Nearly one thousand people are expected to attend a public meeting to discuss their concerns about a proposed power project in Pitt Meadows on Tuesday night.
Residents are worried a proposal for seven hydro-electric dams about 15 kilometres North of the head of Pitt Lake -- the so-called Pitt River Project -- will destroy the wetlands and surrounding area of Pinecone Burke Provincial Park.
The developer Run of River Power says the project would generate clean green renewable energy, which would offset hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO2 per year, and has submitted a proposal to change the park's boundary in order to build a transmission line.
Yesterday, the Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C. ranked the Upper Pitt River the second-most endangered waterway in B.C., partly because the river has trans-boundary fish populations and one of the highest numbers of inland grizzly bears in North America.
On its website, the developer claims the project won't compromise existing wilderness refuge areas or species of concern.
But some local residents do not agree.
Dan Gerak runs the Upper Pitt River Lodge.
"We've got the wolves we've never had for years. We got grizzly bears back and wolverines," he told CTV News earlier this month. "Now they want to do this run-of-the-river project. (Seven) massive projects that will turn the area into a little city."
Mark Angelo, a spokesperson for the Outdoor Recreation Council, called the Upper Pitt one of British Columbia's jewels and said it needs protection, according to The Canadian Press.
The Wilderness Committee is providing a free shuttle to the public meeting for residents opposed to the project.
The meeting is being held at Pitt Meadows Secondary School at 19438 116B Avenue (at the corner of Blakely Road, a few blocks south of the Lougheed Hwy), from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday.
Watch CTV News at Six for the full report
With files from The Canadian Press and a report from CTV's Peter Grainger
