Gros Morne's UN heritage designation at risk: hydro opponents
Last Updated: Monday, July 6, 2009 | 8:55 AM NT
CBC News
Opponents of a proposed transmission through Gros Morne in western Newfoundland are concerned the national park could lose its United Nations designation as a World Heritage Site.
Nalcor Energy, the Crown corporation in charge of the Lower Churchill power project, has proposed putting transmission lines from the Labrador power project to Newfoundland through the national park on the west coast of the island, which was designated in 1987 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Opponents, such as Greg Knott who started a Facebook group which has more than 4,000 members, worry that any changes to the national park could jeopardize that status.
UNESCO removed the World Heritage Site status from Germany's Dresden Elbe Valley after a four-lane bridge was built there. In a release dated June 28, UNESCO said the valley could no longer retain its status as a site of "outstanding universal value," and removed the site from its list — the second time it has done so in the history of the convention protecting world cultural and natural history.
"There's already been a precedent … when major construction goes through the park that the designation has been lost," Greg Knott.
While the provincial government says putting the transmission lines through Gros Morne is under consideration, Nalcor Energy has said it is the preferred route. Knott said he hopes the province will pay close attention to the consequences in Germany.
"I'd like to see the government come out and give more of a definite answer, you know, 'We're not going to go this route,'" he said.
Knott said he fears losing the UNESCO designation for Gros Morne would hurt tourism and businesses.
Officials with Gros Morne National Park have already said they're against Nalcor Energy's proposal.
Nalcor's proposal includes a two-kilometre wide corridor for transmission infrastructure through most of the land portions of the link and 200-metre wide corridors through select land portions, including those through Gros Morne.
