of his work is available here.

celeb80When the Ecological Reserve at Race Rocks was declared in 1980 by the provincial government, the group of students who had worked on the proposal made a celebratory trip to Race Rocks to tell the lightkeepers Trev and Flo Anderson of the great news. (Johan is on crutches after returning from a holiday in Mexico where he had had a collision with a bus!)

sw7A few weeks later, Trev and Flo invited the core group back to present the “Order of Race Rocks” for the great work done. Johan (center of photo) and other divers with whom he had worked, were given the special presentation by Trev and Flo Anderson to express their thanks for the work done.
When Johan graduated from Pearson College, he went on to the School of Economics in Stockholm, Sweden, where he obtained his Master’s degree in Environmental Economics. His first job was in Costa Rica with the International Union for the Conservancy of Nature (IUCN). There he continued his interest in getting special places preserved, as he worked to convince officials in Parks Departments of Central American governments to preserve their Natural Heritage.

Almost 10 years after he left Pearson College, on a trip back to Sweden in April of 1988, Johan died in a car accident. Our college community was deeply saddened by this tragic event. Johan left his wife and a soon to be born daughter.
Johan would be the first to urge young people from all countries to never give up with environmental concerns. He proved to us that youth can make a significant impact in the world by getting actively involved in working to preserve such special places as Race Rocks.

In 2000, The family of Johan contributed the Johan Ashuvud Memorial Fund to be administered in Trust by Lester B. Pearson College . The purpose of the fund is to support with the annual proceeds environmental activities, research and projects undertaken by present and former students of Pearson related to the Race Rocks Marine Reserve.

  • In June 2000, Several students with faculty member Garry Fletcher did a week-long series of webcasts from the Ecological reserve for the Johan Ashuvud Week
  • In June 2001, students Damien Guihen and Jean Olivier Dalphond spent several weeks at Race Rocks, doing webcasts, and producing QuickTime Virtual Reality and QuickTime Videos for the archives of racerocks.com.
  • In June 2002 four students are doing an educational webcasting program from Race Rocks.
  • Almost every year since 2002, a few students from the college stay behind after others leave at the end of the term in May to go to Race Rocks for a project week which we still call “The Johan Ashuvud Week”

One of the last papers published by Johan on his work for the IUCN in Central America :

Ashuvud, Johan, “Environmental Conservation for Development in Central America” C. Folke and T. Kåberger ed. Linking the Natural Environment and the Economy: Essays from the Eco-Eco Group, (Boston, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1991): 253-270.

ASACODE, Asociación San Migueleña para la Conservación y el Desarrollo, tiene un Albergue para la recepción de turismo en una finca dedicada al manejo integral del bosque, que fue donada por UICN y que lleva el nombre de Johan Ashuvud.

*” Talamancan Ecotourism and Conservation (ATEC) Association, provided training Tourism naturalist guides, who work in Talamanca (local communities). ATEC works as tour operator working directly with the community. * ASACODE, San Miguelena Association for Conservation and Development, has a Hostel for receipt of tourism in an area dedicated to integrated forest management, which was donated by IUCN and named Johan Ashuvud. * There are a number of private initiatives to develop tourism hotels which will generate pressure on the resources of the Refuge.”

In December 2014,  a memorial bronze plaque was installed at Race Rocks to commemorate Johan and the work that he did to help in the creation of the Race Rocks Ecological reserve: Click to enlarge.2014-12-28johanplaque

The plaque can be seen from the remote camera 1. It  faces the tower on the rock near the path intersection below the tower.

 

BC Parks Impact Assessment Process

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FIle No: 85700-35-0210206

Name of Action:       Construction and Pile Drilling for Current Turbine Project  

Proponent:               Lester B Pearson College

Review Date(s):         Nov 2, 2005             

  1. Issues and Environmental Components
  2. List any issues of concern that have been or may be raised by BC Parks, other government agencies, First Nations, or the public.

2 Identify any geographic “hotspots” at or close to the proposed action (e.g., areas of high use, concentrations of facilities, wilderness conservation zones, unique landscape features).

Below are the relevant items that we are contributing to this Preliminary Assessment, the third in a series leading up to this project. If further items are provided in the next few weeks, they will be updated here:

Location: The proposed location of the Tidal Current Generator Piling for the Cradle is shown below. This site was chosen after extensive testing of the current profiles in both channels with the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler.

The red lines indicate the Pearson College  permit access area..

 

 

 

3. Identify any important environmental, recreational, social or economic values in the area of the proposed action and/or the area surrounding the proposed action (e.g., rare or endangered species, hiking experience, midden site). Include a rationale as to why the value is considered important.

The location for the installation is in the current channel just South of North Rock, with the typical associations of organisms of the highly current swept areas of the island. Since the depth is up to 20 meters, there are few macroalgae present.

Archipelago marine has done a SIMS towed video CD . The route they took and the timing of the footage was done according to this Chart. Video taken by Pam Thuringer in the area of the chart missed by the towed video is now available from Archipelago marine

Some footage taken by the Pearson College Divers which shows the bottom fauna in the area of the turbine piling is located here:

In order to predict the best location for the installation of the tidal power generator, an ADCP ( Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) supplied by ASL Environmental Sciences was deployed. This instrument will collect current regime information for a period of one month. Rita Santos did the video and Angie Karlsen helped Chris Blondeau lift and position the concrete weights used to secure the device on the sea floor..

For an idea of the general patterns of organism distribution, the two clips below were taken from the video which was filmed at the location of the ADCP research at Station2:

Preliminary Screen Checklist (partial)

C. Level 1 report should recommend appropriate times and methods for construction to ensure birds /wildlifeimpacts are kept to a minimum.

Date of work: The installation in November is timed after the nesting and seal pupping season and in the time of the year when the Sea Lions have returned but are concentrated in the area to the East of the docks, on South Rock and on Middle and West Island. The closest population that may be disturbed by the drilling is on North Rock, and part of Middle Rock. In the past that population frequently comes and goes probably because of the fall schedule of blasting by DND .
Construction Method: We have been advised that a contract has been let by Clean Current for the drilling and installation of the piling to bear the generator to:

Fraser River Pile & Dredge Ltd. (FRPD)1830 River Drive
New Westminster, B.C.
V3M 2A8
Tel: (604) 528-9333
(Project manager Rick Gillis)
The attached .pdf file.. Construction Drilling provides the details of this phase of the project.

The amount of oil consumed in the drilling operation is approximately 5 gallons /hr. For a drilling depth of 8 m, the operation should take 4-5 hours. The drilling operation will not produce an oil slick. In the event of a spill FRPD, will employ their standard method of deploying containment booms and pads to contain the oil. Due to the challenging conditions in this area, FRPD will have additional booms and pads on board.
The drilling operation is a closed system. All drill cuttings will be brought to the surface and then processed through a cyclone which will separate the cuttings from the water. The water and entrained air will then be returned to the ocean via a pipe at a depth of approx. 20 ft. All of the cuttings will be collected on a scow that is tied up along side the drilling barge.The cuttings will be taken ashore for disposal.
Six anchor blocks of approximately 6’ x 6’ x 6’ will be used to anchor the drilling rig in position. Each of these blocks can be dropped at a predetermined location; however, depending on the current during this operation, the actual location may differ from the intended spot. Also, once all 6 blocks are in position, the anchor lines will be tensioned to firmly lock the barge in position. During this winching operation, it is very possible for the blocks to slide a short distance along the seabed until they lock in position. The thinking now is that 4of these blocks will left in place for the duration of the Tidal Generator Project. This will avoid further damage to the bottom in future operations where a barge will have to be employed for the lifting of the generator on regular (yeaarly) basis for servicing.
Equipment

Island Tug operates a large fleet of tugs and barges including one self-propelled cable layer. The principal method of cable handling utilizes one of two powered self-breaking drums. Reel number 1 has a capacity for 80,000 feet of 2-inch diameter cable with a break holding capacity of 200 tons. Reel number 2 has a capacity for 30,000 feet of 2-inch diameter cable with a break holding capacity of 100 tons.

Procedure of Cable Laying – General

Reel number 2 is mounted aboard the cable layer, Georgia Transporter. Cable is transferred from shore storage reels to the ship-mounted reel and transported to the site. Cable is taken ashore at the cable shore-end via a bow mounted adjustable ramp. A bow mounted cable chute is used to deploy the cable while the Georgia Transporter is towed astern. Two GPS systems monitor the surface position and provide feedback via digital charts. Track corrections are implemented through a variety of methods using the Ship’s power, directing the towing vessel or employing side boats. For shallow water lays, the cable tension is not monitored by equipment but by the angle off the bow, with lay and reel speeds corrected as necessary. For deep-water lays, the cable tension is monitored with on deck tension monitoring equipment such as linear tension devices or load cells. Cable weights and water depth information are pre plotted along a planned track in order to adjust for the intended tension at given positions.

Reel number 1 is mounted aboard one of Island’s flat deck barges and used in the same manner as the description above, with the exception that the barge will start and finish on four point moorings.

Island Tug And Barge Ltd.
R.L. (Bob) Shields
President
Piling Construction:

Further details of the column construction in the figure above can be obtained from a .pdf file from Clean Current
On Site Supervision: Chris Blondeau, operations manager, and Garry Fletcher, Ecological Reserve Warden will be available to oversee the environmental concerns. In addition, Pam Thuringer and staff of Archipelago Marine have been contracted to do an ongoing environmental assessment for the duration of the construction phase of the project.
Recommendations:1. If it is possible, we recommend the temporary displacement of any of the larger motile invertebrates such as sea urchins, sea stars and sea cucumbers in the impacted area while the project is being carried out, with their return to the same approximate habitat upon completion. This may however not be feasible given the nature of the operation and the timing.

2. Working at this time of year could involve difficult weather conditions. It must be emphasized that the safety of personnel and the ecological reserve is paramount.

Prepared by G. Fletcher Nov 2, 2005

Preliminary Screening: BC Parks Impact Assessment

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                                                                                                               File No:   85700-35/0210206

BC Parks Impact Assessment Process

Level 1, Preliminary Screen Report

(See Users Guide, pp. 9 to 12)

Name of Action:       Expand generator shed for battery storage for Current Turbine Project  

Proponent:               Lester B Pearson College

Review Date(s):         March 17,05                                                                Page:  1of 3

A. Issues and Environmental Components

  1. List any issues of concern that have been or may be raised by BC Parks, other government agencies, First Nations, or the public.

Impacts of expanding sidewalk footprint. Impact on nesting birds.

ie: Construction should take place when birds aren’t nesting.

No habitat loss should take place.

Impacts that could potentially be damaging to other wildlife and plant communities as a result of  demolition/construction activities.

  1. Identify any geographic “hotspots” at or close to the proposed action (e.g., areas of high use, concentrations of facilities, wilderness conservation zones, unique landscape features).

The proposed footprint of the engine room expansion is represented below. Note the sidewalk extension is made more clear in following diagrams.

This would accommodate the floor plan represented following:
The outside wall with the double door in the technical diagram is the part that would occupy the small white square above.

This would accommodate the floor plan represented following:
The outside wall with the double door in the technicall diagram is the part that
would occupy the small white square above.

  1. Identify any important environmental, recreational, social or economic values in the area of the proposed action and/or the area surrounding the proposed action (e.g., rare or endangered species, hiking experience, midden site). Include a rationale as to why the value is considered important.

Ensure no endangered or rare plant species or other habitat is lost as a result of expansion of sidewalk. Reduce size to minimum needs.

This area has been surveyed on April 6 /05 by Pam Thuringer of Archipelago Marine and she has indicated there are no endangered plant species therein. Most of the grasses are introduced species, with a few invasive species. None of the rock outcrop up the slope is impacted by this extension.

“I have recommended that the sod that is lifted, should be transplanted to another area of the island, for instance to a corner of the top of the concrete covered cistern, which could support a grass community if  adequate soil depth was restored, or other areas which currently have concrete which could be moved such as the “sidewalk to nowhere!” below, located by the boat shed.   I think that restoration of this 17 by 4 foot area would be a suitable mitigation for the impacted area by the engine room, as it adds habitat in an area more suitable for nesting. ”
(Garry Fletcher)

Preliminary Screen Checklist Page:  2of 3

Complete the following based on information available and/or the experience of BC Parks staff at the time of the review.

  1. BC Parks has a responsibility to comply with the following Acts and regulations. Indicate that the proposed action complies with the following: Done ( or N/A)
    Park Act, Park Amendment Acts Yes
    Ecological Reserve Act Yes
    An order issued under the Environmental Land Use Act n/a
    BC Environmental Assessment Act n/a
    Waste Management Act n/aHeritage Conservation Act (i.e., Archaeological Impact Assessment Guidelines) n/a
    Federal Fisheries Act (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) n/a
    Other (specify):
    Comments:
    BC Parks should ensure that all actions comply with BC Parks policies. Indicate that the proposed action complies with the following: Done
    Approved management plan or management direction statement (MDS)Yes
    BC Protected Areas Strategy: Resource and Recreation Use Guidelines for Protected AreasYes BC Parks Policy including conservation and recreation goals (Striking the Balance) Yes
    BC Parks Policies (specify):Eco reserves set aside for protection and research Yes
    BC Parks ConservationProgramPolicies yes
    BCParksAnnualManagementPlan (i.e.,valuesandtargets)n/a
    Other (specify):
    Comments:
    Page:3 of 3 3.
    Document which agencies /stakeholders that have been or should be notified and/or contacted: yes” Done ( or N/A)
    Conservation Data Centre n/a Ministry of SRM (specify branch):
    Ministry of Forests (i.e., Range Act) n/a

Ministry of Energy and Mines (Mineral Tenure Act) n/a
Ministry of Health Services n/a>
First Nations Yes
Agencies responsible for broader level plans (i.e., Regional District, LRMP) n/a
Other (specify):
Comments (include name and title of contact):
The proposed action is likely to result in the following impacts (check all that apply) Done
(U or N/A)

Adverse and permanent effects on the important conservation, recreation and/or cultural heritage values n/a

Adverse and permanent effects on the character and aesthetics of the protected area n/a

Adverse effects to endangered, threatened or vulnerable or regionally significant species, populations and  habitats (i.e., red/blue-listed species/habitats, biogeoclimatic representation) U

Adverse effects to critical or geographically unique characteristics U

Adverse effects to public health and safety n/a

Adverse effects to traditional use of the area by First Nations n/a

Adverse effects to local communities n/a

Adverse effects to the recreational use or enjoyment of the park (regardless of the intended benefits of the proposed action) n/a

Economic implications, such as operating costs, that cannot be maintained over time n/a

 A high level of controversy or public concern regarding the action n/a

Effects of the action, which when combined with the effects of other actions in the region, may result in cumulative impacts n/a

Implications which may be precedent-setting and should therefore be considered in the context of similar future actions n/a

Comments (use corresponding letters to refer to specific impacts listed above):

  1. Level 1 report should recommend appropriate times and methods for construction to ensure birds /wildlife impacts are kept to a minimum.

The window of work for the sidewalk construction will be in the next few weeks. It is scheduled to start on April 18, well before the onset of nesting in late May. We have given the end of April as a deadline for the sidewalk extension and any other on land work that may compromise the bird nesting habitat to be completed.

Concrete will be made on site from materials transported to the island.

  Garry Fletcher and /or Chris Blondeau will be on site to oversee the environmental concerns and Brian Emmett and Pam Thuringer and staff of Archipelago Marine have been contracted to do an ongoing environmental assessment for the duration of the construction phase of the project during the next year.

  1. An on ground review of proposed sidewalk location and reduced sidewalk footprint recommended.

See photos above.

TV and Newspaper coverage of the Tidal Energy Project

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TV NEWS CLIPS FEB 25 

 

 

 

Tide Turns for Power, and for Young Minds: Pearson College, Partners Apply Current ThinkingTimes Colonist (Victoria)

Saturday, February 26, 2005 Page: A1 / FRONT Section: News Byline: Louise Dickson Source: Times Colonist

They’re harnessing the tide at Pearson College to keep the lights burning at Race Rocks. Turbulent tides tumbling by Race Rocks ecological reserve near Metchosin will test how well a new tidal turbine generator stands up to the harsh West Coast environment.
Pearson, which brings together students from around the world for studies and to serve the community, expects the tides to help produce more than enough electricity to replace two diesel generators and provide power to the college’s marine education centre on Great Race Rock Island by 2006. “The project, the first of its kind in Canada, could prove the value of new technology over time and it could be very beneficial to coastal peoples around the world,” Stuart Walker, director of Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, said Friday. The $4-million project is a partnership between Pearson College, EnCana Corporation of Canada, and Clean Current Power Systems of Vancouver. EnCana, the largest producer and developer of natural gas in North America, is investing $3 million in the project from its environmental innovation fund. Clean Current developed and built the prototype of a tidal turbine generator which harnesses the power of ocean currents to produce electricity. Testing will take place in about 15 metres of water, off Race Rocks, about 10 nautical miles southwest of Victoria. The tidal turbine generator, which functions like an underwater windmill, will be anchored to the seabed, and cables will carry away the electricity it generates.When the tide flows, the blades turn, explained Glen Darou, president of Clean Current. The blades have a permanent magnet attached to them. When the magnet passes by coils, the coils create electricity. The turbine works when currents are flowing in either direction. According to Darou, the project will have minimal impact on the environment. “We will have to disturb the bottom of the ocean with the turbine and cables but it’s a fast-growing marine environment and will recover quickly,” he said. “Anything that can swim in the tidal currents will not swim into the turbine, it will swim around it. But something that floats through like a jellyfish could actually go into it. That’s the size of the risk.” The prototype has been tested in fresh water, but Clean Current has to make sure its turbine generator works in saltwater. “Now we have to prove its operability and maintenance,” said Darou. Clean Current will know in about 18 months how the model and its one moving part — the rotor — stands up to corrosion in a harsh marine environment. The turbine will be monitored by underwater cameras. The prototype being tested is 3.5-metres in diameter and can produce enough electricity for 10 houses. Full scale models will be 14 metres in diameter and produce enough electricity for 250 houses. Darou envisions the day when there will be big underwater tidal turbine generator farms with up to 800 turbines that will produce electricity around the world. “The end of the dream will be our technology licensed around the world and applied in tidal environments all over the world. It’s seeing the technology used and replacing fossil fuels,” he said. The project will run at Race Rocks for five years. After that, Clean Current will sell the prototype to either B.C. Parks or Pearson College for $1. Clean Current still needs to come up with $1 million to pay for the project, Darou said. He expected the money will come from private investors and the federal government. The project will help the company and the province evaluate the future of this technology, said B.C. Energy and Mines Minister Richard Neufeld. Alternative energy will change how we consume fossil fuels over time, said Neufeld. “This is brand new, so let’s give it time to see how it works. Let’s give it time to see (how) technology can change it to make it more efficient.,” said Neufeld.

College Harnessing Waves to Power Ecological Reserve Okanagan Weekender Sunday, February 27, 2005 Page: A2 Section: West Byline: Dateline: VICTORIA Source: Canadian PressVICTORIA (CP) — They’re harnessing the tide at Pearson College on Vancouver Island to keep the lights burning at Race Rocks ecological reserve. Turbulent tides tumbling by Race Rocks will test how well a new tidal turbine generator stands up to the harsh west coast environment. The project is expected to produce more than enough electricity to replace two diesel generators and provide power to the suburban Metchosin college’s marine education centre on Great Race Rock Island by 2006. “The project, the first of its kind in Canada, could prove the value of new technology over time, and it could be very beneficial to coastal peoples around the world,” Stuart Walker, director of Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, said Friday. The $4-million project is a partnership between Pearson College, Calgary-based EnCana Corp., and Clean Current Power Systems of Vancouver. EnCana, the largest producer and developer of natural gas in North America, is investing $3 million in the project from its environmental innovation fund. Clean Current developed and built the prototype of a tidal turbine generator that harnesses the power of ocean currents to produce electricity. Testing will take place in about 15 metres of water, off Race Rocks, about 10 nautical miles southwest of Victoria. The tidal turbine generator, which functions like an underwater windmill, will be anchored to the seabed. When the tide flows, the blades turn. They have a permanent magnet attached that passes by coils, which create electricity. The electricity passes through a cable on the seabed into a facility where it is conditioned. The turbine works when currents are flowing in either direction.

College Reseachers Testing Tidal Power

B.C. news roundup: Feb. 26 Broadcast News Saturday, February 26, 2005
Pearson College near Victoria is testing the waters of tidal power with a new turbine generator to run the Race Rocks ecological preserve. It’s a $4 million experiment to see how well the new turbine stands up to the harsh west-coast environment. If it works, the unit will replace two diesel generators by March 2006. The project is being sponsored Calgary-based energy producer EnCana Corporation and Clean Current Power Systems of Vancouver.

Project tests Race Rocks’ Tidal Power

Goldstream News Gazette  Mar 02 2005, By Rick Stiebel

  The tides of change are turning in Metchosin.  Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, Encana Corporation and Clean  Current Power Systems announced an innovative partnership Friday to  build a free-stream tidal power generator, the first of its kind in  Canada, at the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve.  The project, made possible by a $3 million investment from Encana’s  Environmental Innovation Fund, involves replacing two diesel-powered  generators at Race Rocks that supply power for Pearson’s marine  education centre with a tidal turbine generator, built by Clean  Current Power Systems.  The remaining funding for the $4 million project is expected to come  from private investors and the federal government.  The generator is scheduled to begin producing power by 2006.  The turbine generator has only one moving part, the rotor assembly  that contains permanent magnets. The turbine, anchored to the ocean  floor in about 15 metres of water, operates like an underwater  windmill with cables that carry away the energy it produces.  “This Canadian technology is simple, efficient and environmentally  friendly,” Clean Current president Glen Darou said at the Feb. 25  announcement at Pearson College.

 A prototype, which has been tested in fresh water, will be scrutinized  closely over the next 18 months to see how it holds up to corrosion  resulting from a marine, saltwater environment.  “This is a terrific project for Pearson College, in that it supports  our goal of making the ecological reserve a showcase for alternative,  low impact technologies such as tidal power,” said Pearson College  director Stuart Walker.  Pearson College staff and students played a major role in having the  site at Race Rocks, about three nautical miles from the Metchosin  school. Race Rocks was declared an ecological reserve in 1980.  The college is dedicated to protecting the marine ecosystems within  the reserve, while increasing awareness about marine systems,  ecological reserves and environmental issues, Walker said.

 Encana Corporation CEO president Gwyn Morgan said his company is  “pleased to be a partner in a first-class, alternative energy  project.”  “Our investment in this B.C. based unconventional environmental and  power technology reflects our desire to tangibly encourage innovative  energy solutions.”  Encana is one of North America’s largest independent oil and natural  gas companies, with an enterprise value of about $34 billion US.

 B.C. Minister of Energy and Mines Richard Neufeld praised the three  parties involved in the partnership.

 “The project certainly looks environmentally sound,” said Don McLaren,  area supervisor for B.C. Parks. “It will not only remove the diesel  generators on Race Rocks, but greatly reduce the noise factor.”  McLaren said the project will put Pearson College and B.C. Parks in “a  greener position, and help us and Pearson a lot.”

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve: An Unusual Model of Reserve Management

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Race Rocks Ecological Reserve: An Unusual Model of Reserve Management….By Garry Fletcher

On October 3rd, this  group of the Friends of Ecological Reserves made a trip to Race Rocks in the Pearson College Boats with Garry Fletcher and Chris Blondeau, Chris is the Pearson College Sea-front Coordinator and Operations Manager of Race Rocks.  This fall has been remarkable in the consistently high population of Northern and California Sea Lions and high populations of seagulls and Cormorants on the islands, so it was a good time for the visit after the nesting season. 

As a result of questions from members on the trip, I thought it might be useful to update everyone who is interested in the events on the reserve with the present state of the management and financing of Race Rocks.  Lester Pearson College assumed the full management of the facilities and staff at Race Rocks in the fall of 1997. The light and foghorn had been automated, and the Canadian Coastguard was retiring the light keepers, Mike and Carol Slater.  All the facilities except the light tower and foghorn were returned to BC Lands.  An agreement was reached whereby the island was leased for long-term management and continued use for education and research by Lester Pearson College.  In  2001, BC Parks was able to expand the Ecological reserve, which had previously omitted the large island with the facilities, to include all the remaining land area of Great Race Island in addition to the original 256 hectares of Islands and water to the 36 meter depth.

The Slaters were hired by Lester Pearson College to stay on as Ecological Reserve Guardians, providing security and keeping the diesel generator running, thus ensuring that the college could have full use of the other buildings and facilities on the island. In addition, the daily collection of air and sea temperature and salinity data was continued, maintaining a valuable long-term database. An anonymous donor from Ontario met operating costs for the first year. Each year after a special effort has been made by the college to secure the operating funds to carry through to keep the island open.   By the year 2000, a proposal was made to the Millennium Partners Fund of Canada, to help fund the installation of Internet facilities and microwave to provide a link to the College for the transmission of Broadband Internet.  A number of partners and sponsors who continue to assist are referenced on the website. Each year since, the college has had to seek funding from a number of sources to keep the island going, since government funding for parks is very hard to come by.

One of the higher costs incurred in the operation is the diesel fuel to run the island’s generators. Last year over $20,000 went into this, so it has been an aim for some time to incorporate alternate energy technology in the operation. It is with great relief that I can now tell you that our efforts are paying off as we now have a company, Clean Current Power Inc. securing the complete funding and installing at Race Rocks in the next year, an underwater tidal current generator which will have negligible negative environmental impacts.  Although a research prototype, this should generate all the required electrical needs for the island. The diesel generators will become backup utilities.

BC Parks has made a good effort to help with some of the facility costs on the island. Keep in mind that most Ecological Reserves do not have dwellings and facilities such as docks and workshops, so they have provided the funds to mitigate the effects of human sewage from the two houses, with the installation of composting toilets in 2003.  The Coast guard, although having no direct financial commitment, has provided technical assistance when necessary.  In 2000 an Advisory Board was set up by DFO for the formation of an Official Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act. The Ecological Reserve is still a Marine Protected Area Designate, since final treaty negotiations have put a hold on complete Marine Protected Area Status. This has meant that no federal funds are available for maintaining the Protected Area.

It is a difficult job securing at least  $80,000 a year to keep the island operational. What is really needed is an endowment, and this we are determined to seek over the next few years.  Keeping observers and cameras on the island has in the last few years served to keep the many users of the area accountable, so that the ecological integrity of the resource may be sustained. On the home page of racerocks.com is written: “we humans are never content just to know that a special area exists on this earth. We strive to be there, to touch, to feel, to consume. But therein lies the paradox. In so doing we can destroy the very thing we love.” The aim of the racerocks.com program has always been to make this special ecosystem available to all through the Internet.  We have been fortunate to have this opportunity to establish a window into the daily lives of the creatures of a rugged marine island ecosystem. We just hope that we can continue to make the amazing life of these islands available to all.  This spring with the further assistance of Apple Computer, we upgraded our computers and added a new 340 degree robotic camera which provides a much more thorough survey of many parts of the islands from your own computer.

We are grateful for any assistance in the funding of the program at Race Rocks. One can pay by cheque or credit card to The Race Rocks Operating Fund c/o Lester B. Pearson College, 650 Pearson College Drive.  (250) 391-2411. A tax receipt will be provided for amounts over $25.00

This article appeared in the Winter 2004 edition of the Friends of Ecological Reserves Newsmagazine ; The LOG

Garry Fletcher (garryf(use the at sign).gmail.com) the volunteer warden for Race Rocks Ecological Reserve is the Educational Director of racerocks.com.In 2004 he retired after teaching for 36 years.  The last 28 of those years have been spent in Biology, Environmental Systems and the SCUBA diving program at Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific.  Garry now continues with his work on https://www.racerocks.ca and serves as a consultant from his home in Metchosin.

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve: An Unusual Model of Reserve Management

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The following article is also printed complete with hyperlinks to relevant parts of the Race Rocks website at http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/news/2004/racerocksfer.htm.

On October 3 a group of 20 of the Friends of Ecological Reserves made a trip to Race Rocks in the Pearson College Boats with  Garry Fletcher  and Chris Blondeau, who is the  Pearson College Sea-front Coordinator and Operations Manager of Race Rocks.  This fall has been remarkable in the consistently high population of  Northern and California Sea Lions and  high populations of seagulls and Cormorants on the islands, so it was a good time for the visit after the nesting season.

As a result of questions from members on the trip, I thought it may be useful to update everyone who is interested in the events on the reserve with the present state of the management and financing of Race Rocks.  Lester Pearson College assumed the full management of the facilities and staff at Race Rocks in the fall of 1997 . The light and foghorn had been automated, and the Canadian CoastGuard was retiring the lightkeepers, Mike and Carol Slater.  All the facilities except the light tower and foghorn  were returned to BC  Lands.  An agreement was reached whereby the  island  was leased for long term management and continued use for education and research by  Lester Pearson College .  In  2001,  BC Parks was able to expand the Ecological reserve, which had previously omitted the large island with the facilities, to include all the remaining land area of Great Race Island in addition to the original 256 hectares of Islands and water to the 36 meter depth.

The Slaters were hired by Lester Pearson College to stay on as Ecological Reserve Guardians, providing security and  keeping the diesel generator running, thus ensuring that the college could have full use of the other buildings and facilities on the island. In addition, the daily collection of air and sea temperature and salinity data  was continued, maintaining a valuable long term data base. Operating Costs for the first year were met by an anonymous donor from Ontario. Each year after a special effort has been made by the college to secure the operating funds to carry through to keep the island open.   By the year 2000, a proposal was made to the Millennium Partners Fund of Canada, to help fund the installation of internet facilities and microwave to provide a link to the College for the transmission of Broadband  internet.  A number of partners and sponsors who continue to assist are referenced on the website. Each year since, the college has had to seek funding from a number of sources to keep the island going, since government funding for parks is very hard to come by.

One of the higher costs incurred in the operation is the diesel fuel to run the island’s generators. Last year over $20,000  went into this, so it has been an aim for some time to incorporate alternate energy technology in the operation. It is with great relief that I can now tell you that our efforts are paying off as we now have a company, Clean Current Power Inc. securing  the complete funding and installing at Race Rocks in the next year, an underwater tidal current generator which will have negligible negative environmental impacts.  Although a research prototype, this should generate all the required electrical needs for the island. The diesel generators will become backup utilities.

BC Parks has made a good effort to help with some of the facility costs on the island. Keep in mind that most Ecological Reserves do not have dwellings and facilities such as docks and workshops, so they have provided the funds to mitigate the effects of human sewage from the two houses, with the installation of Composting Toilets in 2003.  The Coast guard, although having no direct financial commitment, has provided technical assistance when necessary.  in 2000 an Advisory Board was set up by DFO for the formation of an Official  Marine Protected Area  under the Oceans Act. The Ecological Reserve is still a Marine Protected Area Designate, since final treaty negotiations have put a hold on complete Marine Protected Area Status. This has meant that no federal funds are available for maintaining the Protected Area.

It is a big job securing at least  $80,000 a year to keep the island operational. What is really needed is an endowment,  and this we are determined to seek over the next few years.  Keeping observers and cameras on the island has in the last few years served to keep the many users of the area accountable, so that  the ecological integrity of the resource may be sustained. On the home page of racerocks.com  is written : “we humans are never content just to know that a special area exists on this earth. We strive to be there, to touch, to feel, to consume . But therein lies the paradox. In so doing we can destroy the very thing we love.” The aim of the racerocks.com program has always been to make this special ecosystem available to all through the internet.  We have been fortunate to have this opportunity to establish a window into the daily lives of the creatures of a rugged marine island ecosystem. We just hope that we can continue to make the amazing life of these islands available to all.  This spring with the further assistance of Apple Computer, we upgraded our computers and added a new 340 degree robotic camera which provides a much more thorough survey of many parts of the islands from your own computer.

We are grateful for any assistance in the funding of the program at Race Rocks. One can pay by cheque or credit card to The Race Rocks Operating Fund c/o Lester B. Pearson College,  650 Pearson College Drive.  (250) 391-2411. A tax receipt will be provided for amounts over $25.00.

Garry Fletcher, the volunteer warden for Race Rocks Ecological Reserve is the Educational Director of racerocks.ca . He has recently retired after teaching for 36 years.  The last  28 of those years have been spent in Biology, Environmental Systems and the SCUBA diving program at Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific.  Garry now continues with his work on https://racerocks.ca  and serves as a consultant from his home in Metchosin.

Clean Current Presentation on Race Rocks as Possible Demonstration site

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This PDF is of a presentation by the staff of Clean Current Power Systems Incorporated that was given to the BC Ministry of Land water and Air Protection and Fisheries and Oceans Canada in May of 2004  to give a background to the Tidal Current Energy proposal and to answer the question ” Does Tidal Turbine Technology fit the Management Plans for Race Rocks Ecological reserve? ”

See the PDFcleancurrentpreso:Race Rocks Tidal Generator

 

Research and Education Park Use Permit for Tidal Energy Project

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The permit for the Tidal Current energy Project at Race Rocks for the time period 2004-2006  is included here:

Research and educational activities may only be undertaken in an ecological reserve, protected area or provincial park (referred to in this application as a “protected area”) when authorized by a valid permit issued by the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (referred to here as “BC Parks”) under the Ecological Reserve Act, Environment and Land Use Act or Park Act.. Research and education activities must contribute to the scientific knowledge of the protected area(s). Only applications that are considered by BC Parks to be compatible with the conservation and recreation objectives identified for the protected area(s) involved in the proposal will be evaluated.

Please complete this application form and submit it with the detailed proposal description, for evaluation, to the Park Use Permits address on page 2 of this application. Supplying insufficient information will delay evaluation. No fee is required.

NOTE: 1. Allow 60 business days for evaluation of this proposal.

2. More information may be requested from the applicant during review of this application.

3. Submission of this application does not entitle the applicant to any rights or permission to proceed with any activity in any protected area.

4. This application is subject to review under the BC Parks Impact Assessment Process.

5. The final report of the research project must be submitted to BC Parks.

6. Any specimens whether biological, fossils, geological or other artifacts, are the property of the provincial government and their disposition will be specified by BC Parks.

7. BC Parks reserves the right to refuse any or all applications.

APPLICANT INFORMATION

COMPANY/SOCIETY/INDIVIDUAL NAME:

Pearson College and

Clean Current Power Systems Incorporated

INCORPORATION NUMBER, if applicable:

BC #630110

MAILING ADDRESS

650 Pearson College Drive

336 – 1275 West 6th Avenue

CITY / TOWN

Victoria

Vancouver

PROV / STATE:

B.C.

POSTAL / ZIP CODE:

V9C 4H7

V6H 1A6

BUS. PHONE NO. (Area Code):

(604) 739-xxxx

 

FAX NO. (Area Code):

(250) 391-xxxx

(604) 738-xxxx

NAME OF CONTACT:

name

Glen Darou

DATE OF BIRTH: (dd/mm/yy)

27/04/42

E-MAIL:

cleancurrent@telus.net

BUS. PHONE NO. (Area Code)

(250) 391-xxxx

(604) 739-xxxx

FAX NO. (Area Code):

(250) 391-xxxx

(604) 738-xxxx

CELLULAR PHONE NO. (Area Code):

(250) xxx-xxxx

(604) 916-xxxx

NAME OF PROTECTED AREA(S):

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve

PERIOD OF USE (inclusive):

FROM: July 1, 2004 TO: July 1, 2016

List all activities to be undertaken:

Collection of Specimens Survey/Inventory ◙ Research
Monitoring Educational
Other(s) (specify):________________________________________________________

Please attach a detailed proposal that addresses the following (A-C):

A. Please describe the project and provide the following information:

1. purpose of research or educational activity;

2. geographic location(s) of the activity (provide maps to an appropriate scale);

3. scope and objectives of the research or educational activity;

4. proposed methodology;

5. detailed schedule for the project from start to completion with major benchmarks. Indicate how sensitive this schedule is to change (delays in approval, weather, etc.);

6. resources required to undertake and manage the project, including all costs, proposed funding sources and other resources (equipment, supplies etc.);

7. relevance of the proposal to the conservation and education mandate and objectives of the provincial protected area system and how BC Parks will benefit;

8. the reason for, type, number and intended use for each specimen collected;

9. effects on vegetation, wildlife, species and ecosystems at risk and other protected area values;

10. what actions will be undertaken to mitigate impacts on protected area values resulting from the proposed research or educational activity; and

11. what report type(s) (thesis, publication, etc.) are anticipated and when will they be produced.

B. Names of each researcher or educator involved with the project and their

1. academic qualifications;

2. duties with respect to the project; and

3. previous relevant projects and a list of published papers based on activities within protected areas.

C. From the following list, use a “v “ to select all potential adverse impacts of the proposed activity. Provide additional detail for all impacts selected, including proposed mitigation.

Adverse and permanent effects to:

conservation, recreation and/or cultural values

 

 

character and aesthetics of the protected area

 

Adverse effects to:

red/blue-listed species or ecosystems, species at risk, biogeoclimatic representation, etc

 

 

critical or geographically unique characteristics

 

 

public health and safety

 

 

traditional use of the area by First Nations

 

 

local communities

 

 

recreational use or enjoyment of the protected area (regardless of the intended benefits of the proposed action)

Fees: Fees are not charged for research and education activities.

As required under Section 21 of the Park Act, the applicant agrees to pay the Province the costs incurred by the Province in surveying, cruising, examining and inspecting the area affected by the application; and

THE APPLICANT HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT ALL THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS APPLICATION IS TRUE AND CORRECT. Date:___________________

Signature of Applicant or Authorized Signatory of Applicants:___________________________

___________________________

Send completed application and proposal description to:

Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection Park Use Permits PO Box 9371 Stn Prov Govt Victoria BC V8W 9M3

For more information please call:

Enquiry BC 387.6121 (Victoria), 604.660.2421 (Metro Vancouver) or 1.800.663.7867

Detailed Proposal

Tidal Turbine Generator Replacing Diesel Generators at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve

A.

Purpose of the project

To develop, install and test tidal turbine generator technology used in conjunction with an electricity storage system to replace existing twin 15 kW diesel generators

The turbine generator will be place in 12 metres of water between the main island of Great Race Rock and Middle Island. The location is called “Middle Passage”. The storage system will be located in the existing generator building on the main island of Great Race Rock.

Scope and objectives of research

Overall

•Produce sufficient energy to displace the existing diesel generation

•Create a 3+ metre design directly scalable to 1.0 MW commercial unit.

•Validate the design prior to the 1.0 MW program.

•Demonstrate the operability and reliability of the unit

Generator

•Demonstrate generator performance

•Develop a control system to maximize power output at a given flow condition

•Perform power conditioning based on site requirements

Turbine

•Validate blade and overall hydraulic performance

•Quantify starting performance and cut-in speed

•

Deployment

•Determine deployment configuration

•Demonstrate method of deployment

•Develop periodic maintenance techniques and schedule

•

Material

•Perform material testing in areas of biofouling and corrosion resistance

•Assess materials resistance to impact and erosion

Proposed methodology

See 5

Detailed Schedule

This schedule can be completed if permit approvals are obtained by September 1, 2004. Installation will be scheduled in September and October to avoid weather delays. Work will be done in advance whenever possible to avoid nesting seasons and other ecologically sensitive periods.

Clean Current Power Systems will provide funding for the project. Clean Current will obtain its funding from Sale of Common Shares. Costs excluding administrative overhead are as follows:

Cost Items

Cost (CDN$)

 

 

Turbine

Development

Design Engineer (1)

$345,000

Hydraulics/CFD Engineer (1)

$345,000

Computer (2)

$5,520

Software (CFD, Design, Analysis, Optimization)

$110,400

Prototype Testing (Diffuser, Bearings)

$41,400

Fabrication

$220,800

 

 

Generator

Development

Generator/Power Engineer (1)

$345,000

Electrical/Mechanical Technician (1)

$172,500

Computer (1)

$2,760

Software (FE, Misc.)

$13,800

Bench Testing

$16,560

Life Testing

$2,760

Fabrication

$100,740

Turbine/Generator Assembly

$13,800

 

 

Deployment Structure

Development (Consultant)

$207,000

Site selection and analysis

Tidal resource assessment

Installation

Fabrication

System Design

Development

Power Engineer or Consultant

$69,000

Electrical & mechanical brake, starter motor, power control system, power conditioning, data acquisition system)

$44,160

Assy and Installation

$20,700

Power Storage (Battery)

$483,000

 

 

Material Selection

Development (Consultant)

$41,400

Component Testing

Environmental Studies/Approvals

$20,700

 

 

Regulatory Approval

$20,700

 

 

Testing Program

Pontoon Boat

$48,300

Inspections/ Maintenance Plan

$20,700

Equipment Spares

$34,500

 

 

Transportation

$34,500

 

 

Sub Total

$2,780,700

Rough Order of Magnitude Factor (20%)

$556,140

 

 

Total Cost

$3,336,840

This proposal creates renewable energy to displace fossil fuels. The proposal conforms to Page 16 of the Race Rocks management plan for Facility Management

“Objectives:

•To showcase alternative, low impact technologies”

No specimens will be collected.

Existing buildings and conduits will be used wherever possible. One large hole will be drilled through bedrock to create a conduit for electrical cables (and system monitoring instrumentation) under water to about 3 feet above the high water mark. The purpose is to avoid shoreline turbulence and associated cable damage. Drilling one hole to place a post upon which the turbine generator will be mounted will disturb the bedrock in the middle of the passage.

Scheduling will be used to avoid disturbing birds during nesting season. Consultations with marine biologists will be used to assess impact before deployment of the unit. Underwater cameras will be used to monitor the impact of the turbine generator on fish and ocean mammals.

This will be the first free stream tidal turbine generator installed offshore in Canada and it will attract attention from commercial media. It is expected that Pearson College will publish studies of the ecological impact of this form of renewable energy.

Pearson College Input:

In keeping with our long term commitment to B.C. Parks the Marine Protected Area Initiative of DFO and the First nations to provide a level of stewardship for Xwayen, we would like to highly recommend this project.

The bottom line in our stewardship commitment is to keep the area ecologically sustainable and to ensure long term ecological integrity.

This proposal fills a serious need, the provision of low or no- impact technology for the generation of electricity to ensure our ability to operate in the reserve. We presently power the station and heat the residences with diesel fuel. The potential negative impact of this need on the ecology of the area could be enumerated as follows:

The fuel is supplied to the island on a bi-monthly basis by staff of the college using the boat “ Second Nature” Although we operate under the strictest standards for this transfer, the possibility always exists that a technical problem with the boat, failure

of transfer pumps and hoses, or human error could lead to a serious ecological impact if fuel oil escaped the transfer system.

The loud noise caused by the diesel generators is an irritant and has possibly discouraged some marine mammals from hauling out in the area. Harbour seals haul out for birthing in higher numbers a distance away from this otherwise ideal location.

The aesthetics on the otherwise pristine environment of the island of the generator noise is a legitimate concern.

Five species of Marine birds nest on the island. The constant noise from the generators could be impacting negatively on behaviour: predator response capability, foraging and mating/nesting behaviour.

Fuel storage on the island is by double-hulled 1000-gallon tanks which currently meet the required environmental standards but which do have a life span and therefore will eventually need replacement. Also since there are probably no other parallel examples of such diesel oil storage in ecologically sensitive areas, it is doubtful whether existing standards are adequate.

The fuel storage tanks on the island are vulnerable in the event of earthquakes.

The severe weather that the area experiences on many days of the year and the high tidal currents ( up to 7 Knots) mean that containment of spilled oil by booms would probably be impossible, resulting in severe species loss in the intertidal zones of the islands.

 

The marine reserve at Race Rocks, power the research and education facility at Race Rocks with a technology that allows for minimum disruption to the ecological integrity and the long term sustainability we see this proposal as a welcome innovation .