Nova Scotia tourism hurt by ferry cancellations as tourist season winds down: mayor

A southern Alberta First Nation says it will fight the province’s decision on a dam location that it says was made without consultation.

In a letter to Premier Danielle Smith, the Siksika band east of Calgary says it is deeply disappointed with the decision to move ahead with the Ghost Reservoir and will oppose it in every way it can.

Siksika, the only reserve downstream from the proposed dam on the Bow River, says it has significant concerns over flooding and water availability.

It says it was excluded from preliminary studies and wasn’t consulted at all before the decision was made.

It says a negotiating group set up to discuss water concerns on the Bow River hasn’t met once.

The Ghost Reservoir would be located west of Calgary and would significantly expand an existing reservoir to help with water management and flood control.

A spokesman for Alberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz wasn’t immediately available for comment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The number of companies planning to bid on a chance to develop a floating offshore wind project off the Oregon coast has been dwindling as opposition to the plan remains strong.

The federal government finalized two areas for floating offshore wind farms along the Oregon coast in February. The move brought the state closer to commercially developing and producing a renewable energy source as part of the fight against climate change.

But opposition from tribes, fishermen and coastal residents highlights some of the challenges the plan faces. Some are concerned that the construction will harm sea life, marine habitat, culturally important areas and views of the ocean.

Mainstream Renewable Power Inc., one of the companies that had planned to bid on the project, told Oregon Public Broadcasting that it will not longer participate in the sale scheduled for Oct. 15. Two others told the Oregonian/OregonLive that they, too, are backing out.

In addition to the opposition from tribes and fishermen, community groups have also voiced opposition to developing floating offshore wind farms. Coos and Curry counties will be voting on whether to oppose wind development.

The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management would not confirm the number of companies participating in the upcoming auction. It also would not say whether the auction would be delayed if only one bidder submitted a plan.

Oregon Public Broadcasting has reached out to all five eligible bidders to confirm their participation. So far, only Mainstream Renewable Power has replied.

The Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians have sued the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, claiming it failed to consider the environmental, cultural and economic impacts of offshore wind farms. The group hopes to delay the Oct. 15 auction.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has been working to ease tensions over wind development. She acknowledged that the federal government’s process for developing it “hasn’t started off on the right foot,” but said the state must explore renewable energy options — including floating offshore wind farms — to meet its climate goals.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

OTTAWA – A senior federal official says the government is mulling new ways to inform the public about possible foreign interference developments during an election campaign.

Under the current system, a panel of five top bureaucrats would issue a public warning if they believed an incident — or an accumulation of incidents — threatened Canada’s ability to have a free and fair election.

There was no such announcement concerning the 2019 or 2021 general elections.

Allen Sutherland, an assistant secretary to the federal cabinet, told a commission of inquiry today that officials are looking at how citizens might be told about developments that don’t quite reach the current threshold.

He said that would help inform people of things they ought to know more about, even if the incidents don’t rise to the level of threatening the overall integrity of an election.

Allegations of foreign interference in the last two general elections prompted calls for the public inquiry that is now underway.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.