ECOPEI Press Release

May 22, 2000

Appeal to FORTIS/Maritime Electric to cancel hydro scheme.

A coalition of Islanders will take to the street today to show their concerns about plans by Fortis, Inc. (which owns Maritime Electric) to build a power dam in a sensitive natural area in Belize, Central America. These concerned citizens will assemble on Tuesday [May 22nd], at 12 noon to hand out information leaflets in front of the Maritime Electric offices on Kent St. in Charlottetown. The Proposed dam, which has been the center of a growing international controversy, would flood BELIZE’S Macal River Valley, and destroy CRITICAL habitat for jaguar, Scarlet Macaw -a large colorful parrot- and numerous other rare or endangered species, including Belize’s national animal, the tapir. “Many people on PEI own shares in Maritime Electric/Fortis and, of course, most of us are Maritime Electric customers,” says spokesperson Tony Reddin of the Environmental Coalition of PEI,” We want to make Islanders aware of the company’s plans in Belize. Once they find out, we think they will urge Fortis to cancel this destructive dam project.” Two prominent environmentalists from Belize were in St. John’s and Ottawa last week to protest plans by Newfoundland-based Fortis Inc. to build a hydro-electric dam in their small Central American country. The Natural Resources Defense Council convinced another potential backer of the dam, Duke Energy of North Carolina, to abandon the project last year.