Monday, April 19, 2004

Please see the notice below for the 2004 Northwest Energy Coalition Spring Board meeting to be held in Burnaby at the Metrotown Holiday Inn, beginning Friday, April 30, 2004 to Saturday, May 1, 2004. Friday is a field trip and a reception later in the day. Saturday, May 1^st, begins at 8:00 a.m. with a full breakfast.

BACKGROUND
www.nwenergy.org

The NW Energy Coalition (NWEC) is an alliance of more than 100 environmental, civic and human service organizations, progressive utilities and businesses from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and British Columbia. The NWEC promotes energy conservation and renewable energy resources, consumer and low-income protection and fish and wildlife restoration on the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

HISTORY
The NW Energy Coalition is committed to promoting policies for clean and affordable energy. The NWEC works with Northwest utilities, public utility commissions, elected officials, and state and federal agencies to make that happen. Since 1981, the NWEC has been instrumental in shaping utility plans, helping the region to save more than 1700 average megawatts of electricity through cost-effective energy conservation. The Coalition's advocacy also opened the door to the development of non-hydro renewable projects in the Northwest.

The BC Caucus of the NWEC has been in place since 1983. During the late1990s, membership in the BC Caucus dwindled as lack of energy policy in light of competitive pricing and restructuring drew the public’s attention away. Things have changed. The BC Energy Plan brings BC Hydro back into regulation by the BC Utilities Commission and recent filings at the BCUC by BC Hydro indicate that there are major decisions to be made and actions to be taken if BC is to have a sustainable energy plan in its future. BC needs an active energy caucus of citizens to promote communication, dialogue, and action for BCs energy future.

This meeting is an opportunity to learn more about the energy options for the entire Pacific Northwest and to meet others in BC that share your interests and concerns, and for all of us to meet some great folks from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Please come and find out how the energy industries in Western Canada are inextricably linked and why people living in the region, from all walks of life, need an ongoing dialogue about these important matters.

Friday, April 30
12-4pm	Tour of Vancouver landfill gas project
7-9pm	Reception @ Holiday Inn
Saturday, May 1
8-9am	Breakfast – full breakfast meal, at Holiday Inn
9-9:30am	Welcome, highlight BC members & cross-border education quiz
9:30-10:30am	Keynote speaker, Guy Dauncey http://www.earthfuture.com/guydauncey/
10:30-10:45am	Break
10:45am-Noon	Panel: Regional Issues
Noon-1:00pm	Lunch & Campaign powerpoint presentation
1:00-2:20pm	BC Caucus Meeting (concurrent caucus sessions)
2:20-2:30pm	Break
2:30-4:00pm	Panel: Canada focused, topic TBA
4:00-5:30pm	BC Caucus Organizational Meeting
6:00-7:30pm	BC Caucus Dinner
8pm	Party in Hospitality Suite @ Holiday Inn

Chair, BC Caucus